Enlighten me about teaching on IPads

[mummmypirate]

Luddite alert! Our school/PTA is potentially about to invest a great deal on IPads as teaching aids. Instinctively I feel there are better ways to spend the hard-raised money but am prepared to be convinced. There seems to be a bit of a trend locally for a school's rep to be based on how many IPads are available in each classroom. Anyway, would appreciate the MN Collective's thoughts...

I worked at a school that had iPads. They had apps on for music, phonics, spellings and maths and were used frequently to support (but not replace) teaching.

Children loved using them and learnt whilst thinking they were playing.

I've also been to a seminar on using iPads to teach. If they put the time into then and use them correctly and research the worthwhile apps, they are fantastic

the school I work in has a load of them at present and the staff and kids are all singing there praises, I was in the reception class the other day and there was a table of little ones doing numeracy on the Ipads and a table doing music on apps with the help of their teacher and TA. The little ones had no problems with using them and seemed to be enjoying themselves.

My kids have access to an ipad at home and they are fab. I wish their school had them.

I think iPads are really overpriced for what they are. Tablets are a great idea, and a great learning tool, but would question why it has to be an Apple product.

The only advantage that iPads have over other tablets is that the accessibility software (such as zoom and voiceover) is far superior to the equivalent on Android tablets, so access to sensory impaired students would not be a prblem.

I use iPads in my reception class for Technology lessons - next half term they are going to make a short puppet film of Elmer using apps on iPads. I have also used it for maths, phonics, handwriting, guided reading, speaking and listening activities and will be using it for music too. Children find it very easy to use them, enjoy using them and it really does help with their learning. I should think that the levels of engagement together with learning is the main appeal.

If you are going to be using tablets, then it might as well be iPads . Apple have invested quite a lot in educational apps and there are a lot of brilliant apps that are exclusive to Apple. I could not imagine using anything else.

AshieFan - would you mind recommending some? I home-educate 2 KS2 daughters who are in love with my husband's iPad... Thanks!