Apple’s new iPad could pave the way for digital classrooms
Apple’s Special Event on Tuesday saw the announcement of new Apple Watches, iPhones and an impressive yet affordable entry-level iPad. Whilst there was certainly a lot of interesting new tech on show, for educators and students, it should be Apple’s latest tablet which draws attention.
The biggest reason for this is its price. As is the case with any new technology, the cost can be the key to success, and Apple has positioned its new 10.2 inch iPad as a competitively priced addition to the tablet market. But more than that, the opportunities for EdTech are substantial; this trend and the resulting success of the new iPad could be the very thing that paves the way for a revolution in digital classrooms.
Starting at a $329/£349 retail price and available up to 15% cheaper using Apple’s education discounts, the new iPad is the cheapest in the product line whilst still boasting some pretty spectacular specs. One of the most significant barriers to bringing tech into the classroom has always been the financial hurdle; schools simply don’t have the budget or can’t justify paying thousands for the latest tech products. However, the new iPad’s competitive pricing (the same cost as Apple’s previous model) is signaling a new trend in Apple’s hardware pricing and possibly the industry as a whole.
If tablet technology continues to be offered at these more attractive prices, it’s likely we’ll see a greater take-up of tablets across schools. Tablets are becoming increasingly important to the learning experience and, with Apple’s latest announcement, the opportunities for schools to afford to innovate their classrooms with handheld tech are becoming increasingly real.
The multiple functions of iPads, which have the power and ability of a computer placed into a device much more appropriate for classroom learning, are also an advantage for schools. With schools already using technology such as PCs, laptops and interactive whiteboards, the iPad is a more affordable addition and is portable, versatile and interactive.
Consider too the cost of textbooks — not only the financial cost to the school but every other cost: to the environment, to learning using outdated print materials and to higher education students who suffer the financial burden of having to pay for their own textbooks. eBooks are far more affordable and printing costs for classroom resources could drop significantly if they were more easily available. Looking to the future, investing in tablets could save schools money and ensure that the most up-to-date information is always only a few taps away.
Tablets have long been an excellent tool for educators. However, the high price of tablet technology matched with largely stretched school budgets has hampered adoption in many cases. Nevertheless, I believe that the lower prices could be a catalyst for wider adoption and I wouldn’t be surprised to see a jump in tablet use across schools by the end of next year.
Tablets are already gaining prominence across classrooms, with statistics suggesting that they were already present in 70% of UK schools by 2014. That number continues to grow every year and Apple’s new announcements will only help to accelerate the process. As someone who is seeing first-hand the possibilities allowed by the iPad and other education technology, it’s exciting to see the barriers to adoption be increasingly weakened and replaced by opportunities for tech-enabled learning.
Undoubtedly, we’re moving towards a more technology-based classroom environment and, in many ways, the tablet is the quintessential classroom tool. With this big push by Apple to reinvigorate the excitement around tablets, I’m hopeful that the learning benefits of a digital classroom will be realised on a much larger scale soon.
About Robin Williams
Since joining Twinkl last year — one of the largest educational resource publishers in the world — Robin has steered its Digital team to becoming a world-class educational APP and Platform developing team, establishing a 40+ strong internal agency structure. He’s overseen the release of three ‘World-first’ AR Education apps for educators and is currently creating the ‘Canva’ of teaching resource creation platforms.
