Are Tablets the Future of Education?

Is the education of the future generations at stake, or will it become more effective with the use of tablets in school? The country’s classrooms are unquestionably going through a technological uprising. Samsung and Apple are watching the sales of these devices increase immensely. There are several theories as to why the tablet would be a negative impact on the children in school. However, experts believe that the tablet is taking over America’s schools and don’t have such horrible impacts on students like society seems to accept as true. 81% of K-12 teachers say that tablets really do help students in the classroom. (“Tablets VS Textbooks.” Web). With the world evolving into a more technologically advanced environment for people to live, the introduction of electronic tablets in school have caused a controversy as to whether they should replace the textbook in grades K-12 with factors behind this decision being cost of materials, policy on tablet usage, and the acceptability of new media; all of which have caused a debate of the pros and cons of its usage, the impact such usage will have on students, the input from faculty, the health issues that experts have concluded with the usage of tablets, and the future of education based on the path that schools are taking. Still, like always, the main problem of discussion is the cost.

First, the price of tablets are astonishingly cheaper compared to the original textbook. However, it all depends on how many students a school district has enrolled. The Los Angeles Unified School District is the second largest school district in the country, whom have recently spent $30 million to give 35,000 iPads to students. This is part of a multiyear deal with Apple that will ultimately give all 6...

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... still give quality instruction to our children,” board chairman Ray Snow adds. “I think a trial session would be appropriate and then if successful, switch from books.” The conversion from standard textbooks to an electronic device would be a suitable move for everyone (Capek).

The use of tablets in grades K-12 have several positive and negative aspects of which these include: Cost of materials, policies on tablets, the aging of textbooks and electronic devices, the pros and cons of both the tablet and textbook, the impact on students that the tablet will give, the input from experienced faculty, and the health issues regarding the usage of the digital textbook. These are all factors as to whether America’s schools will transfer over to such devices. As technology has advanced, so has education, which is driving essential changes in how we work, live, and learn.