The use of mobile devices by students and teachers as part of the educational system is expanding as more school systems realize the impact these devices can have on learning. With children growing up inundated with the latest technology, bringing it into the classroom is a logical step.
However, the process of actually adding computing devices for every student is easier said than done. A recent article from Portage Community, a Northwest Indiana news source, profiled the plan by Portage Township Schools to create a one-to-one student to computing device ratio. Each student would have their own laptop, iPad or other tablet for use in the classroom.
Jay Drew, the director of technology for the school district, spoke with the news source and said they are still early in the planning process and the sheer number of mobile devices that are available in the market is making it difficult for a final decision to be made.
However, a small handful of classrooms are piloting the idea as a way to discover the potential challenges that a widespread adoption like this will cause. Drew has also partnered with neighboring school systems that already have a computing device in play to gain some insight into the process.
"It's going to depend on a lot of things coming together at the right time," Drew told the news source. "We want to get the devices to our teachers first so they know how to use it. If we can do that soon, students will follow."
A large scale iPad deployment can be complicated, but with the help of an experienced IT consulting firm that specializes in them, it can be a breeze.
