When the iPad was launched, it was seen primarily as a device for entertainment. It was marketed as a nifty piece of technology that would make browsing the Internet, checking out social networking sites and playing games fun. Not many people saw the potential of tablets to transform education – after all the device was not meant for kids. As the iPad got more popular, it found its place in offices. People realized that it was a wonderful device for businessmen.
For a long time, the potential of iPad to impact education positively was ignored. But over the last two years, several high-caliber education apps for kids – from toddlers to college students – have made their way to the app store. Educational institutes have also recognized the value of iPads and many people in the education sector are campaigning to make tablets and other virtual devices a part of the classroom. Let’s look at how this entertainment tool has revolutionized education.
Information at Fingertips – Even in the Classroom
With an iPad connected with Wi-Fi, students in the classroom or the library are just a few taps away from the biggest source of information on the planet – the Internet. The iPad is just the right size – not too small, not too big. So, it is easy to carry around. In addition to the Internet, the iPad is connected to iBooks and the students can get most books on any topics right there in their iPads. Also, the books looks a lot better than textbooks and are a lot more useful and fun.
Learning without School
The iPad has brought a big smile on the face of parents who have opted to place their kids under home schooling. While the iPad has the power to act as a pillar supporting the existing education structure, it is also a disruptive force that makes the current education system obsolete. For any category that you want, there are awesome apps that teach in a way that is much more fun than most classroom. Also, the touch-tap nature of the device paves the way for interactive apps that make learning an immersive and entertaining experience.
Education is Cheaper
The classroom isn’t the only place for learning. Virtual classroom and online courses tailored for the iPad students are changing the way education works. This is the kind of thing that had been tried with laptops – but laptops don’t work with younger kids. Also, laptops need costly education software, and there is not enough variety. The iPad rides the waves of app development and the sheer volume of the devices makes it possible for app developers to create high-quality educational content and sell it for nominal rates in bulk.
Wrapping up
The Internet has been around for a long time, but online education had been just an idea for a long time. But the iPad makes that dream a reality. It has made education a lot more fun, entertaining and cost effective. As more and more developers create apps that fit with the school curriculum, we can expect to see the iPad play a bigger role in the education industry.
