Dive Brief:
- Ed tech expert Kathy Schrock writes in eSchoolNews that schools should approach ed tech with a variety of devices varying by grade level instead of subscribing to one company's product or suite of tools.
- Access to a full-featured computer instead of just a tablet is also key in classrooms, Schrock says — especially for high school learners.
- For younger students, however, she says devices like Apple's iPads work well.
Dive Insight:
The choice of an iPad for pre-K through first-grade learners is based on the availability and diversity of learning apps aimed at that particular age group, Schrock says. Moving up, grades 2-4 benefit from iPad minis and keyboards. Grades 5-8 can use Chromebooks if a 1:1 device program is available in their schools, which enables students to learn at home as well as at school. If high schools can't provide laptops to all students, Schrock also recommends Chromebooks. For all grade levels, she suggests the utilization of Apple TV and a large projection screen in classrooms.
Chromebooks continue to lead the pack in U.S. schools, with their sales accounting for half of all tech sales to schools, due to their economic price, brand integrity, device longevity, simplicity, and ongoing support network. Schrock's online guides to mixed-platform learning are available for free, and include an iPad guide, one on Chromebooks in schools, and a general overview of online tools for educators.
Of course, it's not enough to just put those devices in schools, and Education Dive's recent survey on the state of ed tech in K-12 shows offering professional development for those tools and overcoming teacher resistance are top priorities among administrators and educators.
