COMMENTARY: Questions arise regarding iPad plan
By Rob Treynor
Staff Writer
Earlier this week, junior high administrators presented to the Madison-Plains Board of Education their plans to equip each junior high student with their own iPad, beginning this fall.
The device would stay with the student until graduation from high school. In five years’ time, every student in the Madison-Plains Junior High and High School will have an iPad in their backpacks as a principal learning tool.
This affords Madison-Plains students with wonderful opportunities not currently present elsewhere in Madison County schools. Each student will have internet access from their desks at all times. They’ll have video conferencing software that will allow for new and exciting ways for the students to collaborate on projects. Students will begin to have digital textbooks downloaded to their tablets, allowing for lighter backpacks. The built-in calendar can be accessed by teachers, which automatically can notify students of upcoming assignments or tests.
The usage of tools such as the iPad have become commonplace in the workforce. Giving every student the accessibility to such tools should ease the students’ transition into adulthood, and broaden their minds on what can be achieved.
But the shift from traditional learning to one that’s dependent upon new technologies will create new issues and problems for students, parents, and the school district.
On Wednesday, June 20, Superintendent Bernie Hall will host a presentation to the public on the iPad implementation project.
I do not have children in the Madison-Plains school district. If I did, I would be attending this meeting with the following questions and concerns:
HOME INTERNET ACCESS
How often will students’ homework require access to a broadband wi-fi Internet connection? Will students be penalized if such connections don’t exist in their homes? Are there any plans in place to create student accessible hot-spots throughout the school district for students that don’t have home Internet access?
INAPPROPRIATE USE
The built-in video conferencing software (“FaceTime”) has the ability to transmit inappropriate conduct from one device to another. The web browser (“Safari”) may have restricted access while on school grounds, but those restrictions will be gone at home.
What are the consequences of students who use the iPad — school property — in an inappropriate manner, while away from the school?
USER AGREEMENTS
Most software requires the users to agree with the terms that the software manufacturer spells out. These are called ‘user agreements.’ Most software will not run until you agree to their terms. Due to the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, most software — Apple’s included — requires someone over the age of 12 to agree to the terms set forth. How will apps and updates be handled by 12-year-olds?
PRIVACY
A nifty feature built into mobile Apple products allows someone to track down the product remotely, should it get stolen. The owner of a stolen iPad can find it on a map. (The software is called “Find my iPhone,” but it works with iPods and iPads as well.) There are ways, in fact, that the owners of the iPads can remotely turn on the built-in cameras to see who is using the device.
Who will have access to this? In what set of circumstances will school employees have permission to run this software? If parents are trying to track down their children, will the schools allow parents access to this information, or is it proprietary? Who in the school will be allowed to run this software, and what are the consequences for school officials that use this software inappropriately?
There’s a serious ability to breach privacy using software such as this. Any parents with ‘Big Brother’ concerns may want this addressed before allowing a government tracking device to enter their household.
Every technology brings a unique set of issues to the table.
These issues aren’t roadblocks, but only hurdles that should be addressed before students, parents, or the school district are caught off-guard.
