Ten keys to a successful school iPad program

You’ve seen what kids look like when they handle an iPad—that’s what makes these devices ideal teaching aids. With little hesitation, young people jump right in, and within minutes they start drawing, reading, or finding some other activity that motivates, engages, and educates them.

Yes, it’s wonderful that kids love iPads, and educators will, too—if they know how to incorporate them into teaching. Having iPads in the classroom won’t make much of a long-term impact unless teachers know how to roll them out. Here, I list ten vital components of a successful iPad implementation:

First, determine whether or not you’re ready. There’s no point in purchasing iPads if you don’t have the technical infrastructure to manage and deploy them. I urge educators to consider the following questions:

Do you have adequate incoming internet bandwidth to connect all the devices and use them at the same time? Remember that you may also need significant upload bandwidth as students start to create and deliver large media files.
Is your wireless network robust enough to manage and distribute a strong, reliable wireless signal all around campus?
Do your classrooms have safe, secure locations to store iPads?

Understand and communicate why you want iPads. Yes, iPads are cool and cutting edge, and kids love them. But you’ll need to evaluate these devices more closely from an educational perspective and make sure that your entire organization is on the same page before pulling the technology trigger.

You’ll need a clearly communicated explanation of how iPad use complements your educational mission, which then needs to be clearly communicated to all the various constituent groups, including teachers, students, parents, directors, and administrators.

(Next page: Eight more keys to success)

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