Ten keys to a successful school iPad program

Build an ongoing training and support structure. Deploying iPads is a major step toward addressing the learning needs of 21st-century students. It also involves a major change in school culture, which will require adequate training and support.

It’s important to understand that “training” doesn’t mean setting aside one day at the start of the year and bringing someone into the school for a half-day workshop. Schedule time for ongoing training sessions throughout the year. Develop teacher support groups within your school and with other schools, where teachers can exchange experiences, share their successes, and learn from each other.

Connect online. Don’t use your school’s iPads in a vacuum! The web has many helpful resources, and I urge you to take advantage of them. You can easily connect and benefit from the knowledge and experience of other teachers. Join Twitter or sites such as the iPads in Education network.

Enable the unpredictable. Technology is most effective when used as a tool for student empowerment. Don’t expect to control every aspect of the students’ learning, and don’t feel the need to always be the expert.

See also:

iPads soar in popularity among K-12 schools

Why iPads? It’s a question of innovation

For the current generation of kids, technology is a canvas with limitless possibilities. Give them the freedom to paint their own masterpieces!

Despite the potential of technology use, all education shouldn’t revolve around it. After all, there’s no doubting the importance of using crayons and paints. Getting your hands dirty planting in a garden is an extremely valuable educational experience, and how can you ever replace the experience of having a teacher or parent read to a child? Remember that wise technology use sometimes means knowing when to put it away.

Still, well-planned technology deployments can be tremendously successful and transformative for schools and students. Given the freedom to explore and express themselves, students can be wonderfully creative and imaginative with technology.

Sam Gliksman is the author of iPad in Education For Dummies^®. He has been leading technology applications in business and education for over 25 years. As an independent educational technology consultant, he advises educators on how to integrate technology into learning initiatives. Sam leads the iPads in Education community, http://ipadeducators.ning.com/. Sam can be reached by email at samgliksman@gmail.com and via Twitter at @samgliksman.

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