Do you think iPads in the classroom are totally awesome?

Let me get this straight…

Do you think iPads in the classroom are totally awesome?

Yes, I believe iPads in the classroom are totally awesome!

I thought governments were cutting education spending as much as possible, an understandable development given the lower tax revenue thanks to the recession.

Sure, but iPads are totally awesome!

Do you know how much iPads cost?

The cheapest ones cost $499 each!

They’re a luxury item. The Kindle Fire costs $159. Why is the iPad the tablet of choice in schools?

Branding! Don’t you know that iPads are totally awesome?

Think of what teachers do in the classroom with tablets. What percentage of that stuff can be done with any tablet, what percentage of activities can be done only on iPads, and how valuable are those activities?

You’re missing the main point… iPads are totally awesome!

You’re missing my point. Stop wasting money on iPads. You’re a school, not a startup trying to impress other people with the fancy gadgets you can give your employees. And if there’s a pedagogical advantage to using tablets, it behooves you to purchase tablets that cost 31.8 per cent of the more expensive option, and probably perform 99 per cent of the functions you want.

(Image cc-licensed: "student_ipad_school - 091" by flickengerbrad)