Augusta, ME – Kindergarten students in the city of Auburn, Main, about 30 miles southwest of the capital Augusta are going to receive something many adults could only dream of getting, a new iPad. Though is may seem to be a far fetched plan to many, it may actually be an idea many states may and should follow.
The former governor of Maine, Angus King stated, “I think this is a stunning idea.” After all, he should know because 10 years ago he was the forerunner of a state program that provided all 7th graders with a laptop computer.
According to the school board , which voted unanimously for the plan, hope that by 2013 the literacy rates will rise to about 90% from the mere 62% it is now. But, why iPads and not just use laptops again? Well, iPads, like anything made by Apple, are much more resistant to viruses, they are stronger, lighter, smaller and cheaper, then say a laptop computer, especially one made by Apple.
Anyone into technology could tell that iPads could make very interesting classrooms as they can be programed to control basic functions in homes, yachts and jets and may even save the state money in the long run. According to Tom Morrill who is the school superintendent said the total cost could run around $200,000 to outfit 285 students as well as teachers with the $475 devices, including a $25 discount Morrill was able to convince Apple to grant.
But how could it save money? Say there were 25 school districts that needed a Spanish teacher and it cost $30,000 a year per teacher. If each school district was to get a separate teacher it would cost $750,000. However, if the schools were connected through a special iPad application which could be created for less then $10,000, all 25 school districts could share just one teacher, saving hundreds of thousands of dollars a year. Still, it would be a long run savings as the cost of buying the iPads would have to be made up.
However, the most nagging question is: 5-year-old children with an iPad? Though children are not the best with expensive gadgets most people who work with children will tell you, it is not the child but, how they were raised. Yes, in the end it all goes back to the parents in the home front. Still, if a child thinks that an iPad is something that they need to hold dear, like a stuffed animal, they will take care of it.
