iPad policy in the Queensland State Election.
Here in Queensland, Australia, we’re just at the start of a new state election campaign, one that sounds like it’s going to be bitterly fought on all fronts and particularly nasty. The ruling Labor government is looking for a sixth consecutive term while the Liberal-National party (LNP) hopes to win government by relying on Campbell Newman, the former Lord Mayor of Brisbane, and a leader who doesn’t hold a state seat.
Let me state now that the following represents my own opinion and not that of my employer. Just in case that wasn’t clear enough already.
I had mentioned on Facebook yesterday that the LNP had come out with ‘policy’ that promised 6,000 ipads to be supplied to special education schools, exasperating that this was sensationalist, empty policy that gives money to tech companies and will have little benefit for educators.
I’m not a teacher or even involved in educating children in any way shape or form, but I don’t understand how handing out tablet computers suddenly benefits the education system at large. And I’m not going to pick on the LNP here exclusively, because Labor came out and announced a very similar policy, justifying it by stating that they want our children to have access to the latest technology.
Read about Labor’s policy initiative – using mining boom to give students iPads
LNP criticises Labor’s iPad policy
LNPs iPad policy initiative announced back in November
I have a large number of questions regarding initiatives such as these. Is there any special reason why tablet computers have been chosen? Why provide them to a small number of students? (at least, in the LNP case, the policy is focused on special needs). Is there any research available to suggest having access tablet computers provides tangible benefits for the young over alternatives (for instance, netbooks)? Why iPads when there are cheaper, just as capable alternatives on the market? The various media reports don’t indicate any answers to these questions.
This means, for me, policies such as handing out iPads willy-nilly are not policy at all, but rather things to grab headlines, and fool people into thinking the major parties have solutions for problems, particularly in education.
Trying to not be an Apple apologist here, but have you used the ‘special needs’ support built in to the iPad? It’s light-years ahead of any competitor. I have some special needs for mine, I have fine-motor tremor in my hands all the time, and was unable to use touch computing before Apple introduced controls that only recognise the first touch, not the subsequent 10 on the same spot. I imagine this would also be beneficial for children using the device, as they mightn’t understand the tap-once method. Teaching kids how to use a mouse would definitely be harder than giving them a screen that they can point at what they want to do. I gave my iPad to a toddler cousin of mine, and he learned how to use it within 5 minutes. Yes the policy sounds like it wasn’t thought out when you see that iPads are twice the price of an android tablet. But in the right areas (special needs, very young, the elderly), that money is well spent for the features that are added.
Hi Matt – no need to be an apologist and this response gives me a lot better picture of the benefits of tablets for people with special needs. The main thrust of my complaint is that the parties seem to be advocating the purchasing of these devices without any such details as to _why_ they are important to have. Your answer gives me a much clearer picture and if benefits exist, then I have zero issue with such policies.
This may be, of course, an issue with the way policy is being reported. There seems to me an assumption from those wanting political power that people like ipads, therefore we can solve problems with ipads.
Of course, in the case of the Labor party’s policy, the iPads aren’t going to special needs students, so the whole argument is moot.
Well, no, it’s not really moot, because, as far as I’m aware, the LNP haven’t said why giving ipads to special needs students is good policy. Though, I applaud them that at least it’s more focused than the Labor policy.
The problem is getting the teachers to ‘know’ how to use them. At Nina’s school they were all handed iPads (from Government funding no doubt) with no education on how to use them. It’s a great idea, but not one teacher made use of them and Nina’s ended up in my hands being used as a MIDI synth. Points for forward thinking, but not for practical rollout.
That’s an excellent point and drives at the heart of my issue. Doling out iPads for the sake of having iPads seems ridiculous. Having an iPad doesn’t mean that people ‘get smarter’ automatically. It provides opportunity – yes – but this opportunity has to be accompanied by appropriate support for such devices, and in this case, that means suitable education for teachers in how to use them as a learning tool.