Not to be outdone by kindergarten students in Maine, Charleston County School District in South Carolina has approved the purchase of iPad 2s for each student in Drayton Hall Elementary as well as another unnamed school in the district. Did Stephen Colbert, a South Carolinian, have anything to do with this?
The elementary school has already been testing iPads in kindergarten, first and third grade classes with success. Amy Winstead, an elementary teacher at Drayton Hall said, “they have made a huge difference in learning. The kids’ test grades have gotten much better. It saves so much paper. Eventually we’re hoping to let kids take tests and quizzes on the iPads and e-mail them to their teachers.”
The school technology budget normally allows for two new computers per classroom but this program will ensure that each student has access to her own iPad. The school district is justifying the added expenditure because it hopes to save on textbook purchases and copies printed for homework. If it proves successful, each student in the district will receive an iPad.
The school district in Maine has gotten some backlash from a group of parents about the expense of issuing iPads. But, anything that improves test scores and, more importantly, engages and inspires children more in school is hugely beneficial. You can’t put a price tag on that.
[via WCSC TV]