Choosing the best fitting solution for each one of your students is a big decision. We have compiled tips from four technology experts who were once in your shoes, evaluating multiple tablet solutions. Here are some tips to consider, based off of real shared and 1:1 tablet implementation experiences.
1. Define Success and Have an End Goal in Mind
To ensure success and efficiency for technology in your unique school setting, it is important to assess your network’s infrastructure. Strong access to the web is critical to get the most out of your 1:1 program, regardless of what tablet solution you decide to go with. Along with having the right system in place, you’ll need to define your overall learning goals and understand what your teachers really need to do their jobs. Focus on more than just the hardware as you'll need a total solution. Understand your school, teacher, and student needs first before diving into a consumer product.
“There are many tablet solutions in the marketplace but we chose the LearnPad because we had a greater purpose in mind – to replace hardware in the classroom and put all content onto a single device. My advice to any school or district looking to implement a 1:1 tablet solution is to 1) first focus on a network infrastructure, Wi-Fi, and large bandwidth and 2) Have a goal in mind, such as developing a student response system and allowing teachers to utilize their existing curriculum to engage students.”
- Dennis Haynie, Midland Independent School District, TX
2. Invest in a Tablet Solution that Doesn’t Require Subscription Fees
Some schools are ready today to roll out one tablet for each student, whereas some are implementing one grade level, classroom, or school at a time. Look for affordable and advanced solutions that don’t have extra subscription costs, which put an added strain on the technology budget. Also pick a solution that has multiple options of accessories, bundles, and pre-loaded lessons to optimize students’ learning experiences. Pick a solution that is ready “out of the box” to increase productivity and make it even more valuable for your school to implement.
“The fact that we are a small school, with significant budget constraints, required that we invest in a tablet that did not require us to expend additional dollars to configure. The fact that these tablets came ‘ready to use’ from the moment we unpacked them made the implementation process extremely easy.”
- Marc Fanaroff, High Point School of Bergen County, NJ
3. Focus on Technology that Works with Existing Materials
Education is all about moving forward. Choose a solution that can leverage your current materials and curriculum, as well as introduce new media. Your solution should also have the ability to align your content to National standards. Define the user experiences in a way that can support the curriculum you have in place, utilize the resources your teachers have already created, and inspire your teachers to innovate rigorous new possibilities!
“The LearnPad is a perfect solution for one-to-one computing in our school district. We had two major concerns when considering tablets: application management and Flash support. The LearnPad operating system has all the controls we need for managing and delivering applications and instructional materials easily; and with Classview, we can remotely view, configure and manage devices. Many of our instructional websites are Flash-based, so we were excited to see that the LearnPad supported FLASH.”
- Kate Fisher, Stockbridge Valley Central School, NY
4. Focus on the Skills of Your Teachers with Professional Development
Tablets are engaging instructional tools, but the bigger picture is how teachers use them to create effective learning experiences. Your teachers and staff need instructional support through ongoing webinars and workshops to make them efficient technology users. The right training will truly create effective teaching practices and make the most of your investment.
“My advice for teachers starting to implement a 1:1 tablet solution is to focus on your staff first. Get the LearnPad in the hands of the staff and let them get familiar with the LearnPad management portal. They have to become efficient lesson builders inside of the portal. This was one of the best moves we’ve ever made in technology.”
- Louis Webb, Nueces Canyon Consolidated ISD, TX
What is LearnPad?
The LearnPad is the only proven "Purpose Built for Education" tablet solution. The LearnPad comes "out of the box" ready for use in schools and classrooms anywhere.
The LearnPad solution includes three components that allow any teacher or school to safely deliver unlimited, digital curriculum & instruction anywhere. The LearnPad tablet; the LearnPad cloud-based management portal; and the LearnPad content store.