Tablets - potential benefits but questions of affordability

The tablet has intermediate size between the smart phone and the laptop. With the supporting software(apps) it is a powerful tool. Thus it is portable, powerful and of a size that will allow the teacher to easily observe what the students are doing.

Tips for teachers

1. Be knowledgeable of the functions and resources available via the tablet.

2. Plan thoroughly to maximise use in the available class time

3. Be selective in terms of both when to use and what to use

4. Provide opportunity for interaction and collaboration to avoid isolation among students.

5. organise so that students can explore, enhance their skills and use in subject-relevant manner beyond class time

 

There are a number of pros for its use that I consider to be significant

1. It is related to the smart phone which the students use widely outside the classroom thus it fits the students lifestyle
2.  It is portable thus enabling use in various class settings – classroom, laboratory or fieldtrips
3. It makes the classroom technology rich with multimedia facilities. It provides images and sounds that can spark class discussion. The students can be taken on virtual fieldtrips anytime.
4. It increases students’ engagement. This provides opportunity for teachers to channel the increased engagement towards increased learning.

 

One of the main drawbacks in our context is that tablets are costly and to ensure that one is available to each student. Whereas it may be possible for two students to share a laptop the size and operation of the tablet makes it even less convenient for students to share in its use. The one- to-one use of tablets in our classrooms at this time is thus a challenge