Article: A third of students using ‘distracting’ classroom iPads for play, not work: study

A third of students using ‘distracting’ classroom iPads for play, not work: study

“…Researchers surveyed 6,057 students, who were enrolled in Grades 6 through 10, and 302 teachers about their experiences so far in using tablets daily in the classroom.

The report concludes that outfitting large numbers of students with costly tablets is a worthwhile endeavour, provided that teachers are well prepared and trained for the radical shift in delivering their lesson plans.

…”They spent over 76 per cent of their time on the iPad outside the classroom on social activities, amusement, and other recreational uses,” the report states.

…”Distraction is a big challenge but we did a couple of studies on the use of cellphones in the classroom and even when it’s forbidden, 95 per cent of the students in Grade 10 and 11 were texting in class, when they’re not even allowed to have a cellphone,” he said.

“So distraction was there before, it was just more discreet. Now you’re officially allowed to be distracted. Good teachers will go around, move in the classroom, change things around, get students busy.”
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