Why use iPad in the Early Years?

After researching technology and the Early Years (see previous post here), I want to share why we chose the iPad for the early years:

Creativity and Communication - iPads, with the in-built apps such as Camera, Clips, Pages and Garageband, allow our students to be creators and not just consumers of technology. Students are able to engage with AR, be authors and publish books, and be musicians and create music.

Exploration - With the power of AR, students are able to immerse themselves into worlds and develop empathy with people and cultures that they may not get to experience in their local communities. This opens up new opportunities for our students.

Apple pencil - a pen, paintbrush, crayon, marker and eraser all in one. This combines the affordances of using pencils for handwriting, drawing, sketching and technology together. It encourages students to make mistakes, be creative and access a wider range of resources than may be available in the classroom.

Accessibility - in-built features for all learners. For example (but not limited to) text to speech, bold and larger text, ability to zoom in and Siri to operate the iPad. This enables all learners to access learning, providing equality.

Intuitive - Intuitive gestures like swiping, pinching and tapping make the iPad easy to use, so students can focus on the task at hand. This attribute means that the student exhausts less working brain space on how to actually use the device, and more on the creativity and exploration required to engage in the task.

Duality - iPad is a thin, light and durable device. They are easy for younger learners to transport between different environments. This enhances the learning experience by allowing students to think beyond the desk, classroom or even school.

Screen time - The Screen Time app allows students to focus on the right thing at the right time. You can decide how long they spend on apps and websites throughout the day or at specific times. This would also empower parents to make decisions on what their child should be on during time at home (if iPads were taken home).

Battery - The long lasting all day battery of an iPad allows teachers to establish routines for the use of iPad that don't interrupt the flow of learning experiences. Devices can be charged overnight and be ready for use at the point of need, at any time during the school day.