Things to think about before you implement iPads in your school.

Connection checklist

In order to implement the iPads successfully you will need to:

• Ensure the school has a robust and reliable wireless infrastructure.
• Ensure Wi-Fi signal is distributed evenly in all the classrooms and in the teachers’ room.
• Ensure that your network can sustain a large volume of devices connecting at the same time.

Pedagogical checklist

In order to ensure that the teachers are ready to use the iPads you will need to:

• Ensure that all teachers know how and why the use of the iPads will be integrated into the overall development of the school and as part of their own professional development.
• Schedule training sessions, either in-house or at the Apple store, to help teachers become more confident in using the tool.
• Ensure that professional development doesn’t only focus on “how to” use the technology but also on the aims and objectives for using the technology i.e. developing digital literacy, developing research skills, promoting collaborative work etc.
• Identify and test apps that will enable learners to practise specific skills such as: recording themselves, taking notes, creating presentations.
• Develop a bank of iPad activities before implementing the tool.
• Further reading: Apps linked to specific learning goals How to review an App.

 Logistical checklist

Before purchasing the devices you will need to have a clear procedure on how the devices will be managed and you will need to decide:

• Where the devices will be stored and charged. Will you use an iPad cart?
• When the devices will be charged and who will be responsible for ensuring that the iPads are ready for use.
• How you will identify each iPad.
• Whether you need to purchase iPad protective covers headphones and headphone splitters.
• Whether you will purchase, manage and synchronize apps to the devices with one central account or different accounts.
• If you want to allow teachers to add Apps.
• Who will manage the Apps? Will you use the Apple’s Volume Purchasing Plan?
• If you need cloud based storage to save students’ work when they are working on a project. Will you use Dropbox, Evernote, GoogleDrive to name a few?