Brings the standard computer to the students’ desk allowing for 1:1 computing

Educational applications with information available at the touch of a finger

Animated content to engage all learners Expands the learning environment through

interactive lessons. Ability to takes notes, track assignments, and

study for exams along with access to the internet Ability to download text books which can

ultimately replace textbooks

The company Apple developed the iPad which “offers an easy-to-learn tool that encourages students to learn and communicate their best thinking in compelling new ways.”

Apple Inc. (2010). Learning with apple. Retrieved from http://www.apple.com/education/why-apple/

The price tag may be the only set back with this innovation:

$499.99

There are discounts for educational institutions when buying in bulk.

Apple producing 1.2 million iPads per month, (Jade, 2010).

Apple is recruiting Samsung to manufacture the LCD displays alongside of LG to increase production, (Brunner, 2010).

Jade, K, (2010). Apple selling 1.2 million iPads per month, rate could double by holidays. Apple Insider. Retrieved from http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/10/06/18/apple_selling_1_2_million_ipads_per_month_rate_could_double_by_holidays.html

Brunner, G. (2010). Apple is now producing 1.2 million iPads every single Month. Macgasm.net. Retrieved from http://www.macgasm.net/2010/06/21/apple-sells-12-ipads-single-month/

I expect that the innovators and early adopters of iPads would be technology specialist, media specialist and science & math teachers.

A strategy that is most persuasive in convincing the innovators and early adopters to adopt the iPad is to have a demonstration on how different applications within the iPad can make teaching and applying the standards a simple task.

The laggards or the people who would most likely reject the iPad are the more experienced teachers or the veteran teachers.

A strategy that would best help move the laggards toward adoption is making them comfortable and knowledgeable about the benefits of the iPad and how well it corresponds with their specific subject area. Content specific hands-on training will also be another strategy that can assist with moving laggards toward adoption.

The perceived attributes that would be best for helping iPads meet critical mass in education would be compatibility and observability.

I believe that a decentralized approach will work best for the adoption of the iPad. This approach involves

1. Wide sharing of power and control among the members of the diffusion system; client control by local community leaders. 2. Diffusion innovations through horizontal networks of peers. 3. Innovations come from local experimentation by non-experts, who often are users. 4. Local units decide which innovations should be innovations should be diffused on the basis of their informal evaluations of the innovations. 5. A problem centered approach; technology pull, created by the locally perceived needs and problems. 6. A high degree of local adaptation and re-invention of the innovations as they diffuse among adopters.

Retrieved from http://www4.uwm.edu/cuts/bench/princp.htm#cent

In my school, I would recommend the administrators and school improvement specialist as change agents.

The seven roles of change agents can be used in collaboration within my school to effect positive social change by,

1. Building networks that help users help each other.2. Evaluating results instead of activities.3. Setting specific goals and action plans.4. Promoting a belief system that anything is possible.5. Building on the strengths of others.

Retrieved from http://www.personal.psu.edu/users/w/x/wxh139/Rogers.htm

As of January 2011, iPads have reached critical mass.

“Since the iPad has an enormous head start, and Apple convinced many third party app developers to reprogram key apps for the iPad pre-release, the iPad came out with critical mass of content to achieve success.”

http://seekingalpha.com/article/249472-battle-of-tablets-all-about-market-share-and-margins

iPads are a beneficial addition to K-12 education. Some benefits include,

Improved Learning Differentiated learning experiences for students Digital textbooks can replace classroom textbooks Eco-friendly, use less paper Access to the latest technology Interactive applications Organized note taking Massage storage space