Bill Gates: Tablets Have Horrible Track Record
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Bill Gates has not always been a fan of Apple products in the past. Microsoft and Apple are competitors in a few markets after all. But it seems he is not sold on the idea of using tablets in classrooms at all. Instead, he would like to see laptops used in classrooms instead.
Just giving people devices has a really horrible track record. You really have to change the curriculum and the teacher. And it’s never going to work on a device where you don’t have a keyboard-type input. Students aren’t there just to read things. They’re actually supposed to be able to write and communicate.
In the past, I have argued that tablets could be too distracting. Not all today’s schools have what it takes to properly integrate tablets in their classrooms. But the problem with tablets is certainly not their lack of keyboard. There are plenty of accessories one can take advantage of to write on a tablet. Some top tablets have their own keyboard docks too (that includes Microsoft Surface, which is making its debut later this year).
Tablets do seem to be the future in this area. The iPads of this world have more than enough features to allow students to read, type, and produce material for their courses. But are our educational institutions ready to take full advantage of these new technologies? That remains to be seen.
