Pupils used to ipads find normal lessons dull

TEACHING children with ipads means they become uninterested in lessons without technology, an expert warns.

Schools that fail to embrace digital learning techniques in the classroom will find it increasingly difficult to capture children’s attention, says Dr Patricia Davies, a senior lecturer at the University of Wolverhampton.

“I think we are getting to the stage where learning in a traditional setting is becoming more and more boring for young people and children,” she said. “We run the risk of losing a lot of them because they are not engaged.”

Dr Davies, an expert in computer science, said that while schools across the country were investing huge amounts of money in purchasing ipads and other digital tools, teachers often did not know enough about the effect they have on children’s learning.

She studied the introduction of ipads at a preparatory school in south-east England for children in Years 4 and 7, and found that while children had more fun in lessons with ipads, they also struggled to concentrate without them.

Dr Davies added that schools that invest in ipads need a better understanding about how they help children, and how they can be tailored to address their individual needs.