Impact of iPads on break-time in primary schools—a Danish context

Abstract

Today, technology in the form of tablet computers (e.g. iPads) is crucial as a tool for learning and education. Tablets support educational activities such as archiving, word processing, and generation of academic products. They also connect with the Internet, providing access to news, encyclopaedic entries, and e-books. In addition, tablets have the potential to provide immediate entertainment, such as games, social contacts, and videos. The impact of iPads in schools is widespread, and may among many other things change both formal and informal learning during break-time periods such as breaks and lunch in pre-school, primary, and lower secondary education. The inclination to converse or interact with people nearby may diminish considerably if desired information or entertainment is only a click (or swipe) away. The present qualitative research involved interviews of 10 pupils from three schools in the Copenhagen area to explore their subjective experiences of the impact of the municipally endorsed distribution of iPads for student use during break-time. The findings of this exploratory study suggest that there are significant differences in experiences by age group. The study suggests that schools help pupils adopt the kind of technological literacy that will still allow them to engage in socio-emotional learning during break-time.