Monroe officials tout content, security features of iPads

Parents express mix of concerns and support for tablet rollout

BY JAMES McEVOY
Staff Writer

MONROE — With the implementation of the school district’s iPad initiative just days away, officials last week sought to ease parents’ concerns about content and security .

Under the initiative, each high school student was to be provided one of theApple tablet computers starting Oct. 18. The technology rollout is being funded under the final components of the high school bond referendum. Parents are required to pay a $49 fee for insurance coverage.

Bill Seng, a science teacher at Lenape High School, Medford, spoke about his experience implementing a pilot program for iOS, Apple’s mobile operating system. Seng outlined benefits including student content creation, multimedia collaboration and effective communication between teachers and their students.

“Let’s face it, the students that we have today, when they get older they’re not going to be carrying a backpack with books around; they’re going to have a mobile device in their pocket,” he said. “We need to teach them how to use those tools very responsibly and also in a fashion that’s going to benefit them and ensure that they’re successful.”

In particular, he highlighted students’ ability to create their own content.

“They become authors and make it extremely relevant to themselves,” he said, acknowledging some students may not use the iPads appropriately.

“You get a couple of kids every now and then who will be doing what they shouldn’t be doing, but you can say that about any classroom really,” Seng said. “Ultimately, they are far more resourceful and they are using the tools in ways that they really truly should.”

John Mazzola, a workstation specialist for the district, outlined the various security measures set in place for content as well as lost or stolen devices.

Using a website, Mazzola said the iPads can be tracked and locked out, requiring a user password to access the device in the event it is stolen.

“The key to it is, as soon as you know it’s gone, let somebody know so we can locate it,” he said.

Students will also be unable to download or install applications on the device, nor will they be able uninstall applications that come with it, he said.

Despite these presentations, not all parents were convinced.

“I don’t want my children to have iPads,” said resident Marilyne Cashman. “I don’t understand why it’s not my decision whether my child has an iPad.”

Cashman cited fiscal concerns in the event a child loses or damages the device and questioned the rationale providing students with a device with Internet access and no parental controls.

“They’re not allowed to have their phones at school and yet somebody here decided they can give my child a computer that they will have at their own access,” she said.

Jeff Gorman, assistant superintendent of schools, said he respected Cashman’s concerns and said arrangements could be made to limit students’ access to the iPad so they only have it during school hours. A student could still work on assignments and other classroom data from a home computer with Internet access, Gorman added.

He also addressed the damage concerns and to demonstrate, dropped his own iPad on the floor.

“I would not recommend this practice,” he said. “But the beautiful thing about it is there are no moving parts, so there’s nothing really to break. They come with a very secure case.”

In addition to the $49 insurance fee that covers damage or replacement parts for the first iPad that is broken for each student, parents would have to pay $538 if a second iPad is damaged or lost.

Other parents praised Monroe officials for the initiative.

Renee Haider said students will benefit from using the iPads when they enter college.

“This is the future,” Haider said. “In no way, shape or form should the students be held back because there are concerns.

“From my perspective this iPad implementation is the most innovative thing that this district has done in the 20 years that I’ve lived in the town,” she said.

Tom Nothstein said that while he had concerns, he supports the initiative.

“I’m all for this,” Nothstein said. “I was this age at one point too, and sometimes it’s doing things that you’re not supposed to be able to do with technology that makes it so enticing, and that’s a concern.”

The school board voted inAugust to purchase iPads for every high school student with about $900,000 in surplus from a bond that was issued to finance additional costs necessary for the construction of the new Monroe Township High School. Voters approved the bonds in December 2003 as part of a $41.9 million referendum.