Florida's iPad Initiative Allows iPad Rental Units Infiltrate Schools

We were surprised, a few months ago, when we began seeing a particular technology trend emerging in the education sector; iPad adaption.

For us, a company well-sequestered in the international iPad rental business-place, this realization was a significant one. We need to consistently adapt to suit market trends, and if large-scale organizations like public school systems begin veering towards a trend, we need to modify to suit their needs.

But the new tech revolution goes beyond what mere platform students prefer. Some schools are trying to adapt to green initiatives by making the classroom environment paperless. The entire state of Florida has embarked on this goal – and by 2015 it hopes to replace textbooks and other non-renewable materials with eco-friendly options.

Wiregrass Ranch High School has been leading the pack. The school launched a pilot program to see how easily it could adapt. Yes, incoming students received iPads instead of textbooks, but that isn’t the only change at hand here.

It’s learning techniques that are becoming adaptive.

According to Robyn White, the school’s assistant principal, "We are taking what the kids are using at home every day. We are taking the technology, and we are and bringing it into the classroom for the purpose of active engagement, individual student learning, so that they are going to take on some of the responsibility for learning on their own, through the use of this technology."

At first, Wiregrass is only targeting Freshmen as a control group. They started out small, by incorporating 25 iPads into a select group of students. As a side note -- interested students had to submit an application and an essay to prove themselves worthy.

One reason that the school didn’t go full-force into tablet adaption was the concern surrounding usage. It’s no secret that apps – particularly games – are prevalent on the iPad.

Two words: Angry Birds.

 To solve this problem, White said that students had to agree not to download any outside applications besides the ones they were initially provided with.