by Ashley Alongi, Spring Intern 2013
This March at SXSWedu, an educational conference in
Austin, News Corporation’s educational unit unveiled
their new tablet specialized to teaching. Spearheaded by former New York City School Chancellor Joel Klein, now CEO of Amplify, the Amplify
tablet aims to change the classroom environment into one that students more
readily understand. In Klein’s opinion, schools need to embrace
technology instead of banning it if they want to move forward: “Kids use media and
technology of all kinds but they’re told they have to turn them all off when
they get to school,” says Klein.
The Amplify tablet will be preloaded with content and
resources aligned to the Common Core State Standards Initiative and pre-programmed
with customized software before a student even turns on the device.
Amplify aims to speed up daily classroom tasks and free
up more time for active instruction. When each device is brought to class,
attendance is automatically counted for the teacher. Alerts can also be
programmed into the device to send reminders to students about upcoming tests
or projects.
The hope for the tablet is that there will be a more
clear view of how the class is fairing with a specific topic. With the push of
a button, teachers can send a quick poll to students asking how well they grasp
the topic, using emoticons to gauge their feelings. This way everyone’s feeling
is noted, even those who are shy or may not feel comfortable admitting out loud
that they don’t understand something. Tests and quizzes can also be sent to
students through their tablets, with the results instantly tabulated so teachers
can see who may need some more help. Teachers can then send individual students
more information about topics the student is struggling with.
What makes the Amplify tablet different from other
tablets like Apple’s iPad—which has been making a push into the education
market—is the control teachers will be able to have over students’ devices.
With its classroom management system, teachers will be able to pull focus back
to them and off the screen, with options like locking down certain
applications, such as the Internet or games, or simply locking the whole device
to display the message “Eyes on Teacher.”
Not
everyone is on board with the technology push. Some have commented that Klein
wants to eliminate teachers, while others believe that the price may be too
steep for many schools to afford. The Wi-Fi version of the tablet starts at
$299, plus $99 per year for a content and services subscription. A version with
access to AT&T's 4G LTE data service is $349, plus a $179 annual
subscription fee. When asked about the cost, Amplify offices stated that “a
variety of school systems do have the funding via [the Obama administration’s]
Race to the Top initiative and in other ways. Large school districts in L.A.
and Houston are moving in this direction. There are challenges but this is an
investment.”
Another tablet on the market means more
possibilities, and those schools that can afford to try devices like Amplify may
pave the way for marking out the pros and cons of such technology in the
classroom.
Further
Reading
“Exploring
the World Through Tablets,” published October 30, 2012, http://publishingsolutionsgroup.com/blog/exploring_the_world_through_tablets/
“News Corp.'s Amplify Unit Unveils Education Table,” Publisher’s Weekly, published March 6,
2013, http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/digital/devices/article/56231-news-corp-s-amplify-unit-unveils-education-tablet.html
“News
Corp. Has a Tablet for Schools,” The New
York Times, published March
6, 2013, http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/06/business/media/news-corp-has-a-tablet-for-schools.html
“News Corp.'s Joel Klein Outlines Plans for Amplify
Education Unit,” Publisher’s Weekly, published December 5,
2012, http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/digital/devices/article/55012-news-corp-s-joel-klein-outlines-amplify-education-unit.html
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