The review found that using iPads in classrooms instead of textbooks led to increased distraction in the class as well as a lack of quality in resources.
An expert review was conducted in Ratoath College in County Meath after parents raised concerns about the school's iPad-only policy.
According to RTÉ, the review recommended that the school abandon the iPad- only policy as well as highlighting issues such as affordability, learning and distraction in the classroom.
Some teachers in the school reported that it is incredibly difficult to control and monitor a classroom when students can easily switch from their notes to games and social media without the teacher's knowledge.
Students also confirmed this issue, with some saying that is easy to get distracted when a teacher is talking and another student might be playing a game on their iPad right in front of them. They said:
"I find people getting distracted is the most difficult part as you could be trying to focus and someone is playing games in front of you."
Source: RTÉ
The lack of textbooks has led to teachers having to provide their own resources. The review stated that while the iPads work well for digital resources, there are not many high-quality resources available, leading to teachers handing out copious amounts of photocopies and notes with no textbook for the students to refer back to.
Parents have observed that this has led to difficulties for the students studying at home. The amount of notes and photocopies received has affected some students' ability to organize themselves effectively, leading to students feeling overwhelmed. The report quoted parents saying:
"When revising, all her notes look the same, making it harder, in my opinion, to distinguish the important facts ... My daughter is generally very organised but even she found it stressful trying to figure out how to organise her vast array of notes."
Source: RTÉ
The review concluded that the school return to printed textbooks alongside limited use of technology for learning. Ratoath College then announced that incoming First Year students are not required to buy iPads.
