Lake Ridge High School uses iPad minis as a technological asset for the students and teachers. The iPads can be used for attendance, teaching, and even presentations. Each student is required to be in possession of an iPad.

Mr. Dean, Lake Ridge Campus Support Technician, believes that technology, as a whole, enhances the learning experience for the students. Dean sees the iPads as extremely advantageous for the students.

“I think it would be wrong not take advantage of technology in the classroom, now that it is so accessible. I mean, I’m sure you just emailed me from your iPad, didn’t you?”

However in contrast, Ms. Eva Williams, retired college professor at TCC, thinks that iPads do not enhance the learning of the students at all.

“I think it’s a distraction because it causes students to lose focus on the important aspects of learning,” says Williams.

With the iPads taking over the school, hardcover textbooks are not as prominent of a tool used to further a student’s education. However, Tavian Young, junior, prefers learning from the book, rather than from an online source.

“I feel like I work better through textbooks, than on iPads,” said Young.

In contrast to Young’s viewpoint over the school-owned iPads, Jimena Vivanco, junior, is in favor of all of the access that she is able to get through the use of iPads. She also notes that all of her textbooks are, now, all on one device.

“I have the ability to look up whatever I need. I literally have four textbooks on one iPad,” says Vivanco.

Jacob Hernandez, junior, also likes the fact that the iPads are mobile and do not become a struggle when you need to take your work elsewhere.

“The iPads are portable and they aren’t big. It was a good investment. If we had laptops, just imagine having to carrying those around,” Hernandez states.

Mr. Rob Romaguera, Assistant Principal at Lake Ridge, thinks that the iPads were financially sound for both the school and the state.

“They saved a lot of money. You can imagine how print texts cost the state. In digital form, it is extremely cost effective. It saves millions of dollars,” Romaguera says.

Dillon Smith, junior, likes that his family saved money through the purchase of the school iPads.

“It saved my parents money because they didn’t have to spend money on an iPad for me,” Smith says.

Dylan Craddock however thinks that the iPads were an unnecessary investment.

“I literally haven’t used it used it since 8^th grade,” Craddock says.

Tyson Aldrete, sophomore, does not like the iPads because of the technical problems that become present at times.

“There can be technical difficulties, and the teachers never understand. Also, sometimes there is no wifi,” Aldrete says.

At Lake Ridge, the productivity of the iPads causes a conflicting stance, by both the students and the Lake Ridge faculty. The iPads forced out textbooks, so in a few years, just imagine what will possibly one day force out iPads.