The Parental Perspective over the Use of iPads in Primary and Middle Years of Schooling: Issues for Pedagogical and Policy Debates

Apple’siPadandotherformsoftabletarereportedlygainingincreasingpopularitywithintheacademic premises.Mostofthepublishedresearchonthistopichashighlyadmiredthepositiveroleandimpact ofiPadsonteachingandlearningpractices,asifanexogenoustechnologicalinductioninanylocal contextwouldessentially revolutionizeand transformthewholeeducationalparadigm;however, somerecentpublicationsalsohighlighttheparentalandpolicy-makers’concernsovertheundesired consequencesof technological obsession in educationaldevelopment.The current studyaims at bringingabalancedviewonthiscruciallyimportanttopic.Thestudyemploysmixedmethodsresearch anditusesAjmanAcademy,arenownedK-12institutionintheUnitedArabEmirates,asacasestudy. Thisresearchconcludesthatduetotherelativeimmaturityoftheseyoungchildren,theycannotbe leftalonetomaketheirowntechnologicalchoices.Hence,adoptinganover-ambitiousapproachin termsoftechnologicaladoption,withoutproperlyunderstandingthenuancesandcomplexitiesofa localcontext;maypossiblyputthesechildreninavulnerablesituation,andthuslikelyexposedto manyunintendedandundesiredconsequences. KeYWoRDS Adoption, Impacts, iPad, Learning, Middle, Parents, Policy, Primary, School, Students, Teaching, Technology