Elia Freedman:
The basics of educational buying are pretty straight forward. Will the technology provide an appropriate educational environment for students? Can schools control the devices as much or as little as they’d like? Is the cost within the budget of the grant or purchasing agent who will spend the money? (I say this oddly only because in many cases it is not the school or district purchasing but the purchase is made through a parent organization, grant or other funding body.) Is there training (professional development) for teachers? Is there education materials available for the technology?
The iPad, iOS and App Store have nailed all of these.
Freedman goes on to discuss the iPad 2’s longevity. While it’s been mocked by tech reporters, he sees it as a bonus for decision makers in school systems, which can take years to evaluate a product. If that product — or its price — is always changing, it can be harder to come to a conclusion.