Tablets add to classroom environments

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Four key benefits

1. Simpler IT support
   The beauty of tablet computers lies in their simplicity. They are easy to use because of their intuitive touchscreen interfaces and pose a lower barrier of entry for students who are not yet familiar with computers. Because they have fewer components than a traditional PC, they tend to be more reliable from a hardware perspective. Provided their owners do not 'jailbreak' them to install pirated apps and other unauthorised software, tablet computers are more resistant to malware. Moreover, since their operating systems are slimmer, lighter and less customisable, there are fewer ways for a learner to make a configuration change accidentally that renders his or her device unusable. This all translates into a lower overhead for IT support.

2. Mobile lifestyle
   Today's schoolchildren and youth are a mobile generation. Even kids from poorer homes are usually familiar with cellphones and feature phones. Tablets are a perfect fit for their lifestyle since they are personal, light, portable, and offer good battery life on a single charge. Learners do not need access to a computer lab to do their work because they always have their tablet computers with them. If a child is sick at home, for example, he or she may still able to do some of the day's work from the tablet computer. As long as they have an Internet connection, children can keep learning.

3. There's an app for that
   There are millions of apps available for the most popular tablet operating systems, including a rich selection of educational apps. From maths to physics, from English to biology, schoolchildren have a wide range of content readily available.

4. Personalised and interactive learning
   Tablets offer schoolchildren a range of learning tools in one place and help them to engage deeply with educational content. They can record the classroom session for later review, use calculators and other tools, and do so much more on one interface. They may no longer need to, for example, buy a separate scientific calculator, take a separate camera on field trips or carry many textbooks around.

Tablets can also make educational content come to life with video, audio and gamification. Rather than simply seeing a picture of Nelson Mandela in a textbook, they can view video footage of the day he was released from prison. If they are reading a book, they can look up a word they do not know from a dictionary integrated into the e-reader app. This adds up to a richer learning experience.