Bangkok Post : First tablet PCs going out to kids soon
First tablet PCs going out to kids soon
- Published: 10/11/2011 at 12:00 AM
- Newspaper section: News
The Ministry of Education will soon distribute the first batch of 600 tablet PCs to selected schools to gauge what impact they will have in the classroom.
Sahaviriya OA Public Company donated the tablets to the Ministry of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) for the government's one-tablet-per-child policy.
Woravat: Impacts on pupils to be gauged
Education Minister Woravat Au-apinyakul said his ministry will distribute the computers to selected groups of Prathom 1 and 4 students (Grades 1 and 4) from five pilot schools once it receives them from the ICT Ministry.
The five schools are Rachawinit School in Bangkok, Anuban Lampang School (Khelang Rat Anuson) in Lampang, Anuban Phangnga School in Phangnga, Sanambin School in Khong Kaen and Srinakharinwirot University Prasarnmit Demonstration School in Bangkok.
"The donated tablet PCs will be handed out to 50 students at Prathom 1 level and another 50 for those at the Prathom 4 level in five pilot schools," said the minister. The remaining 100 will be kept in reserve.
"We will not give the tablets to all schools at once as the ministry must consider the readiness of students and teachers, and other facilities such as an internet connections," Mr Woravat said.
The Education Ministry will also conduct a study on the potential impacts of the devices on pupils. The study will be carried out in collaboration with the Office of the Basic Education Commission and Srinakharinwirot University.
It will focus on children's eyesight, writing and reading abilities, and learning performance. The results are expected early next year, the minister said.
If the study finds the devices have negative effects on young pupils, they could be given to older students instead.