'ipad' photo (c) 2010, Sean MacEntee - license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/

I’m looking — granted, from afar — at the unfolding debacle of the iPad program in the Los Angeles schools. Based on what I know, I’m almost viewing it with awe — the district has seemed to make every mistake imaginable. It’s almost laughable, if you didn’t think of the huge amounts of money involved, the thousands of classroom hours lost to the fiasco, and the fear that it will instill in other districts around the country to even think of expanding technology to their students.

If only they had read just a few of the articles on The Best Resources For Beginning iPad Users list, along with the countless other ones available written by educators who actually have had experience with rolling out tech programs (not to mention The Best Advice On Using Education Technology).

I’m just beginning list with a couple of articles (many more have been written, but I think these two are the best I’ve seen so far), but I’m sure it will grow quickly:

The inside story on LA schools’ iPad rollout: “a colossal disaster” is from The Hechinger Report.

New problems surface in L.A. Unified’s iPad program is from The Los Angeles Times.

The L.A. schools’ excellent iPad adventure is a very good piece from The Los Angeles Times.

Students Are ‘Hacking’ Their School-Issued iPads: Good for Them may be the best piece written on so far on what’s going on. It’s written by Audrey Watters, and appears in The Atlantic.

iPads in the Classroom: How Did Lewisville Independent School District Get It So Right and Los Angeles Unified Get It So Wrong? is from the K-12 News Network.

LA schools and iPads: Big promises but where’s the research? is from Southern California Public Radio.

Here’s how she ends it:

In the days since the story broke about the Indiana and California students’ “hacking” their iPads, the districts’ poor planning and preparation has been roundly criticized. But more important perhaps than pointing a finger at any one security or administrative issue here, we should recognize that the real failure may be more widespread and more insidious: a profound lack of vision about how students themselves could use—want to use—these new technologies to live and to learn at their fullest potential.

LAUSD looking to delay iPad distribution is from The LA Daily News.

LA Unified School District has no Plan B for iPad project is from Southern California Public Radio.

More questions on L.A. Unified’s iPad program, but few answers

Curriculum Prompts New Concerns in L.A. iPad Plan is from Ed Week.

Critics See Risks in Use of Bonds for School Tech Projects is from Education Week.

Funding for L.A. Unified’s iPad program uncertain after three years is from The Los Angeles Times.

L.A. Unified schools to move forward with trimmed-down iPad plan is from the Los Angeles Times.

iPad software licenses expire in three years, L.A. Unified says is from The Los Angeles Times.

Many of L.A. Unified’s iPad project wounds are self-inflicted is from The L.A. Times.

iHave a Dream: The unanswered questions behind LA’s ed tech fiasco is from Pando Daily.

Larry Cuban has published an insightful critique of the the iPad disaster in Los Angeles, A Second Look at iPads in Los Angeles.

Here’s an excerpt:

LAUSD-experienced-a

Mixed reaction to iPad rollout from L.A. teachers and administrators is from The Los Angeles Times.

IPads for L.A. teachers to be postponed under new plan is from The Los Angeles Times.

Miami-Dade Pauses 1-to-1 Computing Initiative, Considers Big Changes is from Education Week.

After bungled iPad rollout, lessons from LA put tablet technology in a time out is from The Hechinger Report.

L.A. Unified slashes number of iPads deemed needed for student tests is from The L.A. Times.

The iPad Goes to School is from Business Week.

As schools give students computers, price of L.A.’s program stands out is from The LA Times.

LA Unified staff received free iPad before contract is from Southern California Public Radio.

L.A. Unified surveys prices others pay for iPads, similar devices is from the L.A. Times. Don’t you think they should have done a little earlier?

L.A. schools’ iPad watchdog committee set to disband is from the LA Times.

L.A. Unified gets reduction on iPads price is from The LA Times.

LAUSD’s quest to see full iPad curriculum comes up short is from The LA Times.

Public denied access to LA school officials’ iPad software demonstration is from Southern California Public Radio.

L.A. Unified board refuses to reappoint member of oversight panel is from The LA Times.

LAUSD reappoints member of bond oversight panel after uproar is from The LA Times.

LAUSD board agrees on testing alternative laptops is from The LA Times.

LAUSD report faults iPad bidding is from The Los Angeles Times.

Can Supt. Deasy survive LAUSD’s iPad fiasco? is from The Los Angeles Times. LA schools cancel iPad contracts after KPCC publishes internal emails is from Southern California Public Radio.

Supt. Deasy’s early and avid support of iPads under intense scrutiny is one of many recent articles discussing revelations about the iPad scandal at the Los Angeles schools. L.A. Unified exemplifies the forces that stifle public school reform is another LA Times piece about what’s going on there. And here’s another one where Deasy comes across incredibly defensive. As one person remarked to me, “Deasy may survive, but he’ll never recover.”

This Ed Week post provides an excellent summary.

Strained ties cloud future of Deasy, LAUSD is from The Los Angeles Times.


Rotten to the Core: How an Apple mega-deal cost Los Angeles classrooms $1 billion
is from Salon.

L.A. school board authorizes talks on departure agreement with Deasy is from The L.A. Times.

Bonds should not pay for iPad curriculum, new L.A. Unified head says is from The Los Angeles Times.

A $1.3 Billion Question: What’s The Future Of LA’s iPad Program? is from NPR and Technology chief for Los Angeles Unified School District resigns is from the LA Times.

The Other Shoe Drops: FBI Seizes Documents Related To L.A. Schools iPad Fiasco

How L.A. Unified got its iPad contract is from The L.A. Times.

L.A. schools can’t afford computers for all, Cortines says is from The Los Angeles Times.

SEC launches informal inquiry into LAUSD’s use of bonds for iPads is from The L.A. Times.

LAUSD ditching Pearson iPad program software, demanding multimillion dollar refund is from Southern CA Public Radio.

What Schools Must Learn From LA’s iPad Debacle is from Wired.

S.F. schools’ iPad handout pivots from L.A.’s $1.3 billion scandal is from The San Francisco Chronicle.

New report finds ongoing iPad and technology problems at L.A. Unified is from The Los Angeles Times.

U.S. attorney won’t file charges after probe of $1.3-billion iPads-for-all project in L.A. schools is from The L.A. Times.