The Best of Two Good Choices

Author C.M. Rubin states in a recent Huffington Post article that "in prime time ed tech school district circles, folks are fiercely focused on Chromebooks vs. iPads" (Rubin, 2014). This choice represents the most significant choice public school districts have had to face in technology since the decision about whether or not to provide Internet access. The decision necessitates "a fundamental rethinking of the design principles behind learning content and process to take full advantage of post-PC mobility"  (Kaganer, p. 75). The debate is more than just two tech companies fighting it out for supremacy. Underlying the choice is a matter of a serious ethical dilemma. These are not just two different devices with different feature sets. Beneath both platforms lies a philosophy of how humanity interacts with technology and its world.

Beneath one lies a closed system, a tightly controlled infrastructure, through which Apple provides a narrow and limited set of choices. The Apple ecosystem has been compared by many technologists to a walled garden, with a gate that only permits entry to those Apple chooses to grant access (Schuster, 2013). Beneath the other lies an open system, a free infrastructure, in which Google provides a wider range of choices. Google's system is so open, even Apple and its products are permitted entry. Apple makes no products for any of Google's platforms; contrastingly, Google makes most of its products for all of Apple's platforms.

While a closed system one-to-one-program in public schools would bring many benefits to a school district and its students, an open system provides a more ethical method of integrating technology into education by improving support capabilities, granting students portable knowledge of technology, and encouraging a free-market philosophy.

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Kaganer, E., Giordano, G. A., Brion, S., & Tortoriello, M. (2013). Media tablets for mobile learning. Communications Of The ACM, 56(11), 68-75. doi:10.1145/2500494

Neo, P. (2014). Integrated circuits computer part [Photo]. Retrieved from http://www.copyright-free-images.com/full-image/objects-copyright-free-images/electronics-devices-copyright-free-images/computer-components-free-images/integrated-circuits-computer-part.jpg-royalty-free-stock-picture.html
Rubin, C.M. The global search for education: Which digital device is best? (2014, June 7).

Schuster, Mike. Google has destroyed Apple’s walled garden from within. (2013, May 1). Minyanville. [Web log]. Retrieved from http://www.minyanville.com/sectors/technology/articles/google-now-on-iphone-google-now/5/1/2013/id/49563