Laptop or tablet: Which is better for remote learning?
It's back to school time again. But this time, school supplies do not only mean stationary and art material or geometry boxes. Technology is part of the school shopping list now, and looks like this is not going to change. That leads us to the big debate – which is best for students – laptop or tablet?
How to choose the correct device?
These are the main points over which the debate is raging among customers:
Size and weight: Where would the device be kept? On the table, the bed, or in the lap? Would the active young student move around the house carrying the device? Laptops are getting thinner and lighter, while tablets are growing (at times alarmingly) in size.
Cost: Laptops are more expensive. But a high end tablet is not too far behind. What’s more, both gadgets call for accessories, and the total cost is what should be calculated before freezing on buying decisions for students.
Utility: Requirements of the student should ultimately guide the decision and not costs. A kid who wants to draw wants a tablet with an electronic stylus. A kid great at coding wants a no-nonsense heavy duty gaming laptop. A kid interested in design may want both.
Which is the correct device for classes?
It depends on how old the student is, age and grade being major deciding factors. Younger kids, especially those in primary school may find a tablet easy to use and sufficient for their purpose. They will still work with paper, pen and traditional school stationary, the gadget would be only for listening to class lectures and connecting with peers and teachers.
Middle school kids may need a laptop or a higher end tablet with external keyboard and mouse. They will use the computer as a gadget and study it as a subject. So they need to get familiar with it.
Teenagers typically need a laptop as they move into heavier usage and perform functions specific to laptops. Students interested in art and design may need the tablet, while web designers would need the laptop.