In October Patently Apple posted a detailed report titled "Apple and IBM have launched their First MobileFirst App for Education Called 'Watson Element'." IBM launched an in-depth program to help teachers gain insights into each student's skills, preferences and interests to transform personalized learning experiences that are unique to all." Apple will offer the Watson Element app as part of its broad portfolio of educational tools for schools designed to transform the teaching and learning experience.

IBM Watson Element provides teachers with a holistic view of each student through a fun, easy-to-use and intuitive mobile experience that is a natural extension of their work. Teachers can get to know their students beyond their academic performance, including information about personal interests and important milestones students choose to share. For example, teachers can input notes when a student's highly anticipated soccer match is scheduled, when another has just been named president for the school's World Affairs club, and when another has recently excelled following a science project that sparked a renewed interest in chemistry.

At present there is not national program integrating computers and mobile devices in the classroom and for teachers. But IBM and Apple are working on in-depth software to help school teachers and administrators use technology in ways that will one day advance technology in schools in an effective way.

Instead of working with Apple and IBM, the UK's Minister for Children and Families wanted to make a headline for his office. It was reported yesterday by the UK's Telegraph that the Minister stated that "Schools must reduce the use of iPads during lessons amid concerns that children are using them to bully and harass one another."

Edward Timpson, the Minister for Children and Families, said a number of schools were allowing children to spend "too much" of the day on their devices.

He also called on headteacher's to use their powers to confiscate tablets and iPads being brought into schools if they are being used "inappropriately."

Speaking to peers on the House of Lords Communications Committee, he said: "A problem in a number of schools which we've sought to address is the iPad or the tablet coming into schools and it forming far too much of the school day's activities of children and it being used inappropriately for some of the bullying and harassment that we know sadly goes on the back of it.

"That's why we've strengthen the powers of headteachers to confiscate and remove material and so on."

Mr Timpson said schools need to find a "technology balance" and ensure that teachers still interact with pupils, so it doesn't become a "battleground" between them and their devices.

More than 90 per cent of teenagers have mobile phones, but a study by the London School of Economics claimed schools where they were banned saw test scores rise by an average of 6 per cent.

Then again, there are contradictory reports on this which would make the Minister's statistics seem like a weak cup of British tea.

One report titled "8 Studies show iPads in the Classroom improve Education," noted that the "University of California Irvine medical school reported iPad equipped medical students scored 23 percent higher on national exams than previously unequipped classes." That's not high school, that university for med school. That's a statistic worth noting.

Another example noted in a CNN report that "In a study done by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt in California, showed that students using iPads saw their math test scores increase 20% in one year compared to students using traditional textbooks."

The Minister seems to be blurring the line between personal smartphones being held by students to bully others and in-class iPad programs. I realize that standing in the House of Lords it sounds good to mention Apple's iPad by name as a culprit and delivery tool for bullying, but it's a political or personal slant where his facts don't match statistics proving iPads when used intelligently could vastly improve a students scores.

And let's face facts, iPads, not just "tablets" are being used by the top Fortune 500 companies and now leading medical facilities around the U.S. like Stanford Medicine. Perhaps the Minister should read testimonials for companies like Deloitte or better yet learn about iPad programs for Education. Perhaps the Minister should read about HealthKit and CareKit and Apps for medical research for the iPhone and iPad. Perhaps the Minister should investigate those working to advance iPads in the workplace like IBM or Europe's SAP.

Obviously the Minister is short sighted and could hurt UK students by restricting the use of an iPad and not have them ready for the real world where employees have to be efficient at using modern tools to get real work done. Perhaps the UK needs a new Minister of Children and Families that is a little more enlightened and could see the bigger picture of technology and students being prepared to function in the world of business.

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