| One of the best ways to develop education is through the use of technology. Economic development is realized when a country is dominated by intellectuals (Macmillan, 2010). Donohue (2015) stated that technology is one of the factors that boosts the education sector in the United States (US) and in Saudi Arabia (SA) schools. The United States has incorporated iPad technology in the classroom while Saudi Arabia has embraced the Whiteboard technology, known as Interactive Whiteboard (IWB) (Keengwe, 2013; Donohue, 2015).;In the United States, education is the responsibility of local and state governments. The states and local institutions ensure all students have equal access to education. To ensure equality in education, companies in the US, such as Blackboard, advocate the use of technology. With these endorsements the use of technology in schools has increased at a high rate. A large number of schools have also embraced the use of iPads in schools. The iPad allow students to turn in homework, interact with teachers, and preserve students' records in digital platforms. It is reported that public schools in New York bought over 2000 iPads. In addition, over 200 schools in Chicago have received district-financed iPads. More states are engaged in replacing textbooks with iPads (Maddux, 2012).;Saudi Arabia uses funds generated from oil to provide technology in schools. The government of Saudi Arabia spends billions of dollars to establish and maintain a technological infrastructure in schools in the rural areas. The integration of technology within institutions is lacking in Saudi Arabia because of improper training provided to teachers (Smith & Ammuh, 2013). Traditionally, it has been considered more important for boys to learn than it is for girls. As a result, the adoption of technology in boys' schools is higher than in girls' schools (Alwani, 2005). This lack of technology in girls' schools appears as discrimination in the education sector in rural areas more than in urban areas. Students in the United States can use iPads together with the Interactive Whiteboard technology unlike Saudi Arabia, where only the Interactive Whiteboard technology is used because students do not have iPads (Smith & Ammuh, 2013; Kim, 2010).;The use of iPads and Interactive Whiteboards enables students to relate what they learn in the classroom with the world in which they exists. Though some educators and institutions are reluctant in embracing these technologies, change is inevitable. Technology is significant in every aspect of life, and student learning is no exception. Technology in the classroom changes how teachers and students communicate with each other.;The iPad has the capability of downloading over 5000 educational applications and over 1000 can be downloaded for free to enhance learning (Donohue, 2015). Studies show that students who use iPads perform better than those who do not use iPads. Although massive adoption of the iPad has presented challenges in curriculum control in the United States, many schools prefer to use these devices since they are highly portable, convenient, less likely of being hacked, and cannot be reprogrammed (McConatha & Penny, 2014). In a more recent study, students chose the iPad as the most favored learning tool used in the classroom, helping to keep them focused and on task (Mango, 2015). Teachers who incorporate the iPad in classroom learning tend to practice Project Based Learning (PBL) which prepares students for problem solving and project building activities (Maich & Hall, 2016).;The main functions of these two technologies are to improve collaboration inside and outside the classroom, provide opportunities for learners to be able to work and succeed at their own pace, prepare for future careers, and enhance student / teacher engagement (Donohue, 2015). The United States and Saudi Arabia have been able to improve their performances, create instructional flexibility, and achieve resource efficiency through the use of Interactive WhiteBoard and iPad technology (Silton, 2015).;The use of technology encourages a student's participation during the lesson. The students interact with each other and teachers through e-learning as well as face-to-face. It makes the class more enjoyable and motivating. the iPad and the Interactive Whiteboard provide access to charts and drawings that appear more real in the mind of the students. Both technologies provide an avenue for more research and access to the Internet for more information (Donohue, 2015).;The iPads and Interactive WhiteBoard technology differ in cost effectiveness and portability. The Interactive WhiteBoard is more expensive than the iPad. With iPads most applications are installed for free making them cheap to acquire and maintain. The iPad also differs from Interactive WhiteBoards in that they are portable. Compared to Interactive WhiteBoards, iPads are more reliable and available to most people (McConatha & Penny, 2014). (Abstract shortened by ProQuest.). |
