This week the much-publicised Apple iPad has hit the headlines to a mixed response, and I for one am curious to see how it will be received when it hits the market in March. The iPad offers many of the same features as the iPod Touch (internet, music, videos and so on), but most notably it is the first non-reader device that allows users to read ebooks. It has a larger, 9.7" screen, making it the size of a large-ish book or a small magazine, and it's half an inch thin.
A recent article reported that the Department of Education and Training in Queensland, Australia is considering the possibility of equipping high-school students with iPads for use in the classroom. This isn't such a huge leap - for years now schools have been investigating and investing in new technology to enhance the learning skills of students, and with its £55bn Building Schools for the Future (BSF) initiative the Government says it is hoping to change the face of education. The vision for schools of the future is all about modern ICT.
So what do you think about the idea of iPads for schools? Could they be useful tools or would they be an expensive distraction for students? Would you use textbooks and coursebooks in ebook format? Would you read novels, or do research?
Ania Leslie-Wujastyk
Editorial Assistant