The Apple iPad tablet for students and education
by David FieldToday’s reveal of the iPad by Apple has many interesting features that will not only change learning in the classroom but bring the same learning home. iBooks and iWork are two features that quickly stand out for education on the new 24 cm high device. Right now iBooks might help children and teenagers become interested in reading; allowing them to read an entire library of books at any moment, anywhere they are. But given a bit of time, students will have all their textbooks available too. Educators will not have to worry whether students have brought their books to class, instead it will all be in the iPad.

Apple's iPad tablet: Will it revolutionize education?
Secondly, iWork designed especially for the iPad will allow students to collaborate, take detailed notes and work on assignments at all points during the day. In a world where children are busy and stressed, this helps them maximize their learning during class hours.
The iPad, costing over half ($499 US) of the cost of a comparable Apple laptop, offers students a chance to browse the web, research, be in contact with other students around the world, read newspapers and plan their schedules. Although it won’t do everything a laptop might, it does handle most classroom and education needs. There are applications already that provide extensive calculators and graphic editing tools. If the software isn’t available as an app yet, then it likely will be.
The iPad will not radically change education in the short term, but it will make the technology more mobile, accessible and functional. And hopefully, it will get students and teachers excited about learning and reading. If it can do that, it is worth any price and all the hype.
How do you think the iPad will change learning and education for our children?