Using Tablets to Engage Students

This is something that I have been wondering and felt the urge to write a blog about. There is so much hyper right now surrounding the new ipads that Apple has introduced to the world. Incase you don't know, the ipad is a flat, fairly large tablet with a touch screen that allows access to the internet as well as other regular xomputer functions. So...I have been wondering for quite some time: How affective are the ipads? Are the ipads good to use in schools with students? Being that I am curious, I decided to type this question into my web browser. I cam across a video posted by ABC news that shows how using ipad tablets can help students with special needs. It seems to me that the ipad can be used as an updated/ upgraded PECS system, and possibly even serve as a communication device in the future- kind of like today's dynavoxes.


I do foresee many schools moving toward this in the future, because right now we are using smart boards. Smart boards are compatible with the ipad. However, economic growth will need to significantly increase before we see most of the school districts across the country being able to afford this new technology. It's an interesting concept and videos such as this one show me that the technology that we use with students will be affective. It just depends on how much access to and practice with the technology we have.