Several classrooms across Virginia are swapping their old fashion textbooks for Apple iPads as part of a pilot program launched by the state on Wednesday, the Associated Press reports.
Eight elementary, middle and high schools in Arlington, Henry and Pulaski counties and the city of Newport News were selected to participate in Virginia’s “Beyond Textbooks” program, which aims to move digital learning content into the classroom.
A $120,000 grant from the Governor’s Productivity Investment Fund is being used to purchase 230 iPads in an effort to utlize wireless technology and digital textbooks to help students learn.
Educators have found that introducing new technology in the classroom enables students to expand their resources and stimulates learning. Many schools have invested in advanced equipment, such as an iPad, interactive whiteboard or a
DLP projector, to encourage participation in the classroom.
Teachers will be trained on how to use the new devices in the next few weeks, and students will begin using the content in late October through mid-November, said Tammy McGraw, director of education technology for the Virginia Department of Education.
