The Palm Springs Unified School District in Southern California is pouncing on the recent trend of getting new technology in the hands of students by purchasing 210 Apple iPads for high school students, the Desert Sun reports.
According to the Desert Sun, the school district is using nearly half of a $500,000 federal grant to purchase the popular tablet, which are more portable and less expensive than most traditional laptop or desktop computers.
The remaining money will be used to enhance other technology in the school, including improving wireless access and infrastructure as well as 16 sets of interactive "clicker" systems, Lee Grafton, PSUSD instructional technology specialist, told the Desert Sun.
According to the Desert Sun, district officials will be looking to use the iPad in creative ways. For example, instead of traditional lectures, teachers might implement technology-enabling strategies by connecting the devices to an HD-TV, LED-monitor or classroom projector to display videos or educational games that are more fun for students.
The iPads will start appearing in classrooms next summer and will initially be used by students lacking the number of credits needed to graduate, the Desert Sun reports.
