Signifying the increased importance educational institutions are putting on technology, textbook publishers are launching initiatives designed to put Apple iPads in the hands of students across the country.
Pearson Education and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing are two such publishers, both recently introducing new pilot programs that use iPads rather than textbooks as educational tools, the Boston Globe reports.
Pearson is currently participating in a program with the state of Virginia that includes an entire social studies curriculum for the iPad.
Meanwhile, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt has launched an Algebra 1 application for sixth- and seventh-grade students. Currently, more than 400 students are using the app, which provides feedback on questions, guided instruction and even video lessons from college professors.
The iPad is just one of the many technology tools available to enrich the learning experience in the classroom. Teachers have also found they can use a laptop, interactive whiteboard or
DLP projector to create an educational environment that encourages student participation.
Many schools across the country are taking their own steps to replace textbooks with tablet devices. For example, Webb School in Knoxville, Tennessee, recently announced iPads will be mandatory for all fourth- through 12th-grade students starting next fall, CNN reports.
