Do you think it's wise for schools to replace physical books w/ IPads?

Wow, I don't think I would allow my daughter to replace the books with Ipad. I know they are more convenient. But what about the cost of it? How would they replace the books? Will it be provided by the school? On cash bond? That's scary, knowing that this gadget is quite expensive. It is not as if you can buy it everywhere or anytime. And books gets all worn out. How much more with the Ipad?...I would be definitely a huge advancement in technology and knowledge. But I think it has a lot of pros and cons. And if we have to provide an IPad for each of our children. I can't imagine how much you have to spend for it. And not every families can afford to buy an IPad. (^^,)

I am a mother, and I would not consider my son learning or reading stuff online or in the computer my concern is that the radiation can ruin our eyesight. Even if we are using LCD or has protection screen. For me the best is still reading books, in books my son could put or highlight information that would be very helpful. But in the internet I dont think so you can do that. I have not heard in our country about changing to Ipad, our country is not that rich for the government or school to change it to ipad. Some schools could not even afford to provide books how much ipad. I dont think so this would healthy and effective way to learn.

that would be a drastic revolution in the field of education.although it might have started in some places but it is still being fantasised by many people.it would reduce the burden of books,books being encapsulated in the small storage devices such as pen-drive,etc.even internet would be used to great extent and thereby widening the scope of the data in the books.every technology can be used in both ways that is advantageously as well as non-advantageously.so it will be our responsibility to make it use positively. hope for the best and happy mylotting.

Wow! I am really torn about this. Sure, it will make it easier for them to research what they are learning right there. But, it also provides more entertainment at their fingertips. Unless they can figure out a way to lock the iPad features, I just feel like, while the kids will look like they are doing work in their classroom on their iPads, they could be surfing the net, playing games, and other various non-school related activities. I don't even agree with kids being allowed to carry cell phones around on school property. Now they will basically be carrying around a computer? Kids are so spoiled these days. I have heard parents complain about how much homework their kids have. Boo hoo. I had tons of homework when I was growing up and my parents didn't complain on my behalf. Why? Because that was my job. School was my job and homework was my task in my job. I would carry no less than 5, and frequently 8 books home from school every day which would afford me at least 3 hours of homework on most days. These days, parents would be writing the teachers and wining about it. How are kids supposed to learn unless they have homework for their classes? You learn the knowledge in class and you apply it at home with the homework. But, I digress. Now they are giving them iPads to lessen the load of books and put technology at their fingertips with which to look stuff up? I understand that it will help with the cost of books. That is a definitely a benefit but, I rarely had a new textbook in any of my classes growing up, until college. So, how much could they possibly be paying for new textbooks each year? Maybe a few get lost or marked up too much but, how many? It can't be that many? And, if it gets lost or too damaged to be recycled to a new student the following year, make it the parent's job to provide compensation for the book. Then the parent can make it a lesson to their kid by having the kid work towards paying them back for the book that they lost or mistreated. And the fact that they will also be testing the kids on the iPad (their test will be taken on the iPad)? Really? You can get email on the iPad so, the kids will be taking their test and be able to send an email to their classmate that reads like this, "What did you get for question number 6?" Answer, "John Wilkes Booth." Sure...no problem. Let's make learning easy for kids these days. Why bother making them actually work hard to achieve their education? Why give them the skills to seek their knowledge? Why not just hand them the easiest path? I see the benefits to having an iPad for school but, I see mostly disadvantages.

hi 3snugglebunnies no idea I do not what about teaching the love of reading real books not e books not on line stuff books with actual covers. why not slow down abit after the one gadgets will still be there when the kids are older. why make them adults when they are just little children.My adult son has lost three cell phones so little ones are apt to lose them even sooner. lol

It might be the trend in the future. I am not so sure about why ipad be the ultimate candidate for school book replacement. Why not Amazon Kidnle, or the nook from barnes and nobles. They are book reader device which can replace for book too.

I had read a story about Kindles and schools thinking about replacing books with them. Think about it--schoolbooks can cost $100 or more each, multiply that times the students in the school and times how many subjects there are. Wow! On the other hand, a Kindle download would cost a fraction of that and updates could be downloaded regularly. No more heavy backpacks (most new schools don't have lockers), always the latest version and no storage needed. I think the iPad would be great, too, let them have a computer they could carry around with everything on it that they need. On the other hand, think of the jobs that would be lost and the feeling of holding a book, something solid, and turning its pages. We're losing too much of the old world already.

Thankfully none of mine have hit the age yet where they need to bring electronical gadgets to school... except my oldest needs that stupid scientific calculator, and apparently I got the wrong one this year, arg!! Thankfully his math teacher had some extras that he lets the students borrow if they don't have the right ones. May need to buy him a new one next year though, and after that he'll be in high school, so who knows what he'll need by then. Thankfully if he gets to a point where he needs a laptop or something, hubby's store sells those and he can employee purchase them pretty cheap and easily. Whenever he employee purchases something from work the payments come directly out of his check over 12 weeks, so it makes affording things a little easier. That's how we got my son his ps3 for his birthday.

Good day.. I think it's inevitable and one can't simply decide to use or not to use a specific technology which in this case replacing books with ipads. I mean it's a collective decision among parents and the school. Would you prevent your daughter from using one when all in the school are using it? Your daughter would surely be left out. I think the more pressing thing is to learn on how to regulate and police it. Make sure that these kinds of technology are being use for study and clean fun and nothing else.

i don't favor of replacing books with IPads. The concentration is low whenever we read in IPad or electronically. I still prefer the book which I can touch, smell, and turn the page, and sometimes have a paper cut hehehe...

Maybe that's a good idea to replace physical books by electronic ones, but obviously not iPads - they are so expensive. Electronic books can contain much more than paper books in same weight. Children will not be overwhelmed by their heavy bags. I had a heavy bag when I was a pupil, I hear that more subjects are in curriculum now, it's a serious problem to light Chinese pupils' bag.