The plusses and minuses of using iPads in college classrooms

Chronicle of Higher Education : Apple’s popular tablet computer, the iPad, is (relatively) cheap for a computing device, is easy to use, has a long battery life, and runs several applications that foster communication and teamwork. According to a report by the Chronicle‘s Ben Wieder, those plusses account for the iPad’s growing use in college classrooms. However, a significant set of minuses is also hindering iPad adoption in other classrooms. The devices lack a conventional keyboard, which slows typing. What’s more, annotating most online textbooks and some formats of lecture notes is difficult, if not impossible. Still, tablet computers are likely to become more common in classrooms. Wieder quotes Martin Ringle, the chief technology officer of Reed College in Portland, Oregon: “I don’t think the institution is going to get to decide about the uptake of these devices.” Colleges, and their professors, will have to adapt to their students’ choice whether they like it or not. That hasn’t happened yet, but as more content becomes available, he is confident it will.