The iPad is making inroads at universities. Oklahoma State begins a pilot program

Cutting-edge teachers see the huge benefits that technologies can have in the class room. From interactive learning tools like smart boards to iPod Touches and iPads, the future is knocking on the door. Anyone in a classroom can tell you the positive effect that these devices have on kids, but so far there’s very little hard evidence to support the claims, which is a problem for bureaucratic types holding the scissors to cut through the red tape. Will these programs be successful enough to warrant budget increases or the additional tuition costs for students?

One-hundred and twenty-five students at Oklahoma State University will find out this fall when educators begin to evaluate the effect the iPad has in the classroom, across five different courses. Students participating in the pilot will have their iPads discounted, so long as they use it in their course programs.

We’re going to be watching this one closely.

What do you think? Do you students out there think that iPads will help in the classroom? Or will it be a giant distraction? Would you do away with textbooks entirely if course materials were available on the iPad?

I know I would, but would you?  Let us know in the comments.

Article Via Slashgear

Joshua is the Content Marketing Manager at BuySellAds. He’s also the founder of Macgasm.net. And since all that doesn’t quite give him enough content to wrangle, he’s also a technology journalist in his spare time, with bylines at PCWorld, Macworld and TechHive.