We recently bought an iPad, thinking that we would explore its potential with an eye towards developing digital curriculum.  We were NOT disappointed.  The iPad has tremendous potential, with its internet connectivity, its mobility, and its intuitive interface.  I can imagine a time when students no longer need to cart around backpacks full of heavy text books.  Instead, all that is needed is the light-weight iPad.  The highlighting, post-it note, and bookmarking functions are fabulous for the online readers.  More books are added every day.  Most, if not all, of the classics (including most of those featured on Gutenberg) are available for free -- all with the same annotation tools.  Imagine having your high school students, all with the text in front of them ready to mark up!  No pencils, post-its, highlighters needed.  And no worries about 'defacing' the school texts.  All the annotations are tracked on a separate bookmarking page that is hyperlinked to every page in the text.  Its a literature teacher's dream!

I can also imagine iPad text books, complete with multi-media interactivity.  Does that image fascinate you?  Well click on it and watch it morph into a mini-movie vignette on the topic.  Click on the caption and be taken directly to an interactive website on the topic.  Click on the highlighted hyperlinked words in the text body and be taken directly to linked sections of the chapter.  Its really exciting to think of all of the possibilities. 

Here at Curriculum Essentials, we are not the only ones thinking about the potential of the iPad for learning.  Schools across the nation are getting ready to launch a variety of pilot projects this fall, in middle schools, high schools, and colleges.

To learn more about one such project, please visit the article "iPad pilots launching this fall in higher ed," at eschool news.

Anastasia was asked to participate on the panel "Comics in the Classroom" at Comic Con this year. Here are some photos of the panel.