Podcast #12: iPads in the classroom

I have heard several podcasts about the use of iPads in the classroom. At first, before block A I thought that this was an outrageous idea and that students, young students especially did not have any place in having iPads in the classroom. I thought that this would be a distraction and not have a place in the classroom for young learners. Although I still feel that it is necessary for students to have hard backed books to read, write, and complete assignments in; my opinion on iPads in the classroom has completely changed since I first heard about the idea. Especially after learning about RTI (response to intervention) and AT (assisting technology) for young exceptional students in the regular classroom, I was sold on the idea of implementing this technology in the classroom. I have seen students who were unable to turn a page in their whole lives due to physical illnesses do so using an interactive book on an iPad. There are also several programs that are used to work with autistic children in the classroom. This allows students to communicate what they need and want without becoming frustrated and give up. Also, being an ESL concentrated future teacher, I have found that the use of technology with translation, research based cultural projects, or even simple day to day conversations, classroom environments are more and more accessible and efficient. These reasons alone made me very "pro iPad" for the classroom and I hope to have the chance to use this technology to help to teach my future students.