Netbooks

I am definitely a proponent of one-to-one computing in the classroom.  I'm not sure how realistic it is because of the cost, but if it is feasible I would recommend it for any classroom.  It would take some work on the teacher's part to revise lessons so that having the technology in the classroom is a meaningful experience to the students.  The computers is a great way to make sure students are learning some of the 21st century skills along with the core knowledge that comes with the state standards.  I like the ideas of having a student-centered classroom and using project-based learning and with every student having a laptop, these ideas are even easier to implement.  It can encourage students to become independent learners.  Given that our society is a becoming more and more technology driven, this is just another way we giving our students the necessary tools and information to be successful outside of the classroom.

Both netbooks and ipads are great ways to put technology in the hands of each individual student.  It seems that you could probably find netbooks cheaper than you can find an ipad, but with that comes to bulk of the netbook compared to the ipad.  Each of these could be considered a distraction in the classroom, but with proper classroom management strategies, that can be eliminated.  The size of the ipad definitely puts it ahead of the netbooks.  Another advantage of the ipad is the maintenance.  Some articles about the ipad claim they have less IT problems than computers do. Many teachers can be educated enough to troubleshoot problems on their own without needing to bring someone in the classroom to fix the problem.