Private Tennessee school to require iPads for class

A private school in Knoxville, TN is planning to require students to carry an iPad for classes. CNN reports that Webb School will is requiring all fourth through 12th grade students to carry the tablet, beginning next school year. The students will carry the device ““to be able to use that technology whenever they need it, rather than, as it is now, they have to check out a cart, a laptop cart, or schedule lab time to take a class to a lab,” according to Jim Manikas, technology director at the school. Manikas said that the school will offer a three-year leasing option for students that don’t already own an iPad. “In essence, you’re talking about 200 dollars a year, paid over a 10-month school year, you’re talking about $20 a month,” he said, adding that the school would like the iPad to replace textbooks over time. “Once I explored it, I was really excited, because there are things we can do better on this than we can on a paper text,” said Elli Shellist, an English teacher at the school. [via MDN]