Classroom 2.0 is here!

I was back in Ireland last week and heard that my old school, St Colman’s College is to launch elearning with iPads replacing schoolbooks. The details:

Next September will see 90 first year students in St Colman’s College, Claremorris being part of what can only be considered the dawn of the digital classroom. The school has decided to swap school books in favour of the Apple iPad tablet. The programme will be phased into use later this year and all first year students will be given the option of purchasing an Apple iPad instead of their course books.
It is understood the cost per student over a three year spell will be in the region of €700. This €700 will include the device and a suite of apps specifically designed for schooling.
The switch will enable students to download ebooks and also avail of many related facilities in the self-directed learning field. It will also mean an end to the often very heavy schoolbags that they carry around with them.
The programme however is not mandatory and all pupils will be given the option to retain books over the iPad.
St Colman’s are the first school to introduce the new method of learning.

I already spoke to this type of use of technology, here and here. Great to see!