In this article I would like to focus on iPad in school or iPad use in schools if you will. Most countries in the Western World have already schools and other educational institutions using iPad and educational apps to improve the education for their pupils and students. Some places the entire curriculum is designed to be available on the iPad and these iPads schools are very popular amongst students and parents as well. Most often we still see a combination of old paper books in combination with iPad. Not that it is wrong, or can even add another dimension to the educational process (e.g. we still listen to radio though we have TV and Computers). We use the radio differently today, than people did 40-50 years ago.

In the same way the paper book if it survives will have another and much less important place in all types of literature. Modern technology likes to integrate functionality from different areas and melt them together in one product. This merge, though it´s not always successful, makes products much more versatile and multipurpose. In general this is a good thing, and especially in an educational situation when what you need might change from one lesson to the next.

Emerging countries like India and China is using iPad in learning and have a clear focus on the technology they want to implement in their educational systems. Lots of teachers get educated on how to use iPad in teaching and find good ways of implementing the technology in their daily work.

A country like South-Korea boldly state that by 2014 all their schools will be high-tech and all students from 1st grade and up will be using computer, tablets, iPads etc. in their everyday schoolwork and no paper books what so ever. This is boldly done and a huge investment on infrastructure in the educational system of that nation. Not only do they need the hardware and the Internet, but they also need to produce new eBooks and iBooks in order to really take advantage of the new technology and make the best learning platforms for their children.

Western countries though they talk a lot about it is actually lagging a bit behind, even though they have many schools and institutions using iPad in education, there´s still a very long way to go before we see anything like what they are doing in South-Korea. Weak economies might be an excuse, but the truth is that if they don´t wake up soon it might just be too late. Even during hard times one must not forget to prioritize and plan ahead for the future. iPad in learning is only one step, but it sure is an important one!