iPad as a Textbook

My intent when I began this blog was to learn about and share the strengths and weaknesses of a specific textbook provided by a specific publisher.  Fortunately, or unfortunately, my research has taken a detour as I have begun to look at the iPad.  The Chronicle of Higher Education provided an article today focused on institutions that provide incoming students with iPads. 

http://chronicle.com/blogPost/Classroom-iPad-Programs-Get/27046/?sid=at&utm_source=at&utm_medium=en

The area of most interest to me is the use of an iPad as a textbook.  Like the Kindle, the iPad textbook application allows students to add notes within the text.  Additionally, the iPad enables the student to communicate directly with the professor to ask questions or seek clarification.  One example in the article indicated that a professor at the University of Seton Hill actually enters the students virtual textbook and reads the marginalia (student notes in the margin) in order to correct misinterpretations the student may have. 

Although some may see this as a privacy issue, I see an application for my statistics course.  For example, I asked my students during class to calculate a z-score related to their own ACT and asked them to describe the results.  Nearly 1/3 of the students described the results incorrectly.  Knowing this, I was able to address the issue in class which improves the actual learning.  Obviously, reading student notes would help to achieve this same goal without using class time to complete an assignment.  My office will be receiving an iPad shortly so I will try to test this functionality shortly.  See ya!