An announcement may have many children asking their parents to either move to Maine, or pressure their parents to make a request of the local school board to invest in technology.  Why?  Auburn, Maine has purchased  285 iPad 2s for each kindergarten student and teacher to use as they begin their educational lives. 

The program will begin as a pilot project in May with a full rollout at the beginning of the next school year in the fall.

The committee that governs schools in the district voted to spend about $200,000 on the iPads, which also covers insurance, educational software aimed at the appropriate age level, training and other program costs. The program will eventually serve all six elementary schools in the small community, who’s total population was around 25,000 in the 2000 census.

The initiative by the Auburn school district marks the first time that Maine that iPads have been given to a whole grade level, though the state also has a very successful Mac-dominated laptop program for older students as well.

  The idea began when teachers who owned iPad noticed a significant improvement in kindergartners — who had previously had trouble learning the alphabet — who were exposed to educational software on the iPad.

The device is seen as more portable and less expensive than laptop computers, and more appropriate for the age group’s hands-on use. Officials hope to raise the literacy rates in the district from 62 to 90 percent within two years.

Has your local school district invested in iPads to help students learn?  If so, has it made a positive impact?