Here’s a story about how four school districts in California are going to pilot a program that provides iPads to students instead of textbooks.

Of course, I say, “COOL DUDE!”

And trust me, you are going to hear the kids say that as well. And for the kids who get textbooks as opposed to iPads (supposedly chosen at random but I have a feeling it might not be as random as the word random actually connotes) there is gonna be a whole lotta, “DUDE, THAT SUCKS!” in the air as well.

But what is interesting to me is that Houghton Mifflin, the textbook publisher, has “teamed up” with the CA. Dept of Ed. is the one providing the iPads. (Code words decoded: I think this means that HM is actually paying for the goodies since the CDE is flat broke)

This harkens back to the idea that Jim Burke mentioned about how the next iteration of textbooks will come to us through a walled garden approach. Essentially, the textbook companies will provide the technology tools but the district will buy the content – from the textbook publisher… and then students will be owning devices that have “fences around them”. (i.e. walled gardens). so that they can’t go beyond the perimeters as set forth by… you guessed it, the textbook publishers.

Now I haven’t seen how the Houghton Mifflin iPads are going to be configured, but I do hope that someone comes forth to explain whether or not these iPads will be “unrestrained” iPads or if they will merely be iPads characterized by a whole lotta PDFs from Houghton Mifflin’s backlist of previously published academic work.

And will the kids have access to Open Source learning?
And will the kids be able to go to a competitor of Houghton Mifflin’s academic resources if there is, perhaps, a “better” lesson on a subject available over there?

I can tell you that restraining access runs counter to the nature of the web and an iPad that does not allow you to actually tap into all of the possibilities available with an iPad is really not quite the iPad that it is being purported to be.

Got my eye on this one, that’s for sure.

My iPad still keeps revealing its potential to me. For example, right now I am on a cross country speaking trip doing PD in Missouri then Georgia… then North Carolina next week. Indeed, it’s been busy busy.

And when you are gonna be on so many airplanes, in so many hotels, in so many places, it’d be nice if you had a few of the following things with you.

• email
• gps system
• internet access wherever you were
• planner/calendar
• notepad
• books, books, books,
• a few movies
• some podcasts
• an immense music library
• magazine articles of interest
• daily newspaper
• my contact list
• a coupla games

Do I need to go on?

My iPad really is incredible. To be able to take so much content with me in one so easy-to-navigate device… well, like I said, the thing still keeps revealing its potential to me.

It’s changed the way I plan and pack for travel. For kids today, this may seem like an “Of course you can do that with it” experience. But for me, who remembers what it was like to have to choose between which content I could and could not take with me on the road, well… it’s is just crazy crazy.

And it even lets me blog, too. Whouldda thunk?