From the different visits, one message became most apparent: when combined with good pedagogy and curriculum planning, the iPad can be used as a powerful tool to help transform teaching and learning.

older children are given permission to download apps on their own

Students are each given a $50 iTunes credit to spend on apps throughout the year.

they have overlooked less costly options, like smartphones that offer similar benefits at a fraction of the iPad’s base cost of about $500

“It’s not about a cool application,” Dr. Brenner said. “We are talking about changing the way we do business in the classroom.”

The iPads cost $750 apiece, and they are to be used in class and at home during the school year to replace textbooks, allow students to correspond with teachers and turn in papers and homework assignments, and preserve a record of student work in digital portfolios.

Educators also laud the iPad’s physical attributes, including its large touch screen (about 9.7 inches) and flat design, which allows students to maintain eye contact with their teachers. And students like its light weight, which offers a relief from the heavy books that weigh down their backpacks.

New York City public schools have ordered more than 2,000 iPads, for $1.3 million