Beyond Textbooks

http://www.roanoke.com/news/nrv/breaking/wb/262146
"Beyond Textbooks is designed to explore the potential of wireless technology and digital textbooks to enhance teaching and learning, according to a news release from the VDOE. It’s part of a larger program called Learning without Boundaries that already has put Apple hand-helds and GPS devices in school children’s hands." Pulaski County is moving toward using iPads instead of textbooks and the iPod touch for educational applications that reinforce learning.
How do you feel about moving toward more technology driven instruction? How do you think other teachers will feel about being forced to utilize this technology?

Using Wiki's in the school

A Wiki is a webpage that is easily edited by all members to help the group communicate effectively about a certain subject. It is used often in higher education, and along with many other technologies, will soon trickle down to the grade schools. It would be a wonderful way to keep the faculty up-to-date and involved in school affairs. For example, if new instructional materials are being adopted the following year, you do not have to rely on a small group to make a decision that would affect the entire school. Instead, allow the teachers to be actively involved in making the decisions by giving opinions, sharing statistics and user reviews of the material. This would help create a collaborative community and likely cause the teachers to take ownership in the decision that is made. It would also be wonderful to use in a classroom to reinforce what is being learned. A simple statement could start the wiki, and students could add to it as information is taught/learned.