A rethinking of digital learning device projects

A fundamental change in the way education is being delivered is taking place. Using Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in education has shifted from being an “add-on” to becoming an essential component of the curriculum. Recently, initiatives aimed at reducing the digital divide, and lightening the load of students' backpacks, such as the “e-schoolbag” project launched in Shanghai and other major cities, have reignited the discussion on ICT's increasing role in the classroom. This paper traces some of the background of “e-schoolbag” and other similar projects, and discusses the trends and expected benefits now being identified. The paper also reports on a preliminary investigation conducted in an international school in Hong Kong, where the penetration and adoption of ICT in the classroom is reported to be comparatively high, and where they have introduced Apple's iPad and Amazon's Kindle as core tools for classroom use. The paper looks at some of the challenges facing adoption of such tools, including the difficulties of obtaining electronic versions of the desired course content or textbooks, and reports on some of the solutions appearing for these problems. The paper concludes with some suggestions of future directions of research and development to support the incorporation of digital learning devices in the classroom.