Originally Posted by Val
Actually, your message highlights the problem: what is the actual advantage of an iPad, specifically? If it can't be measured, what does this mean about the value of the device in a classroom?

What's the actual advantage of a spatula? It depends on what you intend to do with it. It's ideal for flipping things, can be a scraper or stirrer in a trice, can be somewhat limited at scooping things, is absolutely useless as a scrubber, and if you've already used it on food, can be a disaster as a back scratcher.

So... iPad. It's a tool. Its utility depends entirely on how you intend to use it.

And that's why its value can't be directly measured, because there will be differences in how it's used... varying by district, teacher, student, and parent.