It’s a well known fact that some teachers at Heschel accept notes mainly on computers, and others prefer to have students write in notebooks. But a third note-taking option has become increasingly popular: iPads.

In many former notebook-only classes, students now write on personal iPads brought from home. While some faculty members find this method comparable to computer use, others, like physics teacher Suzy Vogel, see it as a suitable alternative.

“For the most part, I think it’s a great idea as long as students use the iPad like they would a notebook,” said Vogel, whose students frequently use iPads. “It’s easy to organize, they can keep their handouts with their notes, it’s easy to share notes with absent friends, and it lightens the heavy backpack load; and unlike a laptop, it’s easy to tell what a student is doing and if they are off task.”

Senior Lucy Rayman, who prefers to take notes on an iPad, said, “I use an iPad because I like having all of my notes organized in the same place. It both saves a lot of space in my bag and prevents me from losing important notes.”

But the method has some downsides as well. Not all students have access to an iPad, and not all teachers approve of iPad use for fear that it could become a distraction. Nevertheless, for students who are able to take notes on a tablet, there certainly are many perks.