A quick tap of a screen can now define words, identify wildlife and answer questions in a second.

The Sooke School District is working on a plan to bring tablet computers into all the elementary, middle and high schools in the area.

B次元官网网址淲e are rolling out the iPad strategy in the next two years,B次元官网网址� said School District 62 superintendent Jim Cambridge.

Students often carry heavy knapsacks loaded with textbooks, but soon they may have the option to trade in the weight for a small tablet computer with all the textbooks downloaded onto it.

While tablet computers may be the way of the future SD 62, Cambridge is quick to point out there will always be a place for books in the schools.

B次元官网网址淲e want personalized education. Some kids need three books open in front of them covered in sticky notes to learn. If we made all students use iPads, that would be standardized learning, not personalized,B次元官网网址� he said.

Some students already have access to tablets at the schools, but Cambridge said more will be added to each school.  Belmont secondary school has some blended learning classes that act as a cross between distance learning and a traditional classroom. Students in these classes already have the option to use electronic text books or paper ones.

B次元官网网址淪ome kids learn better by handwriting, everybody has their ability learn in their own style,B次元官网网址� Cambridge said. B次元官网网址淏ooks are important they are something that will be a part of out future hopefully forever.B次元官网网址�

All of the assignments are online and the students can login and work at their own pace.

B次元官网网址淚 thought all the students would use the computers, but some prefer the books because they say they get distracted by Facebook,B次元官网网址� Cambridge said. B次元官网网址淚t just depends on the kids.B次元官网网址�

At this point the school district is undecided on what brand of computers to invest in, B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 not the hardware thatB次元官网网址檚 important.B次元官网网址�

Cambridge enjoys taking his own iPad with him and showing different apps from Myscript Calculator, which is popular with the students. He can doodle math problems with his finger on the screen and the question is solved in seconds.

Books on tablet have functions that arenB次元官网网址檛 possible on a traditional textbook. In an electronic version, Cambridge showed how a student can highlight a word on the page and up pops the definition.

B次元官网网址淲hy use a thesaurus when you can just click on the word and find six other options for B次元官网网址榬ent,B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� he said.