Introducing tablet computers into the classroom is hardly new, and since tablets started being made commercially available, there has been research into their usefulness in classroom settings. As hardware costs have dropped in recent years, this research has intensified. For example, in 2004 researchers from the Universities of Washington, San Diego and Virginia investigated whether tablet PCs can increase classroom engagement, using computer science classes as a testbed. Their tool, ClassPresenter, used a system of digital ink for lecturers to annotate slides for their students.
Experimentally, the researchers found that the reaction to the system was increased lecture attention and understanding of course material [1].