A device that was recently unveiled at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) really made me think about how much a certain piece of technology could change schools around the country. In fact, this device, which came off as quite popular at at CES, could quite possibly be the future of learning, replacing textbooks, papers, and all the other school necessities that currently seem to be haunting me. However, this device could also, disappointingly, be completely disregarded until it disappears into oblivion.

I really don’t know– the possibilities are endless for the EXODesk, the giant desk-like tablet bordering on 40 inches in screen size. I’m sure by now everybody is aware of what a tablet is. These computer-like devices attempt being similar to a computer, but never seem to achieve quite the complexity of their PC counterparts. These tablets were seen as revolutionary when they first appeared as the iPad, but it seems to me that their only impact was the creation of a large market.

I still don’t see tablets as a real game changer, and I don’t see the majority of schools replacing textbooks with normal tablets anytime soon, but the EXODesk is somethingI can actually see in classrooms. Its large screen is the perfect size for a desk, and common utilities like Microsoft Word are included. Since the device hasn’t been released yet, I don’t know if it will have textbook support, but I’m sure it can.

Currently, the device must plug into a Mac or PC to run. Then the tablet simply runs the computer OS (Operating System) while integrating its own user interface onto the screen. With this all in mind, a kid at their desk could type a word document, look up a word in the dictionary, and maybe even take a test.

This device could be revolutionary on its own, but with this kind of technology there’s always a catch. As you probably already know, tablets aren’t allowed in classrooms for various reasons, the largest of which being the large access to distractions while a student is in class. EXODesk would probably provide even more distractions than an average tablet given that it is hooked up to a computer. This is why I think that the device it may be disregarded as a learning tool, just as the tablet was before it, but since the desk offers so many options, I’m positive that there would be a way to block off certain features.

It’s the school’s decision, but I hope those EXODesks get put to good use instead of collecting dust on a shelf.