Netbooks 'equip students with 21st century essential skills'

With powerful, affordable and easy-to-use technology available, today's educators would be remiss to deny computers to their students.

Wentzville School district in Missouri is one educational organization that has caught onto this. According to a recent report from St. Louis Today, more than 900 netbooks will be issued to high school students in the district.

Officials in the area believe their students are getting a jumpstart on the future of education.

"Ten years from now, nearly every high school in America will be doing this," district superintendent Terry Adams told St. Louis Today. "Let's don't be afraid of it. Let's move forward but understand going in that it's not going to be without a few glitches. It's just going to happen, and let's do the best we can."

Others see the move as critical to preparing high school students for the real world. Richard Wilson, director of technology for Wentzville district schools, told the news provider "we want to equip our students with 21st century essential skills."

Education isn't the only sector expected to spend more on mobile computers. Market research firm Gartner predicts enterprise spending on tablets will reach $29.4 billion this year, up from $9.6 billion in 2010.