ipods in the classroom

Although many people would think that it would not be a good idea to have ipods or podcasts in the classroom, my thoughts are a little different. Although I do know where these people are coming from I just don't see why not. I think that they (if used appropriately) could be used as great educational tools in the classroom as well. We use computers, radios at times, why not ipods? You could use them maybe as a sort of up-to-date cassette player. By downloading a story onto it and letting the child listen to it it could better help them understand the materials. You could also have children who have their own bring them in and you could download a class discussion onto it that you previously recorded. This especially can help children who have learning disorders. If they cannnot concentrate in the classroom then they can take the ipods home and listen to them over and over again to get the point memorized. Just my thoughts.