|
|
|
23 January
Apple iBook 2: The textbook reinvented or a sinister marketing ploy?
Apple iBooks: The textbook reinvented or a sinister marketing ploy?
Education is deep in our DNA, and it has been since the very beginning," said Apple Senior Vice President of Worldwide Marketing Phil Schiller at the company's recent education event on Thursday.
"Now with iBook’s 2 for iPad, students have a more dynamic, engaging and truly interactive way to read and learn, using the device they already love."
Apple announced their new product last Thursday in New York, claiming it is a revolutionary product for the education sector.
But, like all revolutions, it’s not without its detractors.
Its plan is embodied in three apps: A new version of Apple's iBooks lets students instantly access interactive digital textbooks through their mobile device. A second app called iBooks Author turns anyone with a basic knowledge of Apple tools into an iPad book publisher. Finally, there's iTunes U, an app that lets teachers and students connect in various ways, including through posted reading lists and streamed video of lectures.
Simply just a “fancy book”?
Education blogs are ablaze with reactions to Apple’s “bold” move as they argue that this product is a sinister marketing ploy to put pressure on users to buy iPad’s rather than cheaper Android and other tablet devices. Most of them focus on the iPad requirement to use them and the economic implications this has on children and families that can’t afford them.
Others argue that iBook’s are simply just a “fancy book” and have no sound pedagogical significance. We agree; if we simply take the textbook and turn it into an electronic book, the gain is minimal. We have reduced the weight, and the price of textbooks.
Don’t get me wrong, I know the iPad and iBook is not some sort of magic pill that has the ability in itself to transform learning, but I do think the learning benefits could potentially be huge, particularly for those with learning difficulties, if you have good teachers who understand pedagogy and how to use these tools in the right way.
As Brian Solis has argued we face an era of ‘digital Darwinism’, a phenomenon where technology and society evolve faster than our ability to adapt. The difficulty for educators is adopting and using technology in education and actually knowing how technology can support the student learning process. But we’ve no doubt we are on the path to achieve this.
iBook 2 will inevitably change the world of publishing and education
So for the people who were quick to sneer at it, we urge you to take another look because we believe that maybe not solely the iBook 2, but ebooks are going to change the world of publishing and education forever. The iBook 2 app allows anyone with access to a decent computer, the internet and Apple’s App store the opportunity to create and publish a book to be read on iPad’s. For example you can use a Word file and the app will automatically lay the text out and format it properly for you. You can also add video and pictures, which gives readers a more interactive experience.
Essentially this app is putting book publishing into the hands of millions of people all over the world. The results can already be predicted. There will be more than likely an initial tidal wave of self-published books by budding writers and a handful of excellent books by either established authors or gifted new writers and illustrators.
At the launch of iBook 2, Apple’s Marketing Chief Phil Schiller introduced tools to make digital textbooks and demonstrated how authors and even teachers can create books for students. Schiller said it is time to “reinvent the textbook”, adding that 1.5 million iPad’s are in use now in education.
While Apple doesn’t expect to make any money from the vast majority of books created using iBooks 2, it does expect to make a healthy profit from the educational sector. School books in the US, like the UK, are extremely expensive. iBooks 2 offers a very appealing and more affordable solution for both teachers and parents.
Embrace new technologies
Well, it seems Apple has done a great service to the education sector and although questions have emerged whether Apple's innovations will kill the traditional textbook, raised arguments about the economic implications associated with it, I guess time will tell.
But for now let's embrace new technologies. Enjoy learning in a different way, enjoy viewing interactive charts and diagrams and making real life connections with concepts and theories. It is more likely that iBooks ebooks in general will supplement the traditional textbooks rather than replace them. While we believe each argument is valid in its' own right, we do believe one thing is for sure - education as we know it is about to change forever and we think for the better.
And this journey is not solely down to Apple's iBooks, but is down to the new technologies and learning tools that companies are launching on a daily basis.
We’re excited - but we're more interested in what you think, watch the demo of the iBook lauch below.
What do you think about Apple’s new educational initiatives? Will you start buying your textbooks from the iBookstore when available in the UK? Let us know in the comments on Facebook! |
Posted by
admin
at
12:36
|
|
Apple iBook 2: The textbook reinvented or a sinister marketing ploy?