iBooks, Author, iTunes U: Time to change the world again
One of the last unfinished thoughts Steve Jobs left us with was textbooks. Walter Isaacson’s seminal biography of the Apple co-founder teased that the next textbook publishing was the next industry the iconic technology visionary was seeking to revolutionize. That was the promise and today Apple has delivered the vision, as well as the tools — iBooks, iTunes U, iBook Author — to make it happen.
I’m a very big believer in equal opportunity as opposed to equal outcome. Equal opportunity to me, more than anything, means a great education. Maybe even more important than a great family life. We could make sure that every young child in this country got a great education. We fall far short of that” – Steve Jobs.
Today’s education announcements — Apple Reinvents Textbooks with iBooks 2 for iPad, Apple Unveils All-New iTunes U App for iPad, iPhone & iPod touch — are a huge step forward in remedying those shortfalls.
First off, the entire focus of today’s announcements is the iPad, which is the unified delivery vehicle for rich and interactive multimedia teaching materials. Of course, this solution is also designed to work on the iPod touch and iPhone.
Thirty, 40 pounds of books? Wave goodbye.
Dull, out-of-date materials? iPad textbooks can be updated wirelessly almost at will.
See also: Watch Apple’s 2012 ‘Education Event’
Another potential benefit, assuming schools had them out to students, the digital divide could be erased at a single stroke. This in turn would drive the question cheap and/or free wireless connectively to fore — that would be a good thing.
A trio of tools
Apple released the software to make these things happen right away — iBooks (ebook reader), iBooks Author (Mac-only ebook creation) and iTunes U (textbook storefront + bookshelf). All of these apps are free and available today — boom.
We don’t know if schools will go for this wide reaching initiative that was launched with the help and countenance of major textbook publishers. However, Apple’s one-and-done package has the potential to be a huge moneysaver for schools and there’s no better time for that than right now.
Another unanswered question is whether or not iBooks + Author + iTunes U + iPad will be able to democratize textbook creation and distribution, removing the publishers and the huge, inefficient bureaucracy that help keep schools dumb and poor.
Whatever ultimately happens, Apple can’t be faulted for bad timing — the world of education is ripe for revolution…
What’s your take?
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February 7th, 2012
iBooks, Author, iTunes U: Time to change the world again – MAC.BLORGE – just great!