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Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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In his biography of Steve Jobs, Walter Isaacson shared a story of Jobs' meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama. Along with sharing his displeasure at the difficulty in building a factory in the United States, he also disassembled America's education system.
It was absurd, he added that American classrooms were still based on teachers standing at a board and using textbooks. All books, learning materials, and assessments should be digital and interactive, tailored to each student and providing feedback in real time.
Jobs wanted to hire great textbook writers to create digital versions, and make them a feature of the iPad. He wanted to make textbooks free and bundled with the iPad, and believed such a system would give states the opportunity to save money.

ipadineducation.jpg



A panel of four Dutch educators and politicians is proposing to fulfill Steve Jobs' vision and create a school where students are taught with iPads. The proposal will be presented on Monday [Google Translate] in Amsterdam. The plan, called Education for a New Era, is designed to help students learn "21st century skills" and push the limits of what can be done in a classroom.

It is just a proposal for the time being, but the promoters wish to test existing educational apps and encourage more to be developed. The so-called "Steve Jobs schools" would open their doors in August 2013.

Earlier this year, Apple rolled out a digital textbook initiative. The company partnered with McGraw-Hill, Pearson, and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt -- the three companies together control 90% of the textbook market in the U.S. -- and is focusing on high school textbooks initially. Apple presumably wants to expand the project to include all grade levels, and eventually fulfill Jobs' vision of a digital classroom.

Article Link: Dutch Committee Proposes to Build Steve Jobs' iPad-Equipped Classroom
 

gregwyattjr

macrumors regular
Oct 17, 2008
198
1
It's amazing that the education system has virtually been unchanged since it began. It is definitely in need of a revolution.
 

dakwar

macrumors 6502
Nov 2, 2010
322
17
Sounds like a great idea. I am very much looking forward to the day when the iPad becomes more (at least much more so than it is today) of an educational tool than an entertainment device.
 

charlieegan3

macrumors 68020
Feb 16, 2012
2,394
17
U.K
if all the kids use it that that guy is in the picture they will have a generation of bad backs. Trust me they don't want that.
 

rstansby

macrumors 6502
Jun 19, 2007
493
0
This seems like a great idea, my biggest concern is: What happens when the kid drops it and breaks it.
 

charlieegan3

macrumors 68020
Feb 16, 2012
2,394
17
U.K
It's amazing that the education system has virtually been unchanged since it began. It is definitely in need of a revolution.

The education system in scotland changes almost every new government! totaly crazy! yeah you are right though need some new insight here too.
 

DrFreeman

macrumors member
Apr 9, 2010
44
0
I think it is a good idea for us to have good technology like iPad in the classroom but we should not get carried away. I think it is fine to have this for certain classes like biology or history however I cannot see iPads being that useful in the teaching of maths or physics! I think for subjects that require greater understanding like maths we still need whiteboard/blackboard with pens and pencils. :apple:
 

Eddyisgreat

macrumors 601
Oct 24, 2007
4,851
2
Wouldn't that be amazing? Fully tailored multimedia textbooks purpose built for the iPad. Dedicated subject matter experts continuously update the content in the book to reflect current trends. No more inner city kids sporting science books where putting a man on the moon is seen as a possibility in the future. No need for several different revisions of the same book with minor changes. Heck schools could just pay a (albeit hefty) subscription fee to publishers for 100% access to the entire library, available on demand. I think Steve would have liked this :apple:
 

dakwar

macrumors 6502
Nov 2, 2010
322
17
if all the kids use it that that guy is in the picture they will have a generation of bad backs. Trust me they don't want that.

Right. But that's how books are used today, and have been for ages. So it'll be nothing new for the iPad. If anything, the iPad, being much lighter than a textbook, can be held upright, like with the student in the background.
 

Undecided

macrumors 6502a
Mar 4, 2005
704
168
California
I thought this was already being piloted in a school in Cupertino, where each kid goes at their own speed, there are still classrooms with a teacher on hand to help, and the teacher can monitor progress/performance? Actually, I think this was on iPads but the point of the story was some web-based education service that facilitated all this? I can't recall the name of the site, though.

Never mind! I see someone above posted about khanacademy.com.
 

DaveNinja

macrumors 6502
Oct 18, 2005
314
18
The Dutch are planning ahead. they want to win gold at the 2028 Olympics in the Angry Birds events
 

Joe, WinfieldIL

macrumors newbie
Mar 23, 2012
1
0
Respectfully Disagree

...I think it is fine to have this for certain classes like biology or history however I cannot see iPads being that useful in the teaching of maths or physics!...

I think mathematics may be one of the BEST opportunities for iPad usage. The iPads can and should be used as workbooks, where children actually practice problem solving. For those kids who breeze through practice questions, the workbook could automatically create more difficult problems that test the same math skill. Meanwhile, those who struggle can get progressively easier questions or automated assistance. The teachers would be relieved of the burden of monotonous grading on this type of work, and the iPads give much more instantaneous feedback than a teacher could ever hope to achieve. All of this can reduce the need for the socially painful practice of grouping kids into levels, physically cordoning them off from peers based on talent.
 

tinisoli

macrumors newbie
Jan 21, 2012
4
0
I think it is fine to have this for certain classes like biology or history however I cannot see iPads being that useful in the teaching of maths or physics! I think for subjects that require greater understanding like maths we still need whiteboard/blackboard with pens and pencils.

Eventually, iPads will be able to communicate with each other, so the teacher will present via his or her iPad to other iPads in the room, and those other iPads will be able to give feedback to the teacher's iPad. Smartboards will be redundant, because students and teachers will be able to present and interact without leaving their desks or even being in the same room.
 

charlieegan3

macrumors 68020
Feb 16, 2012
2,394
17
U.K
Oh I don't know, maybe by disciplining the children. A rare concept I know.

funny guy. you have clearly never been in a computing classroom. Teachers, regardless of their skill, fail to keep all the pupils on task. Websense, LanSchool... you name it, it doesn't seem to work. Maybe kids in the the Uk are just particularly badly behaved.

the point i was making is there a way the school will be able to restrict the usage? (Like LanSchool for iPad?, i don't think this is possible yet?)
 

HarryPot

macrumors 65816
Sep 5, 2009
1,059
509
The truth is, at least for me, there is nothing close to a printed book. So much easier to read it and find things. Write notes, put separators.

I know all these things can be done with the iPad, but somehow it distracts you. What makes good students is good teachers. Not so much if they have iPads and interactive things.

iPad and iPhones and similar devices are great, but from how I see it, most people use them for distraction purposes. Music, Twitter, FaceBook. Even when using it for keeping an schedule, I've found that nothing really works as a paper agenda. Whenever I try and use my iPhone or iPad for that, I end up loosing more time.

It amazes me how now everyone is within their smart-phone, doing, mostly, unnecessary things. It's very common you are having a conversation with someone and they take out their phone and start typing, etc. In the work-space, it is a necessary evil. But in school?
 

charlieegan3

macrumors 68020
Feb 16, 2012
2,394
17
U.K
Right. But that's how books are used today, and have been for ages. So it'll be nothing new for the iPad. If anything, the iPad, being much lighter than a textbook, can be held upright, like with the student in the background.

good point.
 

guzhogi

macrumors 68040
Aug 31, 2003
3,725
1,804
Wherever my feet take me…
It's amazing that the education system has virtually been unchanged since it began. It is definitely in need of a revolution.

Honest question: why does it need a revolution? I admit, the iPad does bring a lot of advantages, but I've seen a lot of posts on MacRumors who want change only for the sake of change, not to make things better.

I work in a school district and it's not just teachers telling kids "OK, turn to page 125 in your book and read the next 10 pages," or whatever. Most, if not all, teachers have hands on projects kids do. Some stuff can't be done on iPads. Like in science class, kids learn about chemical reactions. Sure, you could have an app where you mix vinegar & baking soda and see an animated test tube fizzle. But that's not the same as having a real test tube or learning about endothermic/exothermic reactions. iPads bring many things to education but they are NOT end-all, be-all of educational tools.
 

ChrisA

macrumors G5
Jan 5, 2006
12,540
1,653
Redondo Beach, California
It's amazing that the education system has virtually been unchanged since it began. It is definitely in need of a revolution.

It's changing. For example several of my daughter's 8th grade teachers no longer accept assignments on paper. They want electronic copy and use Google Docs. This kind of thing will happen from the bottom up. teacher by teacher. Going digital like this cost the school nothing. In the past they required paper to be typed and supplied typewriters to kids who did not have their own typewriters. Now those same rooms hold computer for the few kids who don't have their own.

----------

I work in a school district and it's not just teachers telling kids "OK, turn to page 125 in your book and read the next 10 pages," or whatever. Most, if not all, teachers have hands on projects kids do....


I think the plan was only to replace the text books and work sheets. I don't think anyonme has suggested stopping the other things like hands-on projects
 

DrFreeman

macrumors member
Apr 9, 2010
44
0
I think mathematics may be one of the BEST opportunities for iPad usage. The iPads can and should be used as workbooks, where children actually practice problem solving. For those kids who breeze through practice questions, the workbook could automatically create more difficult problems that test the same math skill. Meanwhile, those who struggle can get progressively easier questions or automated assistance. The teachers would be relieved of the burden of monotonous grading on this type of work, and the iPads give much more instantaneous feedback than a teacher could ever hope to achieve. All of this can reduce the need for the socially painful practice of grouping kids into levels, physically cordoning them off from peers based on talent.

I think the point is that children should be using their hands to solve maths. It is very important not lose sight of the fact that we learn through different mediums and not suppress one at the cost of other so early in life.
 
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