The schools lock them down and monitor use. I hope you were joking and not that naïve.
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Live Coverage of Apple's Education-Focused Media Event
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The schools lock them down and monitor use. I hope you were joking and not that naïve.
I know how schools are run!! Poorly!
What I don't know is WHY. Oh wait, I know that too. No parental choice + Monopoly + Teachers unions + tenure
You assume individuals will be buying textbooks each year. I don't.
I would expect schools to get licenses just like public libraries. They'll be able to "loan" textbooks for a school year to however many licenses they bought; then the textbooks will automatically unistall once the school year is over. Then the district will be able to "loan" those licenses out again the next school year.
The system already works for ebooks with libraries. I don't see why it would not work with schools. Pretty simple, actually.
I would expect schools to get licenses just like public libraries. They'll be able to "loan" textbooks for a school year to however many licenses they bought; then the textbooks will automatically unistall once the school year is over. Then the district will be able to "loan" those licenses out again the next school year.
The system already works for ebooks with libraries. I don't see why it would not work with schools. Pretty simple, actually.
Apple has always had educational discounts, going back to the Apple II days.
Also, Apple wants to lock schools into proprietary iBooks, which they will make a flat 30% on IIRC, so they have a vested interest in discounting the hardware.
Given the poor choices so many parents make in raising their children outside of school, the "no parental choice" thing isn't necessarily a bad thing.
I don't know if you're using a really old version of the Kindle app or just haven't found the prefs, but it does everything you listed and more (adjustable line spacing and margins added in the latest version, which are really handy).
I'm fine with the iBook reader, the problem for me is there's no mac version.
If anything these new books are a bit worse, the old versions worked on iPhone or touch while these are iPad only.
Educational discounts are minimal. If you're using the above as an argument that Apple "cares" and is being altruistic - you're kidding yourself. This is business.
It's not like the competition did not have a chance. Apple struck first, now the "copy cats" are caught in an endless game of "catch up."
Ok...but that is the FUTURE...and a gamble. e-textbooks, as of last night, are not here...and are nowhere near mainstream.
Maybe someday lockers WILL disappear...we'll see.
It's not true, I agree. But in the short term, if you loose your iPad you just have to buy another one and you get all your books back. On the mid-long term the bet is that the format will be easily upgraded and with that it will last until the digital world collides.
Exactly this. Also, not all textbooks in the K-12 range are 75-100... many are much more. When I was in highschool (years ago) the AP Bio book cost about $400.
Why are you trying to turn this discussion into one about competition. The only "competition" here is the printed word vs Apple's iBooks. Not a single person has brought up another manufacture or OS.
Talk about left field...
What gave you that idea? Sure seems like the books are purchases, not rentals.
I'm not sure if they plan on having free updated editions, discounted ones, or would require paying full price for an updated version, but I haven't seen anything saying that the $15 books are only good for a year.
Actually, you do purchase the textbooks, with your tax dollars. you just don't pay full price every year because of the amount that are reused.
But, all the folks who are getting worked up about the cost, keep in mind that this isn't a 1:1 replacement. Using an iPad potentially will have a FAR greater return on the investment. What the kids are getting is an encyclopedic world of information, multimedia, and educational games.
Also, there is potential to reduce the burden on teachers. Once they build testing into the textbooks, then students can be responsible to do more self-study, and then take their tests. And because it's all automated, the software could easily give students different questions to prevent cheating.
This is a valid concern but reveals the assumption that institutions are better at raising kids than their parents are. Unfortunately there are many instances when a good teacher is a better influence on a kid than their parents. But to conclude from this that school choice would worsen education is a lie. Parent know how to pick better products and services, even if they are bad parents. They can pick iPhone over android. They can go see a good movie instead of a bad one. They want their children to learn as to have strong moral character, even I'd they are too inept to do it themselves.
More importantly, there are enough involved and caring parents which will weed out the bad teachers and bad schools, and raising up the good ones. The bad parents will benefit from the involved parents and will actually empower bad parents to become more involved with their kids education. Ask any teacher - a loving and involved family is the biggest determinant in school success.
By disempowering parents we are not doing them any favors. Its the whole elitest Nanny state philosophy.
Aren't textbooks free in High school? Mine were free.
Not hardly! They cost a ton of money You just didn't have to pay for them, the taxpayers did.
As a taxpayer, I'm intrigued by this idea if it can reduce the amount of money spent on textbooks.
Of course it's a business. And is Apple going to price itself out of this market? That would be a terrible business decision, especially since Google and Microsoft will be quick to try to duplicate what Apple is doing and sell it at a lower cost.
The barrier to entry for what Apple is doing here is fairly low for their competition, so that's going to constrain Apple's pricing.
I agree on your examples of backpack weight. But not every child/school is like that...and I really do not think that is the norm. Yes, my backpack was typically almost full back in 1989...but again, I'm carrying it around for minutes at a time...not being forced to WEAR it 8 hours a day in class.
Did I enjoy carrying my backpack to school every day? No...because who wants to carry something if you don't have to carry it?!...regardless if it's 10 pounds or 40 pounds. I would prefer not to carry my 7 pound laptop when I go places...but ya know what, it is what it is and I do it. I would prefer not to carry grocery bags from my car to my kitchen every week...but I do it. And I agree with you on all THE OTHER FACTORS regarding going e-textbook.
Weight is a SINGLE FACTOR. Let's see all the other factors and how they offset the weight issue.
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I think this is a great (if expected) innovation regarding textbooks. I think this is an example of technology making learning easier and that's fantastic. Will this drastically improve student performance? Probably not. For some students I think there will be noticeable gains, and for others this will be meaningless. People learn differently. For those who it helps, it won't turn them from C to A students. But since it's kind of like a "toy" it may get some kids more interested in learning. This tool is only going to be helpful for those motivated to learn though. And more specifically, those who rely more on textbooks for learning. I was someone who used textbooks heavily in college to learn and a good, readable textbook is very important. The interactivity is applicable in some disciplines more than others, but I see it being better. Does this mean a B student will become an A student? For most, no. I think it will make A-students stronger A-students for those who utilize textbooks and make hard-working B-students stronger B-students, and maybe make them B+ students.
Price themselves out of what market. There isn't a market to be priced out of. Apple is the only one with THE market (at least now).
Google and MS may enter the market - but they aren't competition - they don't have the ecosystem.
Amazon is the only entity that could be in the same Market as Apple.
Apple will always be Apple. They are premium products - even when discounted for education. And at the end of the day - they are about making money. They don't answer to the tax payers like the Board of Education does. They answer to stockholders.
Exactly. The books will not be transferable to another student.
The publishers will not go from a one-time purchase of $75 to a one time purchase of $15 (our business model will just not allow it). We will however go for a 5-time purchase of $15.
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AP Bio is not a K-12 book. It is a college text book.
Looking at my catalog right now, the most expensive K-12 book I see is around $120.
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They are purchases. Just not transferable to another iPad.