Obviously, one would have to purchase an iPad, which is exactly what Apple is banking on, but whatever their economic scheme, it's hard to argue that the educational value one gets in return isn't worth the investment
Now, I'm not usually one to blog about technology and gadgets, but the following presentation is about education, a topic quite dear to my heart, and it will blow your mind:
If you can be kind enough to get my poor ass an iPad, I'll be your bff! :)
"it's hard to argue that the educational value one gets in return isn't worth the investment"
ReplyDeleteNot that hard. :) Apple isn't doing this from a sense of altruism or vision of a wonderful future. They're doing it because it's a smart move for Apple.
While other companies, eg. Samsung, are making arguably better tablets, Apple has moved on - from a focus on the device itself, to *providing services* around the device, and locking people into Apple at all costs. Apple is much more sophisticated at lock-in than Microsoft ever was.
Apart from that, Apple wants to own the content. Whatever you create, whether it is a new book (which you can only do with Mac s/ware) or adding your teachers' notes or students' notes, Apple has complete rights to use that content any way they like.
Apple is doing this because of the enormous business opportunity here. Cornering not just the textbook market, but later the student management s/ware market. It's mind-boggling. No, Apple isn't doing this for anyone's good but their own, as would any company.
Personally, I don't like the idea of anyone trying to make physical publishing redundant. Do you really want two or three companies controlling access to every single book? Making decisions on what is "appropriate" for us?
People while about the "nanny state" but seem to run with open arms to the "nanny company". That's where we're heading if we're not careful.
I wouldn't deny any of that, nor would I be naive enough not to see the incredible business strategy being used by Apple here. And I am sympathetic to your corporate skepticism.
ReplyDeleteNevertheless, the price of an iPad would offset the amount of money spent on college textbooks in as short a time as two semesters, after which time students would not only get to save money on textbooks, but they'd have an iPad they can use for whatever they want.
Plus the same books that they originally purchased would be automatically updated when authors/publishers push new content. With the current model, and the publishing industry's need for profit (or survival), textbook editions change almost annually without much difference in their actual content, rendering textbooks useful for personal use (and how many students use them simply for personal edification?), but useless for class.
I don't deny that these giants stand to make huge profits, but their motivation doesn't have to detract from the educational value to their consumers as well.