Apple Textbooks

Article Referenced 


                After reading and watching the video on Apple products in the classroom I must say that I am very excited. There are so many possibilities for these devices in the classroom. The interaction and engagement I think would increase drastically and participation as well would go up.

                I bought an I pad and love it. There are so many things that I can do on the I pad and I also have a Nook. My Nook has books to upload. I find it very intriguing to read on my Nook and it is nice to just simply download a new book and start reading. Also the prices are a lot cheaper on the Nook than if I were to go out and just buy a book off of the shelf. This coincides with the information given by apple. The price of text books can range from $60-$100 or more, but on the apple devices they are only $15. This means that schools can update the information faster because it is much less of an expense.

                I discussed these possibilities with a co worker and she seemed off put by this idea. Her main concern was that kids need the physical touch of a book. In my defense I stated that things are changing and it is not that I don’t think kids need the actual feel of a book and the experience but older students are so much more advanced and need the entertainment. She just thought that it was silly and it has worked before and it will work still. I believe that textbooks can work, because I used them. But for the possibility to upgrade, reduce backpack weight, and not forget your book wins me over. Students sometimes “forget” their book at home, but with an I pad they have all of their books already on the I pad.

                I love the interaction factor, especially for science. There are new ways to manipulate objects and that would require fewer materials in the classroom. Before there would be a text book and the teacher may have a model of the cell for you to look at. Now you can manipulate a cell on your own and turn, flip, look inside, and do anything you want to understand the concept. I think that it is a great tool.

                Over all I think that if schools could all switch to these forms of textbooks then we would have more active students and students who are more apt to do assignments. There are so many strong points to using I pads in the classroom. I am on board.

For the referenced Apple article and video,

CLICK HERE