If you own an iPad you know that despite competition’s
best efforts, the iPad is simply…better. It just works. That is why Apple is
not afraid of the strong sales of the Kindle Fire. Apple has blown away sales expectations of analysts and is poised to
grow in the education sector for its ease of use. Here are 3 reasons why the
Apple iPad may become as synonymous with the classroom as overhead transparencies…
It Will Save Money
Everybody feels the pain of paying for text books.
Public and private schools have to pay for the material and college students
are forced to pay the burden, but Apple is taking the lead in the inevitable
digital future, one which may cost a lot less. In fact, according to CBS News, Apple’s iBooks 2 cuts 80% off
production costs, cost savings which have allowed iBooks 2 to sell 350,000
textbooks in just three days. iBooks 2 depends on Apple’s partnership with
textbook publishing giants Pearson, McGraw Hill and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt,
a group which makes 90% of all textbooks.
All textbooks at the iBooks 2 store are priced at
$14.99. The days of lugging big expensive books are over and the initial cost
of the iPad will be more than made up by the cost savings.
It Is More Interactive
Have you ever sat down to study something and felt
overwhelmed by the size of the book? The iPad allows students to learn in
chunks and through animations and games. If you look around any high-school or
college classroom, there is at least one student texting or playing games on
their smartphone. The interactivity of the iPad can replace countless hours
spent texting and playing games.
Apple and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, a major
textbook publisher, conducted a study which found that middle school students achieved
better scores on their Algebra 1 tests when they used the iPad. However, more
studies need to be done to prove that the iPad is useful in other subject
areas.
It Can Get Rid of Snow Days
Students love snow days because all of their
assignments are postponed. The bad news is that the iPad, with its internet
connectivity, cameras, and touchscreen can keep students and teachers in touch
at all times. The good news is that more homework can be done in class, saving
students time and letting them be kids. This can happen because most learning
in today’s classrooms involves lectures and note taking, all of which has to be
made sense of at home. The iPad brings homework interactivity directly into the
classroom because textbooks on the iPad feature videos, animations, and
problems throughout the chapters.
