iBooks for each student instead of textbooks |
Listening to KIRO 710 and Dori Monson has a superintendent from an Arizona public high school that replaced all textbooks with an iBook issued to each student. The cost of the textbooks per student per year was $500 and the price of the iBook was $800. They used the textbook money and money for the computer lab to help buy these computers. The whole school is wired with some 100+ airports so the students can get WiFi access anywhere on campus.
This makes a lot of sense to me, I wish I went to Empire High in Arizona! I suspect the days of this coming to many more public schools are not far off. Many other school districts, I’m sure, will be watching how this experiment goes. There are 340 students at Empire High.
A little Googling sent me to the following story from Macworld Daily News:
This makes the school the first US public school to shun printed books, notes Associated Press. The school describes itself as forward-thinking and ready to take risks with technology in education.
The first caller to the show liked the idea too but was concerned about security and maintenance. That’s a legitimitate worry as ripping off a textbook is much less a concern than a shiny, white iBook. Dori didn’t ask the superintendent how they planned to deal with maintenance. Wonder how many backup laptops they purchased and what kind of theft plan they have for the students? Or if this was something the parents would need to replace (more likely)?
I imagine during tests those laptops are powered down, otherwise how to stop cheating via IM between students? Certainly there are issues to work out, but overall, I think this is the future.
Oh, and the Superintendent was careful to note that the library is still well stocked with good, old fashioned books.
Did this post make you go hmm?
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One of the concerns I would have (if I were a parent )would be the cost of replacing a laptop that might end up “missing”. If the schools are to expect the parents to pick up the tab, do the parents get a say on whether or not the school adopts this kind of program (?).
Not sure if this is something available but I do remember reading about it a few years ago…do they have tracking devices for computers/laptops where if someone gets online, the device can be tracked/located? I remember reading about this kind of thing (a couple/few years ago) at a pocketpc forum that I belong to (aximsite.com) but I never really had a need to check it out.
I agree with you that this is the future and I can’t help but feel so cheated. Damn brats, they get everything
Comment by Janine — August 22, 2005 @ 7:25 pm PST
Well, 3 years after this, I regret that the idea hasn’t been copied by other schools.
I bet the textbooks lobbys managed to prevent schools from successfully applying this neat textbooks shuning idea.
Maybe the era of Wikipedia will see some free online textbooks created… Wikitextbooks maybe…
Comment by ilamma — July 15, 2008 @ 5:38 pm PST