If giving the teacher an apple a day – keeps pupils in their good books, then what will Apple Technology do? Ensure straight A’s for the student for their educational life? The phenomenon that is Apple has taken over the globe, offering all everything at the touch of a button. Perhaps the biggest group set to benefit from Apple Technology is the educational sector – said to have been revolutionised from the likes of the Mac, iPod, iPhone and now iPad – perhaps now known as Apple Education.
Such technology has developed through the years from being the first Apple 1, a personal computer built in 1976 and sold for $666.66 right up to the iPad selling for approximately £429 – the technology has certainly changed, thus revolutionizing the world as well as education.
Apple products are known to produce excellence in content – something which has been getting better through the years. The iPad, ipad 2, and next ipad 3 release itself is the next generation of Apple technology – surpassing in the content excellence; being portable with Wi-Fi and a touch screen – it really has brought the future to now. With 20,000 apps readily available for the anticipating (and slightly lucky) student, the iPad itself is a notebook, writing equipment, textbook and equipment all in one, and less than ten inches tall and wide you cannot complain of lugging around your backpacks anymore.
Perhaps the cost of at least $429 may seem a bit much – but try comparing that to the $5 billion pounds spent a year by students on text books – really it is quite the bargain. Set to take over the widely used Mac – the iPhone and iPad are preparing for worldwide technological dominance (or hoping for it). But what is the difference offered to the educational system between the iPad and the Mac? The iPad is a lot more mobile to begin with – it is all on one screen without the need for a keyboard. Also it takes on another role – being a text book.
Apple also offers universities worldwide iTunes U sites, aimed at sharing common goals with education. With students and teachers/ lecturers able to access educational content whenever they feel the need to, they can listen or view said content and upload it onto whatever Apple equipment they have (iPod, iPhone or Mac).
Another educational extra from the Apple generators is the MacBook learning lab – bringing the needed learning environment to every class. The lab itself provides a set of MacBook computers, wireless networking and software – all giving students a truly technological learning frame prices start at a cool $10,999.
The possibilities with Apple is endless, in terms of education including Ad-hoc, a wireless device allowing people to directly communicate with each other within a close proximity. The Ah-hoc avoids the need for central access points. In addition, Apple offers podcasts to take place for lectures, accessibility features for those with impairments or hearing challenges.
Apple itself are doing all that they can to ensure that education is giving the best opportunities, from Apple Education, that is until their next technological sweep derives.