Educators hope Apple’s textbook foray will begin a “learning revolution”

On Thursday morning, Apple announced a series of related initiatives designed to modernize learning based around its iPad tablet. Apple is hoping to "reinvent textbooks" and change the way we learn with an updated iBooks 2 app, which works with interactive textbooks built with the iBooks Author desktop app, and an expansion of iTunes U that offers course materials and K-12 access. And according to several experts we spoke to, Apple's announcement today could do just that.

Several educators were particularly bullish on the impact that Apple's move into the digital textbook market will have on both teaching and learning. Assistant Professor of Arts, Media, and Design at Boston's Northeastern University Matthew Gray told Ars that iBooks 2 and iBooks Author will be a "fantastic" improvement over what's commonly used in universities now.

"A pivotal year for students"

"Personally, I love this development" Gray said. "What was funny to me was the continuous emphasis on the word 'book.' But what Apple's new technology says to me, however, is 'syllabus.' This new kind of ebook acknowledges that we all can Google things, and therefore education needs something to bridge 'fixed' knowledge and 'fluid' delivery systems for knowledge. An e-book can use its unique referencing ability to link a far wider resource library to students."

Abilene Christian Univeristy's director of educational innovation, Dr. William Rankin, also believes Apple's digital textbooks and iTunes U expansion will have a major transformative effect. "Teachers no longer have to have an IT department, digital infrastructure, or really even buy-in from their school," Rankin told Ars. "Apps, notes, syllabi, textbooks—they all integrate. As long as I can get iPads for my students, I can do it all."

(A seemingly easy feat for Rankin, whose institution has been active in putting iPads in students' hands. Other universities, however, may not have it as easy.)

Rankin further explained that iBooks Author and iTunes U could "disrupt the relationship" between teachers and schools. "This will democratize the relationship between content producers and consumers. A teacher will be able to do anything they need for their class, and not be as dependent on textbook publishers or school administrations."

He described the potential for a revolution in learning comparable to Gutenberg's introduction of the printing press. Interactive digital texts like those demonstrated by Apple will allow learning to "transgress walls," and the iPad's mobility will allow learning to happen "in situ," in whatever context is most appropriate.

"It used to be about location, location, location. Now it's all about connection, connection, connection," Rankin told Ars. "It will take people a long time to realize the implications of that."

That feeling is shared by Brad Wheeler, vice president of information technology at Indiana University, who has been running a very successful e-text program at IU. That program, along with help from IU, is being expanded on a pilot basis to five new universities in Spring 2012, including UC-Berkeley, Cornell, Minnesota, Virginia, and Wisconsin.

Wheeler believes that Apple's announcements will be a shot in the arm for the kind of digital text programs he supports. "The economics of college textbooks are structurally flawed and are failing students, authors, professors and publishers," Wheeler told Ars. "Different approaches, including free resources and companies trying to restructure the industry—as Apple did for music—are in play."

But the change can't come soon enough, Wheeler explained. "2012 is looking to be a pivotal year for students, authors, and publishers, as we finally reform entrenched textbook practices that fail everyone, but especially fail our students. Billions are being allocated to author Open Educational Resources, Apple is credibly seeking to apply its platform and transform the textbook business starting with K-12, and universities are taking the lead in cutting money-saving deals directly with publishers."

"We need more of all of this, and faster," Wheeler said.

The iPad requirement

Still, adopting iPads for every student gives rise to cost concerns. Schools may negotiate bulk deals with Apple to provide iPads to every student, though tight budgets often rule out the iPad, even with an education discount as low as $420. Those costs may shift to parents as students may be expected to bring their own device.

"If you are a very small school and you can afford to offer your students an iPad, great," Mehdi Maghsoodnia, CEO of BookRenter, told Ars. "If you are a large school district, then you are probably not going to be able to do this. That means that a small percentage of students who can afford iPads will purchase the digital versions of their textbooks."

While an iPad can represent an expensive up-front cost, however, the ability to have the most up-to-date information and Apple's downward pressure on textbook prices may more than make up for the difference.

"Traditional textbooks start at $90," John Gaskell, Chemistry Teacher at the Singapore American School in Singapore, told Ars. "$15 texts can now actually make the iPad a cost savings for districts.

Wes Molyneaux, a science teacher a technology expert for New Trier High School in Winnetka, Illinois, agrees that lower text costs will actually make an iPad more attractive.

"Right now the Pearson Biology text is selling for $75.00 on Amazon," Molyneaux told Ars. "In the iBookstore it is selling for $14.99."

iBooks Author also offers important advantages for both teachers and students. "Teacher-created content that aligns with their own curriculum just became easier to author," Molyneaux said. "We can now create our own content that matches what we want to cover. And a high school student could create a project using the new iBooks Author app and be able to put it out there for other students to read. This creates real-world learning opportunities that were not there yesterday."

Let's talk about rights

But costs aren't the only concern. Apple's closed platform still presents challenges for publishers, authors, and students. Oman Rashid, CEO of digital textbook company Kno, told Ars that supporting multiple platforms will be an important part of changing the landscape of education. "Public schools and universities aren't likely to say, 'Forever I'm going to choose one platform,'" Rashid told Ars. "We're on multiple platforms, not just the iPad."

"I'm really excited by Apple's entry into the market," Rashid said. "It will boost the entire industry. I want to see how publishers respond, because publishers will have to be able to build content for platforms other than the iPad."

And though students will have permanent access to a text once purchased, including free updates to content and unlimited re-downloads, what will student be able to do with the content? Intellectual property lawyer Nazli Saka, who also holds a masters degree in education from Harvard, thinks this question will need answers, and soon.

"There's no denying that this new textbook experience will revolutionize learning and education," Saka told Ars. "But will Apple be willing to let users interact with the textbooks on multiple digital platforms and not just the iPad?" So far, according to the EULA for iBooks Author, that answer seems to be "no."

"How about ownership of content?" Saka asked. "If Apple owns it, then it could presumably withdraw it anytime it wants, thus leaving students without textbooks at the time of need. How will end user license agreements be constructed so that students can print portions of the books and use them for class work without infringing any copyrights? As an IP lawyer, I'm cautious," she said.