Making the iBooks with iBook Author was really fun, and the education applications for such products are pretty much endless, but when I sat down to reflect on the class I found myself in the middle of a struggle. There are unarguable benefits to the iBook format: for example, the universal design built into Apple products make it immediately accessible to such a range of students, and the novelty of the format and the variety of presentation methods it incorporates (videos, 3D images, quizzes, etc) will pull in the students who struggle to focus. Also, I hear a radio ad almost daily that states, "If you're reading it, it's history. If you're hearing it, it's news". iBook author allows us to go beyond that, because once you make an iBook, it shouldn't be too difficult to update it with new information, which is something you just can't do with a printed book.
On the other hand, though, is it just too awesome? Are we pandering to the 'instant gratification' generation? Because our culture rewards short attention spans with 30 minute TV shows and constantly updating news and social media, and where the answer to any question is a 0.27 second Google search away, is there not value in teaching kids to carefully search for answers in a paper textbook with static, 2D pictures? The paperwork they'll be filling out as an adult, while it may be electronic, will likely not motivate them with snappy videos and picture galleries. And as an aside, albeit an important one, the amount of teacher time outside of teaching time required to make these books is limiting.
In the end, I think whatever captures their attention and gets them reading, learning, and enjoying it is for the best, and any teacher worth the paper their license is printed on knows that iBooks are nothing more or less than another tool in their kit, to be used with discretion and with specific goals in mind.
Click here for one teacher's praise for iBook Author.
Click here for another teacher's list of the flaws inherent in the increased use of iBooks and similar technology in the school system.
(Photo from here.)
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