Apple's iBooks vs. Textbooks

IPADS vs. TEXT- BOOKS CRUNCHING THE NUMBERS JAN 19. Apple made a huge announcement: the introduc- tion of iBooks 2, which would include high school textbooks, and iBooks Author, which would allow anyone to create them. Many think that Apple's foray into education could revolutionize it. We don't yet know how Apple plans to get iPads into the hands of every high school student, but we do know it's going to be very expensive for schools. WILL IT BE TOO EXPENSIVE? THE IPADSCHOOL LANDSCAPE If the US government wanted to supply an iPad to every student in America, it would cost us 27 BILLION I=$1,000,000,000 That's enough to pay a year's salary to 675,000 Teachers. WILL IPADS BE AFFORDABLE? COST TO SCHOOLS Let's imagine that two new 2,000-student schools are opening. One decides to use paper textbooks, and the other decides to use iPads. How would the costs break down? SCHOOL 1: TEXTBOOKS TEXTBOOKS PER STUDENT $75 PER BOOK X 6 BOOKS= 6 $450 BOOKS PER YEAR DOLLARS PER STUDENT $450 X 2,000 STUDENTS= $900,000/5 YEARS= $900,000 $180,000 TOTAL INITIAL PER YEAR COST (ASSUMING THAT THE LIFETIME OF A TEXTBOK IS 5 YEARS) SCHOOL 2: IPADS 4 YEARS OF HIGH SCHOOL X6 BOOKS PER CLASS= $15 PER BOOK X 24 BOOKS EVERY 4 YEARS= $360 X 2,000 STUDENTS = 24 $360 $720,000 IBOOKS PER EVERY 4 YEARS TOTAL COST STUDENT $500 AN IPAD X 2,000 STUDENTS = $1,720,000/4 YEARS= %$4 $1,000,000 $430,000 FOR IPADS PER YEAR *ASSUMING THAT 4 YEAR OLD IPADS WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED THE VERDICT: TEXTBOOKS ARE 41% CHEAPER FOR SCHOOLS THAN IPADS WHEN STARTING FRESH. COST TO STUDENTS TEXTBOOKS: STUDENTS PAY NOTHING FOR TEXTBOOKS IN HIGH SCHOP IPADS: (ASSUMING SCHOOL PROVIDES THE IPAD) IF 1 STUDENT HAS 6 CLASSES, $15 $90 CLASSES PER BOOK PER YEAR $360 06$ PER YEAR YEARS OVER 4 YEARS MANY STUDENTS WILL STRUGGLE TO AFFORD IPADS CO0NSIDERING 31% OF WORKING FAMILIES ARE CLASSIFIED AS LOW INCOME. WHAT IF SCHOOLS REPLACE COMPUTERS TO0? SCHOOLS SPENT NEARLY 2 BILLION ON CLASSROOM COMPUTER SOFTWARE IN 2010 THAT'S ENOUGH FOR 5 MILLION IPADS Apple has suggested that schools could offset the cost of iPads by replacing computers too. IT'S ENOUGH TO SUPPLY %24 1.10 STUDENTS Needless to say, we need many more details about Apple's plan before we'll know if it's feasible. But from the looks of it now, Apple better have some- thing up its sleeve for making iPads affordable and accessible for students. Right now, they aren't by a long shot. ONLINETEACHINGDEGREE.COM REFERENCES: HTTP://TECHCRUNCH COM/2012/01/19/APPLE-TEXTBOOK-EVENT/ HTTP://NCES.ED.GOV/PROGRAMS/COE/ANALYSIS/2010-INDEX.ASP HTTP://Www THEVERGE.COM/2012/1/19/2718701/APPLE-IBOOKS2-TEXTBOOKS- HARDWARE QUESTIONS HTTP://WwW.PAYSCALE.COM/RESEARCH/US/ALL K-12TEACHERS/SALARY दि HTTP://Www.NYTIMES.COM/2011/09/04/TECHNOLOGY/TECHNOLOGY IN- VALUE -FACES QUESTIONS-ON VALUE.HTML?PAGEWANTED ALL रल HTTP://Www.CPS.EDU/ABOUT CPS/AT-A- GLANCE/PAGES/STATS AND FACTS.ASPX HTTP://Www.CHICAGOTRIBUNE.COM/NEWS/LOCAL/CT-X-DIGITAL-DIVIDE-0125-20120125,0,1614161, STORY HTTP://REVIEWS.CNET.COM/8301-31747_7-57361974-243/6-THINGS- WE-DONT-KNOW ABOUT-APPLES-E TEXTBOOKS-STRATEGY/ HTTP://ALLTHINGSD.COM/20120119/APPLES-NEW-MATH-OR WHY-A-15-EBOOK-EQUALS-A-75-PAPER-BOOK/ HTTP://WwW.CRSNEWS.COM/8301-201.162-57343397/CENSUS-DATA -HALF-OF-U.S-POOR-OR LOW-INCOME/ THIS WORK IS LICENSED UNDER A CREATIVE COMMONS LICENSE. CO %24