US Literacy On The Ropes; Apple Attempts to Change Classrooms with iBooks

Is Apple the messiah we have been waiting for? Introducing, the latest addition to the groundbreaking applications Apple is widely-known for, rnthe iBooks. Will this newest endeavor of Apple improve literacy in United States, and eventually in other nations, as well? Literacy, hanging by a thread In an infographic released by the OnlineEducation.net, statistics as to the condition of education in America has been revealed. And the figures are not something you can easily ignore. They show how students and education are in need of redemption. Otherwise, we are heading toward a downward slope, not just in terms of literacy but to other fields as well, including the economy. The figures we're looking at The rate of school drop-out has reached 1. 2million annually. Everyday, 6,000 high schools students quit schooling. In a matter of 26 seconds, one student decides to leave school. Today, USA may be enjoying the term the most powerful nation in the world, but that we might need to check in the coming years. A survey that aims to assess competency of students from developing countries saw US students at the 21st place in Science and 25th place in Math. Education technology has worked for states that have tried it. It probably would also serve best with other areas. It was found out that integrating technology in the classroom has increased student's interest by 25%. Parents no longer have to bribe their kids just so to convince them to attend classes. In Maine, when each 7th grader was provided a free laptop, positive results were gathered. The passing rate of 8th graders taking math exams has risen to 91% from 50%. That is almost a 100% percent increase. rnIn Euclid Ohio, an inner high school distributed 24 iPads in a single classroom.Six per cent of the students improved their reading skills while 8% developed their writing skills. How good iBooks are Engaging - Small font sizes and limited, not to mention sometimes image-empty text in books can be soring to the eyes. With the use of iPad, you can maximize the screen according to your viewing preferences. Visuals that come alive make reading more enjoyable and engaging. Functional - Now you will not have to reach for a pen and a paper to list down those words you will later check or consult in the dictionary. Or if you feel lazy, you might also opt to skip on those parts you barely understood and just continue reading. But with an iPad, you can easily highlight words which you can look up in the glossary. Comprehensive – iBooks is a library accessible via iPads. Several established publishing houses have partnered with Apple to making the project possible, and that includes McGraw Hill and Pearson. Add to that the reputable academic institutions like Yale and Stanford that have already created over 100 downloadable courses. Cost-effective – iBooks offer cheaper textbooks. This can be of big help to the meager budget or funding resources that schools have. The big question is, Will the world take a bite of Apple's new offering? This company is known for stealing scenes. It has stolen the spotlight from several companies under the mobile and music industry. Will they also take the forefront in the field of education?