In a move to radically change the textbook market, Apple recently launched iBooks 2 application, which aims to improve learning for elementary and high school students. Among the launch titles, i Book has come out with two high school textbooks — Biology and Environment Science from Pearson PLC and McGraw Hill, which can be downloaded free from the iBook App store. Through iBook, users can tap words to get definitions, access full glossaries, pinch into photos, and tap diagrams to get animated 3D models. Students and teachers in the capital feel this will make study pattern more interactive and fun.
Vidushi Mehrotra, a Class 10 student says, “I have always supported e-learning idea in school. I believe it makes the learning process more fun. Textbooks are boring and tough. The idea of carrying an iPad with this application to the class without any paper and pen excites me. We will have all the information handy. I hope, iBook also launches Maths and History books soon.”
Agrees Smitashish Sengupta, a college student, who says that this will bring a revolution in the education system. “Already many textbook publishers are making electronic version of textbooks, but there had been no proper application to display them. Dedicated e-book readers like Kindle have poor impact as their screens are small and can’t display colours. And for iBook application, tablet computers like iPad is both portable and can display textbooks in a more enhanced manner.”
Throwing light on the financial part, Nina Sehgal, director, D.P.S Society says, “Nowadays students are fairly comfortable studying via computers and e-books than traditional books. But before introducing them in the schools curriculum, we have to see whether it’s cost receptive. It will be hit among Indian parents, if the cost of buying a tablet and application is fairly equivalent to buying books,” she sums up.