iBooks 2 is the Cat’s Pajamas!

In an interview with All Things Digitial’s Peter Kafka, the CEO of McGraw-Hill, Terry McGraw reaps praises on the late Steve Jobs.  The whole article Kafka writes can be viewed here, but it’s important to note just how cool textbooks are going to become using Apple’s iBooks 2.

In the article, the mini-transcript goes like this:

Peter Kafka: Apple has been talking to publishers about textbooks on the iPads for a couple of years. Why are you doing this now?

Terry McGraw: Sitting and listening to all of this, I wish Steve Jobs was here. I was with him in June this past year, and we were talking about some of the benchmarks, and some of the things that we were trying to do together. He should be here. He probably is [gesturing up and around]. This was his vision, this was his idea, and it all had to do with the iPad.

Kafka: But why do this now, instead of when the iPad came out, back in 2010?

McGraw: We’ve explored every possible way to be in this space, and to make it more accessible, and make it more of a learning platform, rather than just a textbook. So with the textbook now, it’s growing up. Apple has really essentially turbocharged the process, and it’s just going to open up the world of learning to more people. Anything we can do to be a part of that, we’re going to do.

Kafka: Will you replicate this kind of program with Google and other platforms?

McGraw: We’ll do whatever we can to make this the most meaningful space. And the person, or, well, Steve Jobs and Apple, have done more, in terms of creating this personalized learning platform than anyone.  We are excited about it. I get questions that are more defensive. You know: “Are you concerned about the fact that you could be replaced?” No. You can’t replace content and curriculum and pedagogy and all of that. We’ve got a different platform now, than a textbook, to do all of that. Everybody wins.

I’ve seen this app in action and it’s freaking amazing!  It’s cooler than than a Wisconsin lake in winter.  Interactive menus, videos, pinch and expand models, step-by-step drawings, and the ability to make notes and highlight is nothing short of incredible.  All done on an iPad.  It’s no secret that Apple wants to go after the education sector.  To date, no textbook publisher has fully embraced digital yet.  Apple looks to change that.  What a better way than to have students using iPads in the classroom?  Back in my day, it was heavy books that i’d have to swap out in between classes or I’d break my back.  Pretty soon, students will simply be able to carry an iPad and perhaps one notebook (which maybe they won’t even need) to class.  Not only that, but reading a textbook can get boring, but with interactive videos and the like, now learning is more engaging and exciting.  I’m interested to see what the retention rates are amount students that use a traditional textbook vs. an iPad.  If the iPad wins, that could be all she wrote for a government backed monetary gift to the school system for iPads.  Steve Jobs was and always will be a genius.

 

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