Who Needs Textbooks When You Can iAuthor Your Own iBooks?
With more and more app developers designing innovative apps like The Elements: A Visual Exploration and Our Choice, it is clear that traditional textbooks are no longer needed as mobile learning devices become common classroom tools. Students can easily have access to updated information in a variety of different ways, whether it is through text, images, audio, or video. There is an incredible amount of content-specific apps, podcasts (have you seen iTunesU?), and eBooks available. And of course we can’t forget the wealth of information available just by having access to the Internet. It is incredibly easy for educators to differentiate instruction based on learning styles and needs with these kind of technology tools in their teaching toolbox. Why not take it a step further and think about individualizing content for students? Or let students individualize their own content? You can create your own textbooks. Create your own novels. Create your own portfolios. Create your own projects. Create your own reports. Create your own books. Create your own incredible multi-media content and call it whatever you want.
It is actually quite simple to become a modern author these days by using an ePub template to create an iBook that can be viewed on an iPod touch, iPhone, or iPad in the free iBooks app. Recently, I was lucky enough to be a guest on a Classroom 2.0 LIVE show where I had the opportunity to demonstrate how quickly and easily you can create your own iBook with embedded audio, images, video, and web links to make a personalized multimedia creation of your choice. The fantastic people at Classroom 2.0 LIVE are kind enough to archive all their shows, so the webinar will be available on their website for any educator, administrator, student, or parent to watch at any time. Once you learn the process, the possibilities for creating your own mobile content are endless. You can also access all of the resources that were discussed and shared throughout the session; there are some excellent links in the LiveBinder about ePubs and iBooks. The summer is the perfect time to play around with technology, have fun, and think about how you could develop some really fun and creative learning experiences.
LiveBinder Resources: Excellent collection of resources shared during the session… all kinds of great links to ePubs, iBooks, and related topics!
Watch the “iAuthor an iBook” show
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xz2wzmWOpA&feature=youtu.be
11:49 am
Thanks Meg for your post,
I just spent the day today looking at “eBooks” from a number of textbook publishers and feeling like they were all falling short in one way or another! We have a national curriculum coming in (NSW Aust.) and the goalposts keep changing but the biggest issue for me is the restriction of licences, copyright and access! It does trigger the thoughts of collaboratively writing textbooks and sharing freely!! Just a daunting task though to make it appealing and managing the process! I am still thinking!….!…! but I enjoyed your thoughts and they are making me think even more! @rolfek:twitter
10:46 pm
You are very welcome Rolfe. That is always the overall goal… to get people thinking about how technology can REALLY improve teaching and learning!
2:35 pm
Congratulations on such a great presentation Meg. Your work continues to inspire me and I appreciate the ability to learn from you on a regular basis.
I think it is important to note that iBook is the only app that will allow for these “multimedia” ePub Books. Is that accurate? I do not believe you can do this on the Nook or Kindle.
10:49 pm
Thanks Scott! I really appreciate the feedback.
You make a great point about using the iBook app… I don’t think the Nook or Kindle is capable of viewing multimedia ePubs. Just another notch on the board for Apple!
2:20 pm
No, but wikis are capable of multimedia, and their engine is free and open source, unlike Apple products. Because it is from Apple, my question would be whether the “free” opportunity will continue to exist…or if the pull of the market means someday you’d pay a small “fee” to access materials you’ve created? or a small ongoing “license” to use the software?