Why the iPod Touch and the iPhone are so significant to Education

Posted on | November 5, 2007 | 5 Comments

With the official launch of the iPhone in the UK this week (9th November), it is interesting to look at the significance of the iPhone and the iPod touch to education worldwide.

The iPhone will, certainly, raise the bar in mobile phone design (notwithstanding Apple’s control freakery in relation to connectivity and contracts for the device), just as the iPod has done for MP3 players over the past six years. While no iPod-killer has yet appeared on the scene, there can be no doubt that the design and marketing of the digital audio player has advanced considerably since the advent of Apple’s industry-changing device back in 2001.

Many voices are saying the same now about the mobile phone in the wake of the iPhone. In the ‘Smart Phone’ area in particular (and perhaps unlike the MP3 player industry of a few years ago) there are many design-conscious and nimble producers who will undoubtedly respond – are already responding? – to the step-change that the iPhone has brought to the genre.

The iPod touch, too, is a significant piece of technology. The Touch shares much of the iPhone’s capability and design principles, of course. It is a stupendous piece of engineering, from the physical and tactile to the beautifully-executed software design. The implementation of Safari, and web-access generally, is jaw-droppingly brilliant, and the early inclusion of iTunes and YouTube directly in the interface makes this little device an absolute must-have!

Why should this be significant for education?

In my work I come across many regions and countries around the world who are looking to empower their learners by offering them all a connected device of some kind. As things stand, this objective tends to focus on the possibilities offered by laptops, or by PDAs and handhelds of various kinds. The OLPC and the Intel Classmate PC bring additional dimensions to the potential to meet this need. For some time now, whenever I have spoken to educators about the 1-to-1 vision, as it tends to be known, I have tended to look forward to a development in the mobile phone market as the eventual solution to the problem – I have been telling anyone who will listen that the advent of a powerful, handheld device, with access to the Web, and with productivity tools of various kinds built in, will be the solution. Any time soon…….

With an iPod touch in my hand, I think I can now say to people that this vision is closer to reality than even I had hoped. It can surely only be a short step from this initial implementation of the Touch, and of the iPhone, to an even more powerful device, with greater levels of storage, additional tools and functions, perhaps a virtual, laser-generated keyboard, and, of course, a price that makes it affordable as a possible 1-to-1 instrument for learners wordwide?

Can’t be long now, surely!

All the manual needed for the iPod touch – it is that simple to use!

Technorati Tags: iphone, ipod touch, olpc, intel, classmate pc, apple, 1-to-1

Category: design, education, innovation, intel, technology

Comments

5 Responses to “Why the iPod Touch and the iPhone are so significant to Education”

Andrew
November 5th, 2007 @ 5:50 pm

I think the key to the success of the touch will be it’s simplicity – finally ICT seems to be heading in the right direction.

Incidentally, being a gadget freak as soon as I saw the iTech virtual keyboard a couple of years ago I ordered one. Not all rush buys are a good idea! As a keyboard it is not accurate enough to be really useful beyond the novelty factor.
John Connell
November 5th, 2007 @ 6:07 pm

Thanks for the tip re the virtual keyboard, Andrew – I haven’t tried one yet – I’ve just seen them advertised. What would be the best way to permit text input to a handheld device? The iPod touch’s method is pretty good – lots of real-time feedback as you ‘type’ – but it’s still not ideal for volume input, is it?
Andrew
November 7th, 2007 @ 2:40 pm

I think if the touch was a little bigger, then it’s capacity for text input would be more efficient? Perhaps next year will change this though?

I also quite like the idea of a roll up keyboard you could keep in a bag/pocket for when you’re typing anything bigger than a text message? I think until voice/handwriting recognition gets better, we’re still stuck with the notion of a keyboard.
Andrew
November 7th, 2007 @ 2:44 pm

Ooops! Forgot the link for the roll up keyboard!
Sue Waters
November 10th, 2007 @ 1:21 pm

Well people who know me always laugh at the fact that for someone who is into mlearning I am not into mobile phones. I would be more than happy if you drop mine down the toilet – most the time I forget to charge it or have it with me. But I managed to get my hands on an iphone at the Mlearn conference and I have to say it is the first time I have ever wanted to buy a mobile phone. WOW. Shame they will not be out in Australia to next year.

iphones are incredible. The most important aspect to me is they have made the mobile web easy. Lots of people have mobile phones that can access the web but don’t know how to — the iphone makes it look easy. The hype of the iphone combined with the easy of accessing the mobile web means there will be increased use of the mobile web. Students are going to be more likely to have these type of devices which will make it easier for us.

Will be interesting to see how phone companies respond. Charlie Schlick from Nokia was the keynote at Mlearn — was interesting listening to him talk about mobile phone technology and the iphone. At the moment even with all the additional features voice and SMS are still the main uses. Hope the iphone changes this

Months yet to wait here in Australia — please think of us here when you get your iphones