Math Help? There’s an App for That
- If we created an iPad app for math help, would you use it?
Yes, now all the math help you need could be at your fingertips. Literally.
According to Apple’s latest announcement to (almost) one up all their other big announcements this past year, all those textbooks you know and almost, kind of, sort of love will be available on iBooks. That means that 10 pound pile of dusty and damaged books you lug home every night could magically be replaced by a fun 1.5 pound gadget that has Angry Birds. Winning!
Hold up – Some high schools don’t even have a decent computer lab, how on earth can they afford to give every student a brand new high tech toy?
That’s exactly what I thought when I first heard of using iPads in the classroom. It didn’t seem fair that kids in affluent school districts could upgrade their educational style, while the kids stuck in struggling districts got further behind in the game. So naturally, like any concerned citizen, I did my research.
Math Help Challenge: iBooks versus Textbooks
Want to know if your school can afford iPads? You do the math.
Textbooks
A typical textbook which can cost up to $75. So if your school happened to order a full course load (about seven classes) for everyone at your school, each student’s books would cost about $525.
Versus iPads
Now, compare that to an Apple iPad. Right now you can buy a “refurbished” iPad 1 for $419 straight from Apple. Add seven $15 iTextbooks for $105, and your iPad educational solution is $524.
You get really cool state-of-the-art cutting edge “this is what’s happening” technology and you save a dollar? This has got to be a trick.
Yet as far as my research suggests, it’s not. This is the real deal — even Pearson‘s in on it — and physical textbooks might just be a thing of the past.
iPads vs. Textbooks — What do you think?
Want Math Help?
Alleyoop Has an App for That…on Facebook
Don’t worry, you can get all the math help you need without the iPad for now.