10 Reasons for iLife in Education

1. Teaching and learning the way students live.

Today’s students live in a time when notebook computers, mobile phones, handheld gaming devices and portable music players are commonplace. As a result, they constantly interact with personal digital devices– often more than one at a time. Apple mobile products, such as MacBook notebook computers and iPod players, are familiar and relevant tools for students, and therefore are very engaging for them. And as educators know, higher engagement leads to higher achievement.

2. Technology and learning come together naturally.

When technology is mobile, educators can bring it right to their students, eliminating the need to plan around computer lab schedules as well as time-consuming, distracting trips to the lab. Whether achieved through Apple MacBook Learning Lab, which bring powerful digital learning tools into any classroom, or where every teacher and student is assigned a MacBook, mobile computing transforms technology into an authentic tool for learning and for preparing students for life and work in the 21st century.

3. Learning anytime and anywhere.

Mobile computing extends teaching and learning outside classrooms and beyond traditional school hours. Students can learn anywhere a project takes them – on a field trip, on the bus, at the library or at their desks. With no cables to tie them down, student groups can work around a table in the classroom or even in hallways and lunch areas. Students can retrieve and post their assignments, check the classroom schedule and print reports from any location at school. And educators can create lesson plans and communicate with students and their parents from the classroom or from home.

4. Ultimate learning tools for the researcher, creator or producer.

With the built-in features of a MacBook, students have a robust set of learning tools at their fingertips. They can access the Internet wirelessly to do research; connect to external devices such as cameras, scientific probeware or projectors; and copy their work onto CDs or DVDs. And with included software, such as the award-winning iLife digital authoring suite, students can create movies, photo books, music, websites and podcasts; manage their calendars and to-do lists; access a graphing calculator and much more. And the MacBook is so light and thin that it fits easily into backpacks.

5. More flexibility means more options for learning.

Mobile computing gives teachers more flexibility and alternatives for integrating technology into the curriculum. Whether using MacBook computers to quickly research a topic in a classroom discussion, give students extra practice learning a new maths concept or let students document an outdoor science experiment, both teachers and students gain an advantage from the flexibility that mobile technology provides. Enthusiasm for teaching and learning sparks inspiration when technology is always within reach.

6. A cost-effective solution.

Mobile computing has fewer infrastructure requirements, so can cost less than outfitting dedicated labs. Battery powered devices such as the MacBook and iPod do not require the use of electrical sockets in classrooms. Meanwhile, AirPort Extreme wireless networking, which requires only one Ethernet port per classroom, saves on cabling costs.

7. More classroom and learning space.

Mobile technology can ease the pressure schools face to build more classrooms and specialised learning areas. With the MacBook in classrooms or Apple MacBook Learning Lab that can be wheeled anywhere around the school site, schools no longer need dedicated computer labs. Physical computer labs can be reassigned to fill other pressing space needs, while mobile solutions provide students with increased access to technology.

8. Safer, less cluttered classrooms.

MacBook notebooks and iPod players take up very little space and add flexibility to the classroom. With notebooks and wireless networking, students and educators can move around their classrooms without having to navigate a maze of power cords, surge suppressors, and monitor and network cables. Free of cables, classrooms are neater, safer and less distracting places where students can focus on learning.

9. Greater levels of student responsibility and confidence.

When a student has the exclusive use of a device – be it an iPod or a MacBook – a change in attitude occurs. Entrusting students with a real-world tool gives them a sense of pride in themselves and their work. Mobile technologies have benefits for students of all ages in terms of enhanced self-esteem, responsibility and confidence.

10. Closing the digital divide.

With mobile computing in education, all students can gain access to the tools and skills they need to succeed in the 21st-century workplace. This is especially important for students who may not have access to computers and the Internet at home. By helping students improve their academic, creative and technical skills, mobile computing supports the needs and interests of local businesses and can help fuel the UK’s economic growth and development.