Apple CEO Tim Cook talks ConnectED education program on Good Morning America
Apple chief Tim Cook made a brief appearance on ABC's Good Morning America on Monday, discussing the company's participation in the White House's ConnectED educational program.
Cook talked about the program in a pre-recorded segment with show host Robin Roberts. The interview was set in an Alabama elementary school, and intercut with scenes of teachers and students using iPads to learn about the reconstruction period after the American Civil War, including shooting a mock newscast.
Apple announced a $100 million contribution to ConnectED last fall, involving grants to 114 schools in 29 states. At each school students have been given iPads, while teachers and administrators are getting both MacBooks and iPads. Each classroom has been assigned an Apple TV.
Cook did not reveal anything fundamentally new during the interview, but commented on things like Apple's attempts to bolster racial diversity, and how children are often surrounded by digital technology at home but step into an "analog" world when they come to school, leaving them disengaged.
The ultimate goal of ConnectED is to link 99 percent of American students to high-speed Internet access by 2018. The Federal Communications Commission is working in tandem with a number of private corporations on the effort, some other parties including Microsoft, Sprint, and Verizon.
Notably, ABC is owned by Disney, which has close ties with Apple. Disney CEO Bob Iger is on the Apple board of directors, and late Apple CEO Steve Jobs was Disney's largest individual shareholder thanks to Disney's acquisition of Pixar.
Cook talked about the program in a pre-recorded segment with show host Robin Roberts. The interview was set in an Alabama elementary school, and intercut with scenes of teachers and students using iPads to learn about the reconstruction period after the American Civil War, including shooting a mock newscast.
Apple announced a $100 million contribution to ConnectED last fall, involving grants to 114 schools in 29 states. At each school students have been given iPads, while teachers and administrators are getting both MacBooks and iPads. Each classroom has been assigned an Apple TV.
Cook did not reveal anything fundamentally new during the interview, but commented on things like Apple's attempts to bolster racial diversity, and how children are often surrounded by digital technology at home but step into an "analog" world when they come to school, leaving them disengaged.
The ultimate goal of ConnectED is to link 99 percent of American students to high-speed Internet access by 2018. The Federal Communications Commission is working in tandem with a number of private corporations on the effort, some other parties including Microsoft, Sprint, and Verizon.
Notably, ABC is owned by Disney, which has close ties with Apple. Disney CEO Bob Iger is on the Apple board of directors, and late Apple CEO Steve Jobs was Disney's largest individual shareholder thanks to Disney's acquisition of Pixar.
Comments
I'd rather Tim got some distance between him, Apple and this White House administration. In the unlikely event Trump becomes the next president, there will be scowls on every face at Apple. They need to look a little closer at their political tunnel vision. Stick to your business and stay away from the politics.
Apple should stay away from Education, because people should be home schooled only.
Ayn Rand Akbar!!!
/s
Ayn Rand was an atheist. Hail Hydra!
Sorry, the word is "tack," as in sailing.
If a Republican is elected in 2016, the tack will be into the wind, for sure.
If a Republican is elected and they fail to follow through on their threat to defund or end "Obamacare", I won't be surprised because both parties have become quite destructive and self-serving.
I guess this illustrates that families or individuals must take the initiative and determine for themselves which tools they want to improve their education. Relying on schools, or even Apple to provide well-thought out plans that best serve your own needs would be foolish.
Apple is not defining the school's curriculums but it is empowering the the teachers and students with iPads, MacBooks and Apple TVs.
This makes them much more engaged in the learning process.
To be blunt, if the teachers are not talented or the subject is uninteresting, no learning will happen until the student is ready and willing to learn. A student who takes control of their own future will not be deterred by a lack of available tools.
The teachers I have talked to see a growing common trend in the past 10 years. Electronics these days are creating a society of kids that cannot focus, have no patience, and are easily distracted. With electronics becoming their nannies, they have poor social skills, do not do well in groups, and are too self centered, lack discipline, and respect. It is very difficult to get kids engaged and pay attention when they are not raised up to behave in a group setting. To make matters worse, parents blame the school and teachers because they cannot take responsibility for failing to teach their children trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and citizenship (six pillars of character).
Moreover, teachers are being told to use technology, yet there is no training nor curriculum to use it. What good is to use an iPad in school, if the school has no budget for apps or does not work with app developer to satisfy the curriculum needs? How do you expect a teacher to use free app with adds that further distracts the already distracted student? How do you prevent disruptive kids from breaking fragile iPads when they cannot even behave in a classroom setting? How can teachers engage students if they are constantly correcting their behavior and just teaching common social skills.
On the other hand, I have seen many teachers buy an iPad and Macs with their own money and bring them to school, figure out how to connect them to smart boards and projectors to help teach their subjects. They get praised for these efforts, but even when they show success, the school has no budget or there is too much internal debate with IT team to bring in something they are not trained or know how to incorporate into their rigid and standard system across the city or state.
To be blunt, if the teachers are not talented or the subject is uninteresting, no learning will happen until the student is ready and willing to learn. A student who takes control of their own future will not be deterred by a lack of available tools.
Now this is a teacher everyone would want to have...
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