Apple and IBM partnered up about a year ago to bring mobile solutions to the enterprise. As it turns out, there is much more: The two tech giants are using their talent and resources to revolutionize education as we know it, the Coppell Gazette reports (via AppleInsider).
The two companies have been working on something they call the “Student Achievement App” for several months now. On Monday, Alex Kaplan of IBM presented the idea to the Coppell ISD Board of Trustees, explaining the concept behind the initiative:
“The idea here is we want to stimulate adoption,” Kaplan told the Coppell ISD Board of Trustees on Monday. “We want teachers to want to log on every morning. We want to change their work in such a way that they’re excited to log on and see what’s changed, what’s different … we want that sort of rush of excitement.”
Coppel ISD could be one of four school districts in the country to partner with Apple and IBM. The initiative came when the tech companies realized the use of technology in education wasn’t satisfactory.(By the way, we’ve heard from Apple plenty of times that education is in its DNA.)
“No matter where you go in the world it’s about great teachers working with great kids, and it’s the same problem everywhere,” Kaplan said. “Everyone is struggling with the issue, and they’re looking for leadership.”
So what are Apple and IBM offering as an alternative? The basic idea is to bring together “phenomenal teachers, principals, and administrators with great user experience people and great data scientists that will allow us to get to heart and transform what’s going on in the classroom”, Kaplan said.
The app will be limited to Apple products, and the first version will be out in the fall of 2015.
