Create stunning electronic text books with iBooks Author

The Post-PC era in education: How to create stunning electronic text books with iBooks Author.

Students of today often prefer to carry a tablet computer around instead of a pile of textbooks. With it they can access their digital life all at once while still having with them all it takes to follow the lectures, provided the textbook is available in an electronic format such as pdf.

In January 2012 Apple introduced two new software titles free of charge which are called iBooks 2.0 and iBooks Author. Together they provide students of all ages with a new electronic textbook experience: the new iBooks 2.0 format allows for interactive, searchable, and updatable features, rich with videos, pictures, glossaries text highlighting and conversion into study cards following a  study guide. The new capabilities of this new type of interactive ebook have the potential to involve students to a much greater extent and to facilitate effective learning. It offers new ways of presenting information and context as well as a cost efficient way of distributing and updating scripts for any type of course or lecture.

Apple has also established a new distribution channel through its iTunes U by which textbooks can be sold or distributed free of charge.
If you plan on distributing  eBooks of your own you can do that as well, but to use iTunes U as a distribution channel, you have to agree to Apples terms for this business model of course.

Albert Thomi – an experienced teacher and Apple system engineer – will answer any questions that you might have as to what it means to enter into this contract with Apple in terms of intellectual property transfer or acceptable use policy and liability.
Since Albert Thomi is an engineer his approach will be more technical than educational but hopefully the event will also turn out to be an occasion to meet peers and professionals with similar interests.

The event (held in German) takes place on Thursday 31 May 2012 12:00-13:30 at HG F3. It is free of charge with mandatory registration.

Programme:

  • iBooks Author features and overview
  • Recommended approach when producing ebooks with iBooks Author
  • The content distribution business model of apple (iTunes U): opportunities, catches and consequences
  • Christian Weibel  introduces Course Manager, a tool for handling iTunes U content

This event is provided by ETH IT Services Client Delivery and IT Training Administration.

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