AppleInsider StaffApple and Pearson on Thursday officially announced an expansion of their relationship to enhance teaching and learning through technology, where Pearson will acquire PowerSchool from Apple and develop educational content for teachers and students compatible with iPod.
Steven Dowling, president of Pearson’s School companies, said, “Pearson’s commitment is to improve student performance. Student information and achievement results are essential to teachers and families in knowing how a student is doing and helping her make gains. The acquisition of PowerSchool, an easy-to-use application for sharing information, and the alliance with Apple to deliver content compatible with iPod, progresses Pearson’s goal to improve student performance.â€
PowerSchool’s web-based solutions provide K-12 administrators, teachers, students and parents with secure, up-to-the-minute information on student performance including grades, homework and attendance. They complement Pearson’s existing enterprise and SIS business, which brings assessment, reporting and business solutions to over 16,000 schools, helping them to fulfill the accountability requirements set by No Child Left Behind.
The companies said the new integrated services will bear the respected PowerSchool name and will be located in Folsom, California and Mesa, Arizona. PowerSchool’s president, Mary McCaffrey, will head the combined business.
Pearson will also develop new services for educators and students, including research-based educational content compatible with iPod, the world’s most popular digital music player. Teachers will have access to podcasts on professional development to help with lesson preparation and provide innovative ways to reach students struggling with specific content. Students will be able to load their iPods with study guides that are aligned with Pearson texts and listen to review notes to prepare for exams.
Earlier this school year, Apple and Pearson collaborated to bring digital versions of Pearson textbooks and workbooks to California schools using the affordable Mac mini.
AppleInsider reported Apple's sale of PowerSchool to Pearson on Wednesday.
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5 Comments
hmmm...the sale makes their relationship stronger?
Rather than let their school products diminish, I believe that this is a good move. They will no doubt gain momentium in the academic markets, and allow rapid focus on intertwining the ipod in the education market. There are many, many uses with podcasting and data syncing homework and research databases, etc. that are already in use by many schools and teachers. But there is no guidance or product support for these applications as of yet. Apple had to realize that rather than spreading their resourses too thin, as they have a tremendous amount of growth at hand, and become like microsoft, trying to do too much, and nothing real well, they can pass on this one, and let a deticated, ready, and invested company take the baton for a while.
What a deviously worded press release.
We use PowerSchool here. We are aware of what the ramifications of a sale are.
I am not sure how the iPod would possibly relate to PowerSchool, a web-based information system. They are obviously combining two unrelated items here to add luster to something that deserves no luster.
Apple bailed on PowerSchool, plain and simple.
My opinion.
I am not sure how the iPod would possibly relate to PowerSchool, a web-based information system.
I think it's more like, "sell us PowerSchool and we'll also make an agreement to develop iPod content". The two things are not related except as part of the same business deal.
Apple bailed on PowerSchool, plain and simple.
yep...but who knows, maybe it'll be a good thing as ReCompile says.
PowerSchool is only as important to Apple as an eApp (edApp?) to districts or schools buying Macs for school use. It was in my opinion a great bundle for a reasonable price ... 'a la the iApps. I assume Apple was not realizing the most out of this bundling though and decided to sell it for something is could leverage more. I don't like Pearson getting bigger but I have a friend who works for a small company that Pearson bought up and they have been great about not micromanaging and he is happy. I hope the same occurs for PowerSchool and I hope it keeps pushing Macs. That is the main thing.