What Teachers Can Learn from Steve Jobs

I just finished reading one of the most intriguing books I have ever read, Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson. I loved the way Isaacson chronicled the creation and launching of multiple creative devices over three decades that transformed many industries:
The Apple II personal computer
The Macintosh home computer revolution with graphical user interfaces
Toy Story and other Pixar digital animation blockbusters
Apple stores with genius tables
The iPod to store music digitally
The iTunes Store which expanded and changed the way music was purchased
The App Store to enable creation rather than consumption
The iPad which started tablet computing and a format for digital news, books, and videos
iCloud to sync all devices seamlessly, and
The Apple company "which Jobs considered his greatest creation, a place where imagination was nurtured, applied, and executed in ways so creative that it became the most valuable company on earth" (Isaacson, 2011, p.566).

But mostly I loved learning about this innovative man. I loved his vision for creating products that "push the human race forward" (p.577). His passion for designing and producing that led him to work many hours week after week until it was perfect. His insistence that devices must be simple so people won't be afraid of them, yet perfectly designed so even parts not visible to consumers are beautiful. His ability to "Think Different" as he challenged us to listen to the ones who see things differently because, "while some may see them as crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do" (p.577).  Jobs modeled and valued creativity, just the thing we need to inspire in schools today.

So what can teachers integrating technology learn from Steve Jobs? I propose the following:

1. Keep it simple. Jobs went so far as to put a handle on a desktop computer so it would invite people to touch it and not be afraid of it, though no one would actually pick up a desktop computer. Teachers can themselves play with technology so they aren't afraid of it. They can encourage students to play with programs as well to design projects about which they are passionate.

2. Create. Jobs realized that the iPad 1 was more of a tool for consuming: books, videos, newspapers, etc. When he created the iPad 2 he intentionally made it a tool for creating: iMovie for videos, Garage Band for music, powerful camera for pictures, apps for your own ebooks. Our challenge today as teachers in 1:1 classrooms is to empower students to create using these devices, to use their creativity to learn and communicate with the world.

3. Don't be afraid of making a mistake. As Jobs was creating a computer for the 1990's in 1984, he was determining what would be best for people to use. Was he always right? Perhaps not. But he never looked at a decision as a failure, but rather an opportunity for the next product. For example, when creating the Macintosh he was convinced it should have a slot into which a disk would be inserted. His team said it should be a sliding door because soon companies would develop ways to burn music and it would use this existing format. Well indeed companies did use the sliding door format for burning discs, so Jobs said he needed to come up with a way to download music in a different manner, and iTunes was born.

4. Create learning spaces that motivate. When Jobs built Apple he intentionally looked for a design that put people in contact with each other so ideas could flow no matter where they went. He liked fluid meeting spaces where everyone could participate in sunlit areas. How can you improve your school learning space so students can collaborate and work on projects?

5. "The Journey is the Reward"(p.537). Integrating technology is fun! It makes each of us lifelong learners. None of us can know everything about each technology, we need to work together. So inspire students with your vision of what they can accomplish, provide devices and support so they can try, and empower them to create.

So here's to changing the world, one school and student at a time!