today's lesson: what Steve Jobs did for education

To many, he was the apple guy. The iPod master. The mastermind behind all great typography. However, to educators, Steve Jobs was a pioneer in educational technology. Apple's marketing to K-12 schools began in the 80s, and teachers and students alike have embraced it's simplicity and ease of access. There is hardly a college classroom today that does not run on some kind of technological base. Clearly, that influence is dribbling down into high school, middle school, and even elementary school classrooms. It is hard to resist the fast-paced learning that can result in knowledge of subject matter, as well as advances in knowledge of technology. Steve Job's influence has helped students of all ages become more marketable in an ever-increasing competitive workplace.

That is not all Steve Jobs did for education, though. His persona alone was enough to inspire many students in his 2005 commencement speech at Stanford University. In it, he discussed his shortcomings, his failure to graduate from college, his desperation to learn. He began attending college classes and sleeping on the floors of his friends dorm rooms just so he could gain knowledge. Not degrees. Not grades. Knowledge. Eventually, what started out as a two-man business in a garage grew into a multi-billion dollar corporation. He closed his speech with four words of advice to the graduates and to students worldwide:

Stay hungry. Stay foolish.

Rest in peace, Steve Jobs. Your influence will be felt for generations to come.
For another article on how Steve Jobs influenced education, click here.