The iPhone And The Case For Experiential Learning
A little over eight years ago, my then eleven year old son asked for an iPhone. Today, this might seem an ordinary request for one so young but eight years ago, I thought his request was outrageous. In 2007, owning an iPhone was a luxury item even for adults. For that matter, owning an iPhone was a luxury item even for working adults. Yet, somehow my first and only had arrived at the conclusion that he needed and deserved an iPhone.
LIFE CHANGING
While watching the 79th Academy Awards with his mom, Naeem saw a commercial that in retrospect very likely changed the trajectory of his life. Today, he is living in Silicon Valley, attending college only a few miles from Apple’s world headquarters, majoring in Computer Science and Engineering/Electrical Engineering and has written a personal mission statement to rival the likes of Apple. Like Apple, Naeem intends to change the world.
During that fateful evening of February 25, 2007 – while he and his mom watched the Academy Awards as if they were sitting in the audience – the iPhone was unveiled to the world. That evening is indelibly engrained in my memory.
There was the celebratory clapping and screaming and the boisterous banter so common when the two of them watch an award show. Then mysteriously it was as if the world stopped. Out of nowhere there was silence. For a brief moment, I wondered if the TV remote had muted the two non-Academy Awards attendees. I later learned that the silence was caused by the introduction of the iPhone.
Nearly a decade later, with the proliferation of mobile phone companies, mobile technological advancements and all those darn apps it might be easy to forget the significance of the iPhone but we shouldn’t. The iPhone was a game changer. The iPhone was a life changer.
That evening, Apple revealed something beautiful. Apple presented to the world something that not only made it possible for an owner of an iPhone to touch a screen to make a call, listen to music, watch a movie, browse the web or use email but Apple had created a product that best of all had the power to mute – at least for the span of the commercial – the non-Academy Awards attendees living in my home.
WHO’S YOUR DADDY?
The iPhone listed for $599 and it required a two-year contract with AT&T. Apple and AT&T had joined forces, partnered, colluded… to get consumers to pay a $600 down payment to lease a phone for two-years. In reality, what Apple and AT&T wanted was for parents like me to give up our first born child for the opportunity to own an iPhone.
Fortunately for Naeem, outside of the noise he and his mom made while they were watching awards shows exchanging him for an iPhone was a bad deal. Not to mention, Naeem wanted the iPhone not me. So there were at least two reason for me not to give up my only begotten son. He could be quiet and I didn’t want an iPhone.
To say Naeem wanted an iPhone does the word “want” a disservice. I believe the more accurate depiction would be to say that Naeem was obsessed about the iPhone.
After seeing the initial commercial and what seemed like every additional airing, Naeem repeatedly reminded me about how desperately he wanted and how badly he needed an iPhone. Over and over, he repeated the exhausting mantra announcing that the phone was being released on June 29th which was only two days after his birthday and that there was nothing in the “whole world” he desired or deserved more than an iPhone for his birthday. The iPhone had another unadvertised feature. The iPhone was crack and Naeem was an addict.
As much as I wanted to grant his birthday wish, buying a phone for what amounted to a $600 down payment with an additional payment of $100 per month for 24 months seemed absurd. Trying to convince myself that I shouldn’t consider Naeem’s appeal, I started talking to myself.
Again and again, I repeated: “$3,000 to use a phone; $3,000 for an eleven year old to have a phone…$3,000 really? Who did Naeem think his daddy was Steve Jobs?”
Despite my affirmation, I knew I was going to be one of the millions of suckers who would be buying an iPhone. The only question left was just how I intended to justify the purchase.
EXPERIENTAL LEARNING
Aristotle wrote in the Nicomachean Ethics, “For the things we have to learn before we can do them, we learn by doing them.” Aristotle’s words were the predecessor for a type of learning currently called experiential learning. Aristotle knew as early as 350 B.C. that the best way to obtain knowledge or acquire a skill was to learn through experience.
Being a believer in experiential learning and knowing that I was on the fast track to being one of the millions of suckers to buy an iPhone, I had an idea. Since it was not going to surprise anyone who knew me that I bought Naeem an iPhone, I thought I should at least find a way to save face or at least a small portion of my face. So I devised an exercise that I thought would give him an opportunity to get the phone and allow me opportunity to appear as something other than a total pushover.
I informed Naeem that I would be willing to get him an iPhone if he would present me with a written business proposal. I wish I had videotaped the look on his face when I announced my proposition. The look was priceless. His stare was deadly. If looks could have killed, well let’s just say that there is a good chance that I would be decomposing right now.
Naeem was not a fan of my idea. Actually, Naeem objected to my proposition vehemently. “Dad” he said, “I’m not the lawyer, you are”. “Why are you making me write a business proposal, it’s not fair. I’m not a business man, you are.” “Fair” I retorted “it’s not fair that you will have a better phone than me, which I will have to pay for the next two years. Either figure out how to write a business proposal or stop telling me about how much you want an iPhone.”
THE NEGOTIATIONS
A couple hours later, after Naeem’s anger and shock dissipated, I received an email alert on my flip phone. Yes, I had a flip phone. I told you he had a better phone than me. But I digress.
The email was from Naeem and the topic read “iPhone Business Proposal”. The smile on my face was huge. At that point, it really didn’t matter how good the proposal was, I was simply overjoyed that my son had taken the challenge and applied experiential learning. To summarize Aristotle, Naeem had learned by doing.
In all fairness for someone who was eleven and had no previous business or legal experience, the proposal was quite good. All the elements to establish a binding contract were included. I was really very impressed.
Nonetheless, I denied his first attempt. My plan, the entire time, was to deny his first attempt no matter what he wrote. I wasn’t being intentionally cruel either. Quite the contrary. I knew that I had his attention and I believed that this situation presented a wonderful opportunity for him to grow through experiential learning.
A couple rounds of counteroffers and we had a deal. Naeem got his iPhone and I was able to save some small section of my face. Most importantly, thanks to Naeem’s request for an iPhone he learned the elements of a contract, how to write a business proposal, how to negotiate and how to make an offer and a counteroffer.
RAISING SUPAMAN
The total expense of the iPhone may have costs me $3,000 but the value of the lessons Naeem learned were immeasurable. Several years later when I started writing this blog and began thinking about writing a book, I trusted Naeem to handle all the contractual requirements of starting the blog and publishing a book. The early experiential learning lesson with the iPhone was the genesis of his preparation to negotiate contracts with book editors, define terms with book illustrators and secure any and all other services associated with maintaining a blog and publishing a book.
I spent $599 for his iPhone but I gained a competent business partner who I trust to do thorough research on all relevant business matters. As it turned out, even the monthly fee of $100 for 24 months was a small price for lifetime access to my most trusted advisor – an advisor who is not only on speed dial but who takes all my calls. In the end, eight years ago, I invested $3,000 in a child who now knows that he has the ability to learn to do anything his mind conceives and capability to do everything his heart desires.
Back in 2007, Steve Job’s company invented a device that inspired a future engineer to see his role on the planet the way Apple saw their role – “To make a contribution to the world by making tools for the mind that advance humankind.” I think we can all agree that the $3,000 was money well spent.
Share an example of how experiential learning has helped you and/or your child.