Schools using tablets instead of books

[2Friendly]

I'm for tablets after a certain age. I swore I would never own a tablet and the only way to read is a good old fashion book. Right now I am on my third nook upgrade. The weight of a childs backpack can be cut down to next to nothing, if text books, reading assignments, and more were on a tablet. It would also cut way back on the cost of updating, and replacing reading material used in schools. I'm an avid reader..I can take my whole library with me where ever I go! Our kids could do he same with all their school books

That's true. If they were used in high school for textbooks and english texts that could be very useful.

[Sajarin]

Switch is being made and it is a blissful one. No more to heavy books

Tablets are getting better everyday. I agree withe switch.

[Tanafee]

Really! I don't know if I like this idea. There can be a lot
of technical glitches. I feel so sad saying good bye to paperbacks and
hardbacks. And what about families that cannot afford tablets and the
software and may not have internet access at home ??

[kellstradee]

As a Mum of two school aged children (and one wee one), I feel that the expense etc of tablets does not justify the learning outcomes presented by them. We live in a nice area but my daughter has still had her tablet stolen twice from school. Both of our older children have apps that provide them with learning at home. I feel that there is nothing better than good old pen and paper and real books that can be held, loved and cherished. I also feel that if students are engaged in e-learning as a main source of education it will lower the quality of teachers in our schools. It may also be of note that while our 10 year old can type like no body's business she has the most disgusting hand writing. Well, that's my two cents worth

[stoppoppingtheP]

I can see the point of perhaps using tablets at a higher grade when learners are more responsible, but the school wants to introduce them to first-graders. I can just imagine the fights in the playground, tablets being stepped on and broken, and a lot of expense for the parent.

[Darling_Reads]

There are many positive aspects to children having tablets. There are many apps that provide learning and exploration that a book can't. Children like using the tablet which helps them stay engaged. Many kiddos forget to bring their books to class in the upper grades and run into problems with not being prepared for class. It would be easier for a student to carry around a tablet. They can also watch videos that explain how to do things such as math problems so when the kids are at home doing homework they have access to extra support. There is a school district close to ours that has shown some real success with keeping students engaged in learning through using the technology of tablets.

The downside is the expense. If a student breaks their tablet then who is liable to pay for it? If a student can't afford to replace it then what happens? You would have to make sure you had enough for every student and replacements if need be.

[toshilou]

I see an advantage to having tablets instead of books at school. Honestly, I'm a senior in high school right now, and there are plenty of times when I'm carrying home my textbooks for my homework and I'd MUCH rather be carrying home a tablet instead. I'm in AP classes and have homework every single night. Each of my textbooks for those classes weigh roughly 5 pounds (someone in class weighed it) so just imagine bringing four of them home every single night and bringing them back every single morning, along with a few other materials needed for homework and other classes. I had TWO TEXTBOOKS for my AP US History class!
There's a school here in my area and a school in Nashville (just a few hours north of me) that give every student a laptop. They are to do their homework and classwork and everything on it. From what I hear, it's pretty successful, but the only problem is when you have an important assignment to turn in and the computer is broken or malfunctioning. But, on the plus side, the school pays for damages (unless you completely wrecked the laptop. Then you have to replace it.)

[lauraburr]

I think tablets are fantastic. As an avid book reader who has spent thousands of dollars on books with no place to store them and then finally having to donate them all to the library I am thrilled to be able to have many books at my disposal in such a small area. I never go back and reread books so saving them and having them on hand was a waste of space. You also need to consider the children with special needs like dyslexia. 1 in 5 school age children have this disability and tablets allow them to adjust font size, spacing and colors. It allows them to have the book read to them which is priceless for a child who is interested in higher level learning and topics but struggles with reading due to a disability. I think this opens so many more doors for struggling children who would never have been exposed otherwise. The possibilities are so much greater with a tablet than a book.

[sicsempertyrannis93]

I wish I had a tablet in high school because our books always had some serious wear and tear. Tablets will save schools money in the long run because they won't be spending so much money and all that paper and ink anymore. Given humanity's propensity to constantly adopt new technology and throw out the obsolete, I can see schools going paperless in the next generation or two. Out with the old and in with the new, as they say.

[allesha]

As a younger person (22), I think that having an e-reader for students is a good idea. I think one without a camera would be the best option. If a student is messing around playing games or something when they have been told to read an assignment, it is the student's fault and they should be punished accordingly. This would not be a reason to turn down the benefits of an e-reader! Books are way cheaper on an e-reader, especially textbooks. This would mean saving a lot of money for a school, especially if they are purchasing older editions of an e-reader rather than the newest thing out or a less expensive e-reader, like a Kindle Paperwhite. Then if a student breaks theirs, they would be responsible for repaying the school, just like they are for those expensive textbooks. I think this would also help kids get more interested in reading because it is combining reading with technology, something that students love! They would also have the possibility to explore all different kinds of books they never knew existed or could get for free. Personally, my parents didn't ever buy me books and I would get mine from the school library. The school library didn't have a huge selection, which e-readers would have, even free e-books. Then of course, the less weight of their backpacks. Many times I didn't bring home my homework because I just didn't feel like carrying it around with me after school.

[Brendakay908]

I am an advisor at a 4 year University and we just went to tablets and ebooks.

[alex_]

If tablets restrict use of social media.

[Mmissyrea]

Several of our school systems are using iPads. They "lease them" for $50 per year and after 3 years the ipad belongs to the student. They have no books at all. My step kids love it

[tbethg]

I have nothing against technology in schools. This topic was debated in the school where I previously taught. I don't believe it should be a mandatory all or none with the tablets. A student should have the choice of whether or not he wants to use a tablet. This is how we personalize education (which, by the way, is happening less and less frequently) and encourage students to use their brains and not just follow everyone else.

[HeneryKnox]

I think tablets in schools are a good thing, they are the way of the future. Kids in kindergarten now will look back at us and ask why we would ever bother to pick up a heavy paper book. Tablets are used in almost every are of industry now and it is a skill they will need to be productive in the workforce. With any technology it does need to be closely monitored by a parent or teacher because there are risks to having minors connected unrestricted to the internet. I know the up front cost can be scary for districts but if you look at the overall cost of books and having them shipped as well as wear and tear I think in the long term it can be more cost effective to use tablets. I think it should be the responsibility of the student to take care of the machine if it gets lost or broken then it needs to be replaced.