Schools using tablets instead of books

[annareads]

I went back to visit my old elementary school and they had replaced the library with a "media center!" It hurt my heart. Instead of books, all the new kids get iPads. I get that it's lightweight and an efficient way to carry books, but elementary school books really don't weigh that much! For the younger ones, I do think real books are the way to go.

That being said, I got my senior year physics textbook on my Kindle and it saved me so much physical pain. Those things are notoriously HUGE, so not having to lug a brick from class to class was certainly a perk. I think it was cheaper too. I'll probably end up getting most of my college textbooks digitally, but books for English class I'll still want in paperback form. Part of me wants literature to still be dignified with real print.

[terraform]

As with most things, I think there's a happy medium. I think that the education system ought to become as tech-oriented as it can, as methods of teaching are made possible via new technology that could not exist otherwise, yet I also don't feel that this necessarily must constitute a complete absence of physical books in a school. Offer both to students, and allow them to make the decision for themselves. I am sure that both would happily co-exist if we were to allow them to.

[ktfrank04]

I think they should stay traditional and stick to the books. Tablets honestly shouldn't even be available to the younger generation. Has anyone else noticed that the more technology is used by younger generations the less intellectual they are becoming?? Seems these days all the youth care about are celebrities and superficial things. Stick to books and maybe these kids will still have a chance. Save tablets for the college years when it makes more sense and they will be used more responsibly.

[A_Person_Alright]

I'm still in school, so I've seen the effects that tablets can have in school. I have almost nothing bad to say about technology in school. Apart from the expense of implementing it, it does wonders in classrooms. I believe that since kids already own the technology and are comfortable with it, it's helping the teachers present to the kids in a way they find engaging. It's just the transition from secondary to post-secondary that will be a challenge.

[LivreAmour217]

I think that books are better,and more practical, as children can be quite careless! If every child had his/her own tablet, the cost would be astronomical (not just because of the initial cost of tablets, but also for the replacement of damaged and lost ones!) At my son's school, they have purchased a few tablets, but the students share them and most of the curriculum is still taught from traditional books.

Now, I think that tablets for college students would be great! College textbooks are soooo expensive, and being able to download them would probably save college students a lot of money in the long run.

[TammyO]

I absolutely feel that tablets will be a big improvement compared to heavy textbooks. Middle School and High school textbooks are very heavy for children to carry. Tablets are a way for children to condense their books and just carry the tablet to and from school.

Kids today love technology and its the way of the future. Children, in my opinion, will and are enjoying learning with tablets; there are so many ways to make ebooks interactive and fun for students. For example, interactive maps, and instructions would be an interesting concept to consider. As for college students it is a must due to the astronomical cost of textbooks..

A balanced solution would be to use mainly the textbooks in the classroom and have children use the tablets for home usage. However, I would let each child use what they are more comfortable with. Also, whichever one enhances their individual learning experience.

[Dewild567]

I am truly against kids having tablets in school. I believe that tablets can be a distraction to a child with all the different things a tablet can do. I also believe it takes away their imagination. And its a big expense if something happens to them.

[TammyO]

I just asked my 16 yr. old daughter this question. She absolutely hates the idea of tablets instead of books in school. I was very surprised when she told me that tablets would be too distracting... I guess we need to listen to the kids.

[tamato]

Why invest in tablets to replace books when there is nothing much with having lots of books? So really investing in tablets increases risks -- broken tablets, higher distraction, high costs...etc. without much increase in benefits -- lighter weight load, save some trees. You would really have to weigh out al risk/benefits on a case by case but generally, I don't think it is beneficial at this time.

[Poe_vs_King]

My high school made a semi switch. They gave my whole grade iPads and told us to use those for our classes. I hardly used mine because I love books but others felt like they made class easier. I personally think they made it harder to work in class since instead of having a math book in front of you, you have the option to open a game or listen to songs off it. I think school should be upgraded to match the era but still remain strict to ensure kids learn. Solid books are the way to go.

[ekkellogg11]

Schools should offer a certain amount of tablets for students to borrow. Along with borrowing the tablet, there should be rules set in place, i.e.-cannot leave campus, parents pay damages, etc. This allows students to explore books in a different format. Students need to be given a choice.

[pretzelsnow]

I think they should stay traditional and stick to the books. Tablets honestly shouldn't even be available to the younger generation. Has anyone else noticed that the more technology is used by younger generations the less intellectual they are becoming?? Seems these days all the youth care about are celebrities and superficial things. Stick to books and maybe these kids will still have a chance. Save tablets for the college years when it makes more sense and they will be used more responsibly.

I totally agree with ktfrank on this topic.The temptation is so great of doing something else then the teacher says,having access for everything.

[Aivlys]

My niece is in a public cyber charter school. She has her text books physically but most of them came with a free pdf copy of the book. She almost always uses the digital copy instead of the physical book. She is 13.

I love the idea of school books being given digitally BUT I worry that it would make children targets for thieves if they were known to be carrying expensive tablets. One option I like would be to have the physical books sent to the child's home and then use the tablets/pdf copy of the book in the classroom or the opposite. That way, the child would not have to cart books back and forth and there would be reduced chance of the tablet being lost or stolen between home and school.

[hareid03]

I just graduated from high school and this year they implemented tablets into the school and I find it slightly annoying (but mostly just because the school finally got cool things after I left). But I think it is a bad idea. Most kids I know that still attend the high school goof off on their tablets instead of doing their work in class. I personally have a hard time studying when I don't have the book in front of me, as an actual resource I can touch with my hands and highlight and stuff. But it is helpful for other kids. Especially because they now carry much less stuff and have less things to worry about forgetting to bring to school, so that takes some of the stress and pressure off. I think there are good aspects and bad and that students need to be more disciplined to get more of the good out of the situation.

[aSquared]

I think that for teaching reading, books should definitely be used. Students can actually learn to love books and can see their progress as they work their way through. Technology is great, but when it breaks down...boy is it a pain! Also a waste of time in the classroom when you can't get your tech to work and all the students are waiting! Books end up being cheaper as they can be used and loved for years until they fall apart, whereas tablets are expensive to purchase, maintain, and keep upgraded with the most recent apps/programs. And have you ever tried having a hundred people using a school's wifi? Not good in my experience! As a teacher I did use tablets to reach kids with a variety of learning abilities. Some students use it for hands-on math or tracing when learning the alphabet; you can record your voice or make a video presentation; take pictures, etc. Probably not ideal for language arts (in my opinion) unless used as a literacy center for a set amount of time.