Marc Prensk's Argument Analysis
Marc Prensk’s argument is that all textbooks should be banned and we should be using electronic textbooks. This way students and teachers will be able to access them from their iPad, iPhone, Tablet, or Nook. Prensky thinks that this would give the opportunity for more resources, and motivate the student to always read and refer to the textbook instead of just sticking it on the shelf where it would never be touched. “But I suggest that it 's time to go much further: to actually ban non-electronic books on campus.” (Prensky 1) He believed in freedom away from the page, and thinks that a collection of books and ideas in your pocket would be accessed more than books on a shelf. “Digital texts are also accessible anywhere, at any time, while
printed books, once read, are often closed and shelved.” He has a good point, I definitely agree. He also claims that students could keep their notes, highlights, thoughts and ideas down on file that could also be accessed from anywhere. There would be no worry about losing them or transferring them, finding them if ever lost. The teachers would be offered the same idea to. Where they would not have to worry about their lesson plans because they would all be there online, easy to get to.
I like the idea of offering students the access to online textbook. For me, I personally wouldn’t buy into it. It is more motivating for me to pick up a textbook, free from distractions and sit down to read it. If my textbooks were only accessible from my iPad, I would find myself very distracted with the device and probably wouldn’t get much reading done. I however, do find it to be very convenient for students that are interesting in such things. I can agree with him to have the option for every student, and maybe even make that the standard. But for the students that still love and enjoy the physical text, have that as an option also.
Works Cited:
Presnsky, Marc. "Colleges Should Mandate That All Textbooks Be Digitized" What is the Impact of Digitizing Books? Ed. Louise I. Gerdes. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2013. At Issue. Rpt. from "In the 21st-Century University, Let 's Ban (Paper) Books. "Chronicle of Higher Education 13 Nov. 2011. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 12 Dec. 2013
printed books, once read, are often closed and shelved.” He has a good point, I definitely agree. He also claims that students could keep their notes, highlights, thoughts and ideas down on file that could also be accessed from anywhere. There would be no worry about losing them or transferring them, finding them if ever lost. The teachers would be offered the same idea to. Where they would not have to worry about their lesson plans because they would all be there online, easy to get to.
I like the idea of offering students the access to online textbook. For me, I personally wouldn’t buy into it. It is more motivating for me to pick up a textbook, free from distractions and sit down to read it. If my textbooks were only accessible from my iPad, I would find myself very distracted with the device and probably wouldn’t get much reading done. I however, do find it to be very convenient for students that are interesting in such things. I can agree with him to have the option for every student, and maybe even make that the standard. But for the students that still love and enjoy the physical text, have that as an option also.
Works Cited:
Presnsky, Marc. "Colleges Should Mandate That All Textbooks Be Digitized" What is the Impact of Digitizing Books? Ed. Louise I. Gerdes. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2013. At Issue. Rpt. from "In the 21st-Century University, Let 's Ban (Paper) Books. "Chronicle of Higher Education 13 Nov. 2011. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 12 Dec. 2013