Should Tablets Replace Textbooks Vs. Books?

Almost every student from kindergarten through high school has heard the words, ‘Okay class, turn to page 78 and start reading about the Civil War’ or ‘Come pick up this worksheet for homework tonight’ from their teacher, but someday not too far from now students may hear, ‘I’ve posted the reading and assignment online, make sure you have it done by tomorrow’. Should tablets and computers replace textbooks and paper for learning in schools? With the current technological rise replacing books the question becomes more prevalent. Many people say yes, technology is the new and modern answer to efficiency, but according to many research studies done, facts do not add up. The use of tablets in classrooms should not replace paper and books because
According to recent research from Procon.org, “Implementation costs for e-textbooks on iPad tablets are 552% higher than new print textbooks in an average high school. Lee Wilson, a prominent education marketing expert, estimated the annual cost per student per class with tablets to be $71.55 vs. $14.26 for print textbooks.” In addition to the hardware itself- the tablets- they would also have to pay for all the software, wifi installation, maintenance and repairs, and a tech crew. Schools would also have to teach all the students, teachers, and administrators how to use them effectively. All of this combined adds up to a lot of money and additional work for schools who already have enough other problems to deal with without implementing an entirely new system of teaching. Not only does the cost make it an unfavorable option to switch to internet- based learning, but it would also negatively affect the health of those using the tablets or
Ferris Jabr wrote for the Scientific American, “Most studies concluded that people read slower, less accurately and less comprehensively on screens than on paper… Compared with paper, screens may also drain more of our mental resources while we are reading and make it a little harder to remember what we read when we are done.” (Par. 5-6). Learning something electronically is harder and more draining than reading from paper. In multiple reviews scientists compared students who read on their phones or e- readers to people who read real books, and the results were consistent that people could understand and remember more from traditional printing. He also said, “ students who type lecture notes instead of write their notes by hand tended to write more, process less, and perform worse on recall tests.” The rest of his article also accurately describes very real differences in the ability to read and learn from digital devices and other fears associated with the growing use of technology, and its replacement of