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 | | Posted by: Community Conversations | 6/27/2008 10:06 AM | As adults, we are most comfortable with the use of textbooks in schools, as they have always been the anchor of the curriculum. But, one could argue that information is changing and expanding too quickly, and printed materials soon become outdated. Should future textbook adoptions be online services rather than printed books? | | | Permalink |
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| Re: Textbooks? |
By Ev LoVerdi on 8/3/2008 10:39 AM | As for me, I have taken classes online without text books and taken classes with text books. At work all of our technicial documents are on soft copy. When studying new technicial doc's you can print out the most relevent parts as needed, it is cumbersome on softcopy but workable. Keeping a flash drive with the needed info is what I do to access my materials quickly. For children, this might be tough if the readig levels are not up to par.
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| | Re: Textbooks? |
By Charles Wimber on 8/22/2008 3:55 AM | Based on "Ev's" comment, it is obvious that more and more workplaces
will use "flash drives" as e-books. As LPS gets into EeePCs with open
USB ports each student can take what was done in school, with e-books,
as well as any completed assignments. This is the way of the future in a global economy and society.
Making this transition from softcopy to flash drives needs to be backed-up. The pilot classrooms with Eee PCs using flash drives v. pencil and paper means mastering a keyboard. And where students can use
open USB ports at a library, at home and even at an eating place.
Remember, there are many "off-line" times to do an assignment and put it on a flash drive stick.
An Eee PC with a solar panel on its top to recharge rechargeable batteries in the PC is a way to have back-up when the power line sytem
goes down. |
| | Re: Textbooks? |
By Maddy on 8/22/2008 6:15 PM | | I, as a student, think that online text books are apsolutely AMAZING!!! They make my life so much easier!! Yet, i also like having the option of an online text book and the printed version is also really nice. That way when i forget to bring my book home i can easily go to the online one, but i find that i like to look at my tex book in class, if we eliminate the printed text book then i wouldn't be able to. |
| | Re: Textbooks? |
By Zephyr on 9/8/2008 8:03 PM | | I agree with the earlier comments, but much of literature does not change with time and is intended to be reflective for relevancy to our day based on knowledge from the past And, taking the time to enjoy a good piece of literature with hard copy is enjoyable and not just part of an assignment--i.e. many of the classics. |
| | Re: Textbooks? |
By Dawn on 9/12/2008 1:38 PM | | As a student and an educator, I like the idea of online textbooks. I do have a concern for the, larger than realized, group of families that do not have computers or internet access in their homes. Also, if all textbooks went online, that would require that students have more access to computers within the classroom. Three to five computers in a class of 20 plus would not be sufficient. |
| | Re: Textbooks? |
By beverly bunker on 9/17/2008 1:36 PM | As a visual spacial learner parent, I think on line learning is another source for learning, however having a text book allows a student to see the material and reference it as they go through the class chapters/lessons. For example, my daughter's math book provides excellent examples of the problems covered in the math lesson, pictures & graphics help reinforce the lesson, and review summaries are great to gleen the material covered within the entire chapter. On the other hand, her basic 9th grade science class has no book. She has work sheets, and on-line materias/lessons she needs to cover. There is no big picture of what the class is trying to teach. Her labs don't seem to follow the work sheets and I'm trying to determine if she is getting chemistry, physics, or earth science as core knowledge? I'm not sure if this is the result of an on line approach or lack of a documented outline of here they are going?
Textbook - When possible provide a book to all students who request one (9th grade biology gives you a DVD, unless you have an amazing teacher who will give you the book too).
Textbook size - purchase a book series which covers the course ( 3 small books are easier on the back to carry, rather than one 25 lb. book, which takes a beating when dropped) |
| | Re: Textbooks? |
By R Coy on 9/19/2008 5:02 PM | I agree, overall, with the previous comments. I support e-book solutions as this is method our children will work with in their future.
One thought to add. I have a journalism degree. In my editing classes, I learned our eye/brain compensates for the CPU screen flicker. As part of this adjustment an editor can often miss some details.
I wonder if there are other studies which show complications we should be considering with e-book learning? Perhaps some subjects would be less applicable to e-books then others?
Again, I support the move to electronic textbooks. I just think it would be wise to make sure the research is done prior to making a move.
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| | Re: Textbooks? |
By SJK on 10/3/2008 7:32 PM | | Textbook or novel... it's never good to snuggle up with a good computer on rainy evening! |
| | Re: Textbooks? |
By Sara on 11/1/2008 1:31 PM | | students are taught at the third grade level to use a keyboard. you would be surprised if you went into any school and saw the abilities of kids and keyboards. it is very impressive. how about making the books the schools already own available at school. have a company scan books and make it available online or through a flash drive. this would get students through the transition and make both options available. what would be the cost to scan a book and purchase rights to the scanning to make books available online or through flash drives? |
| | Re: Textbooks? |
By Linda on 11/10/2008 6:32 PM | | Online textbooks are great as a backup. However, my children have commented that they still need hard books. They use their books to study at lunch time, off periods, in the car in the morning to review and even sometimes in other classes if they have completed their work in that class and have down time. Hardcovers should not be taken away unless all students have laptops with them all day. Otherwise we have taken away the ability of the students to utilize their down time if they can't get to a computer. Just like we are not a paperless society yet, we are not even close to being a bookless society, either. |
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