Replacing School Textbooks with Laptops

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The Pros and Cons of Replacing School Textbooks with Individual Student Laptops

The replacement of school textbooks with individual student laptops will in the long-run lead to efficiency in education. However, there are many fundamental issues that need to be factored before coming up with conclusions on this matter. These include: the learning of students where teachers and stakeholders need to ask themselves which is the best mode of ensuring that students learn effectively. Apart from that, they should also think about the ease of use and cost where it should be verified if the laptops screens would be too hard on the student’s eyes when they are doing extensive readings. The repair and maintenance of the laptops should also be considered where teachers should find out if the lap tops could break if the students are allowed to carry them between classes (Finn and Inman, 2004).

The first factor to consider is cost where it is perceived that publishers could generate many CDs of their textbooks at extremely reduced costs since this does not necessitate the binding or printing of paper work. However it is believed that the publishers can still meet these costs in a number of ways. The technology required to use these CDs is one of the highest expenses they will have to meet. Since it is envisaged that most schools have already spend money on technology purchasing laptops for every student the need for computer labs would be obsolete. Laptops with combination of digital text will in the long run be expensive since the students will still want to print their work. Apart from that the cost of replacing broken laptops would make the entire project very costly (Siegle and Foster, 2001).

The second factor to put into consideration is the ease of use; if schools could be hooked to wireless networks, students will be able to access online sources in any remote place within the school compound and this includes the study halls. Challenges posed by analogue programs such as students being unable to get into laboratories or the library to complete their assignments would be a thing of the past. Apart from that students will now be in a position to explore the efficiency of the technology with ease. As a matter of fact it is envisaged that teachers could end up going back to class or changing their methods of teaching to conform to that of the digital technology. However, schools will have to employ computer tutors to teach the students and teachers on how well to make use of this new technology in order to avoid any frustrations (Schrum and Grant. 2002).

The third factor to consider is the learning of students. The introduction of laptops in schools will enhance more interaction with the subjects of learning through the use of multimedia methods. This is so because publishers such as Winston, Holt and Rinehart tend to portray scientific concepts such as photosynthesis by making use of animation which develops printed words about the subjects. Apart from that students can be in a position to access Web Quests and other forms of scientific simulations for instance the dissections of frogs via online sources. To crown it all students could be enabled to generate projects by use of power point and several other Microsoft programs in an attempt to make illustrations of what they have learned (Siegle and Foster, 2001).

In conclusion it is clear that the replacement of school textbooks with individual student laptops will in the long-run lead to efficiency in education. This stems from the following reasons: Publishers could generate many CDs of their textbooks at extremely reduced costs since this does not necessitate the binding or printing of paper work. Secondly wireless networks will enable students to access online sources in any remote place within the school compound thus overcoming challenges of not completing assignments in time due to lack of access to laboratories and libraries. Lastly the introduction of laptops in schools will enhance more interaction with the subjects of learning through the use of multimedia methods.

Reference

Finn, S., & Inman, J. G. (2004). Digital unity and digital divide: surveying alumni to study effects of a campus laptop initiative. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 36, 297–317.

Schrum, L., Skeele, R., & Grant, M. (2002). One college of education’s effort to infuse technology: a systematic approach to revisioning teaching and learning. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 35, 256–271.

Siegle, D., & Foster, T. (2001). Laptop computers and multimedia and presentation software: their effects on student achievement in anatomy and physiology.Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 34, 29–37.