Are Textbooks Obsolete? Where should schools be focusing their spending? Alexander Sturges & Christina Thames

In an increasingly digital world, should schools still be spending money on printed textbooks, or should they begin to funnel their funds into newer, more interactive eTextbooks? The issue at hand… vs.

ProsCons Don’t have to pump funds into technologyContain outdated material Convenient for teachers and studentsUsed for many years Many are comfortable with traditional model Expensive Cheaper to replaceNot making use of tech. opportunities Sticking with Print Uncited information is supported by multiple sources.

ProsCons Offer a wide array of possibilitiesIts novelty fades fast Appealing and engaging to studentsEasier to break / Expensive to replace Cheaper and sometimes free sourcesPotentially distracting Easier to hold/carryNot as manipulative as paper texts Going Digital Uncited information is supported by multiple sources.

So which one is actually better for learning?

We support the transition to digital textbooks; however, there are some caveats to our argument. Digital textbooks should be more broadly defined, rather than just digital versions of printed texts. They should include additional content such as classroom management systems, online connectivity, and multimedia content for them to be worth the shift. Not all printed sources should be eliminated from the classroom. We should strike a balance and consider the needs of individual subject areas. Our Position

 Lack of supporting research that it actually is better (Hu, 2011; Hollander, 2012)  Many eTextbooks require yearly subscription updates  Many schools lack the technological infrastructure and funding to support  Further the digital divide and widen the gap between rich and poor  High learning curve for teachers  eTextbook compatibility issues: “Faculty will find themselves faced with the prospect of selecting course readings based on their compatibility with a particular device rather than on the suitability of the material for the course” (Streitfeld, 2012).  What if the system goes down? The Other Side of the Coin Disadvantages of Going Digital Uncited information is supported by multiple sources.

 Many now come with digital supplementary materials  Replacement cost: Textbooks—$100 vs. Laptops— $300  Provide students a valuable, reliable, & convenient source of information  Act as a valuable reference source for teachers  Many students prefer the ease of skimming and locating passages in paper texts  Paper is better than the screen—Cambridge and UVA research (Williams, 2012) The Other Side of the Coin (cont.) Advantages of Printed Textbooks Uncited information is supported by multiple sources.

 E-readers are lighter and easier to carry than textbooks  Easy to search, distribute, & transmit information  eTextbooks can be easily updated with new info  Can save schools $12.2 billion annually—or $250/student (Electronista, 2012)  Improves the learning process with interactive material and multimedia content  Appeals to the “digitally nimble youth” (Lewin, 2009)  eBooks streamline the school enrollment process  Apple & Obama Our Side of the Coin Advantages of Going Digital Uncited information is supported by multiple sources.

 Textbooks are outdated before their ink even dries  The same texts are used for 7-10 years  Easily damaged, heavy, and large  Present information as finite, linear, and rote  Do not engage students in authentic learning  US spends $8 billion annually on printed textbooks (Hefling, 2012)  Teachers have moved beyond the model of simply teaching to the text Our Side of the Coin Disadvantages of Printed Textbooks Uncited information is supported by multiple sources.

 At the district level, schools systems should pull together committees within content areas to assess which format (digital or not) would best serve each individual content area. A blanket policy is not going to help anybody.  Schools need to make to sure that they have the infrastructure (tech & personnel) to support wider technology use before spending money on devices or e-resources.  It’s probably best that students experience a healthy balance of both print and digital sources—we cannot disregard the value of printed texts solely based on the expansion of digital technology, but it is equally important to provide students ample opportunity to engage with this technology. Our Recommendations

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