2. Who Can Use Digital Textbooks? They are more engaging for everyone. Students K-12 will be able to use them. Teachers will be navigating them. They are even branching out to everyone. Crowd by hipposrunsuperfast.com Source: Crowd
3. What is a Digital Textbook? Digital Textbooks are the future for students and teachers. Digital textbooks are online textbooks. They are versatile, effective, and engaging. Kids on Computer by Jim Sneddo Source: Kids on Computer
4. Why are Digital Textbooks Important? Digital textbooks open students up to the benefits of technology. It’s important for students to become comfortable with technology. Students and educators can’t stop the future and it’s in our hands. Future by ausseigall Source: Future
5. Cost Benefits Digital Textbooks are used on a computer or other electronic devices which makes them eco friendly. Digital Textbooks can be updated. They are eco friendly. Money bye AMagill Source: Money
6. Benefits for Students Students are welcoming digital textbooks. Less to carry around. The books will stay in better condition. College students will be paying less money for books. Backpack by TenSafeFrogs Source: Backpack
7. Downfalls for Students Homework must be done at a computer. Students will not be able to flip through the textbook because it will be on a computer. A sense of traditional textbooks is gone.
8. The Impact on Educators The digital textbooks will hold more information than a regular textbooks. Teachers will have to adjust to the changes. Students will be able to complete assignments on their own. Homework by Little Silver Source: Homework
9. California’s Digital Textbooks Arnold Schwarzenegger is trying to promote digital textbooks in schools. A state law in California was passed. There is more information in digital textbooks. Arnold Schwarzenegger by Heathersphotobug Source: ArnoldS
10. Legislation Issues Some believe this favors schools that have more money. Teachers and students would need time to adapt to the changes. Although it is a good idea, it’s not going to work.
11. In Conclusion Digital Textbooks are easy to use and can be used by anyone. Technology is growing and we must adapt. They are eco-friendly and cost efficient. There are benefits and draw backs to digital textbooks for educators and students. The switch to digital textbooks is already in the process.
12. References "Digital textbooks in schools?" Junior Scholastic 21 Sept. 2009: 4. Junior Edition. Web. 24 Mar. 2010. Digital Textbooks in Schools? "Textbooks: in the bookshop." The Bookseller 5392 (2009): 24+. Junior Edition. Web. 24 Mar. 2010. Textbooks: in the bookshop "Digital texts could turn the page on rising book costs." Washington Times [Washington, DC] 2 Sept. 2009: A01. Junior Edition. Web. 24 Mar. 2010. Digital textbooks could turn the page on rising book costs “Textbook toss-up: should printed textbooks be shelved in schools?” Current events, a Weekly Reader Publication 7 Sept. 2009. Kids InfoBits. Web. March 2010. Textbook toss-up: should printed textbooks be shelved in schools? Flickr’s Creative Commons
Editor's Notes
Digital Textbooks are being brought to schools for teachers and students to use. Students K-12 will become familiar with this technology tool and learn how to navigate it through the years. In addition, teachers will learn how to navigate and utilize the textbooks. They will adapt their ways of teaching to include a wider range of teaching that digital textbooks will promote and allow. Digital textbooks are growing and as a result they are branching outside of the schools to everyone.
Digital Textbooks are textbooks that are bought and downloaded online or can be used on devices like an iPad or Kindle. They can be read over the computer as a virtual book. Many schools will be switching to digital textbooks because they are cost efficient and environmentally friendly. Students can take them and read them anywhere which makes them versatile and effective. In addition, students will be able to pull up the textbooks on their computer instead of flipping through the book which will make them more engaging. Digital Textbooks are a new form of technology that is growing and students should be preparing to see them brought to the classroom in the near future.
America is switching to a global economy, therefore technology is becoming a part of everyday life. It’s important to start introducing students to technology on a daily basis in various ways so they can prepare for the future. Digital textbooks are one more step in the right direction. This is a way to start getting kids to go online and get comfortable with the internet. They will learn how to operate and use technology to their benefits in a very simple way. In the future, students will be able to learn more on their own more effectively so they can become technologically advances. Students and educators can’t promote the future from happening, therefore, they should jump into technology with an open mind. Using the internet for textbooks is an easy way to do so. It’s time to say good bye to the old ways and say hello to the new.
Digital textbooks are a major way to save money in many school districts. On average, a school textbook costs about $75 to $100 per student. If each student uses an electronic textbook, that’s a $100 save per person and the money can go towards other things to benefit the schools. There are also some benefits for students when it comes to costs. College students pay for all of their books. If college students could use electronic books, they would be saving thousands of dollars on textbooks. Technology is updated and changed constantly and digital textbooks follow under the category of technology. Instead of using outdated textbooks, the digital textbooks can be updated frequently which will provide fresh information for students. The updates will be cost effective instead of spending another $75 to $100 on each student for a new textbook and new information.
Many students are welcoming the idea of digital textbooks. The pages of information in a textbook adds up making textbooks very heavy. Add four textbooks to one backpack and they are almost impossible to carry. Digital textbooks will allow students to do away with heavy backpacks. All the information that is necessary will be found on their computers. Over a year, it’s easy for a textbook to get beat up. Over 10 years, a textbook will hardly be in decent condition. Having a textbook on the computer will keep books in top condition so they don’t need to be constantly replaced. Students who lose their books throughout the year won’t have to worry about that happening anymore. With online textbooks, there’s no way to leave a book lying somewhere they can get lost. College students spend thousands of dollars on textbooks through their college careers that they only use 16 weeks and then recycle. Digital textbooks will be the solution to the expense.
Although there are many benefits of digital textbooks, there are some downfalls for the students. Many students can take their textbooks and homework with them, but that might not be possible anymore. Today in America, most students have a computer at home, but not all of them have a lap top. If students don’t have a lap top, they won’t be able to take their digital textbook with them to work on homework other places. Once they begin homework, they must sit down and finish it. If they don’t finish it, they have to stop what they are doing and complete their homework at a later time. Students won’t have the option to flip through a textbook because a hardcopy won’t be in front of them. They will have to flip through pages one by one and wait for the computer to load the information. In addition, the traditional sense of a textbook will be lost. Students are comfortable with having a textbook printed and laying in front of them when they do their work, but the digital textbook will force them to adapt to something new which will take time.
Educators will also feel the impact of switching over to digital textbooks. If students have access to more information, teachers will need to teach more information to their students. Because digital textbooks are online, they will have the ability to hold even more information than regular textbooks. Students will have this information at their fingertips which will make it easy for them to explore and learn on their own. Students are becoming more and more interested in technology, therefore, they will be willing to search and complete assignments on their own. Teachers will have to adjust so they can keep up with the new wave of technology and their students increasing knowledge.
Arnold Schwarzenegger, who is the mayor of California, had passed a law to bring digital textbooks to the classrooms. He has found 10 free digital textbooks for math and science that will be brought the school systems. He believe it will save a great deal of money for the schools because they won’t have to buy new textbooks. Instead there will be updates that are free. Students won’t have to carry around a heavy backpack which has been a complain from students for some time now. Also, instead of printing off mass amounts of paper, digital textbooks will be another solution to being eco-friendly. A law was pasted stating that by 2020 the schools in California will switch to digital textbooks to save money and become eco-friendly. With the rapid growth, many believe digital textbooks will become a big hit before the year of 2020.
Some schools are more privileged than others and as a result they may have a greater number of computers. If schools don’t have a computer to each student, they will have to double up or even triple up on one computer. This may pose a problem for educators and learners. Switching to digital textbooks would also take a great toll on the schools with less money. Although Arnold Schwarzenegger believes costs will be cut greatly, not everyone agrees with him. The economy isn’t strong right now and as a result, the timing for digital textbooks may be off. Students and teachers would both need to adapt the the changes digital textbooks would bring. If schools prefer to use IPads or Kindels for each student, that would be a massive expense considering both those technologies are fairly new. Teachers that haven’t had much experience with technology would also utilize digital textbooks and they may have a harder time navigating. Although this is a good idea, many believe it won’t work. So many are comfortable with using printed textbooks and as a result, many may be reluctant to switch over. Despite these claims, teachers and students across the nation will make the switch and learn to use this new technology.
Digital textbooks are the new wave of technology hitting America. They are textbooks that can be viewed on the computer by anyone. They are easy for anyone to use and contain a wider range of information than regular textbooks do. Technology is growing and young students must learn to adapt and be comfortable with our global economy. This will provide them with new tools of learning and new ways to use a computer. Digital textbooks are cost efficient and will save schools a lot of money now and in the future. In addition to being cost effective, they are eco-friendly because they don’t use paper. This will lead to a decrease in paper use. Digital textbooks are reusable and less expensive to update. Although there are drawbacks, such as loss of comfort and a hard copy, there are many benefits as well. Educators and teachers over time will learn to adapt to the new technology. The switch is already being made in California and soon will hit other states in our country. By 2020 digital textbooks will be an accustomed changed. Educators and students are preparing to make the switch and the rest of should as well.
