Are textbooks going to survive the digital age? As time goes by, the new advances in technology seem to make this appear less and less likely. Students are able to access a wealth of information on a given topic through the use of technology. They hover over a word and have it pronounced, defined, and access more resources/tools related to it (maps, videos, etc).
Having taught in a poverty stricken area, a concern that I have is in regards to students from low-income homes many of which do not even own a computer or personal device. Often times many of these students attend schools in low-income districts where resources may be limited. I think until a solution can be found to address this issue, actual textbooks may be around for a little while. I do expect with time though that they will disappear. Someday, children may not have the joy of sniffing the smell of a brand new textbook, paperback, or magazine or crawling under the bed covers with a flashlight and a book after bedtime.
We will still read, but the source of reading will be different. We could compare it to the changes in the telephone: crank phones, party-line phones (with rotary dials), private-line phones, cordless push-button phones, bag phones, handheld cell phone devices.
Change is coming. Are we willing to change with it?
No comments:
Post a Comment