Can Technology Replace Textbooks?

Posted by Kellie Hayden May 15, 2008

Computers quickly and easily give students information at school. Most teachers know that students enjoy using computers and the technology associated with it. Students use computers for gaming, Internet surfing and social networking outside of school. However, should these reasons be enough to chuck the textbook?

Is Technology Better Than a Textbook?

On the Teacher Magazine website, the article Technology-Rich Classrooms Render Textbooks Useless by The associated Press shows a fourth grade class in Garden City, Kansas that has all but replaced textbooks with technology.

Personally, I like to integrate computers in the classroom. Computers are great for research, word processing, presentations, and video activities. However, I don’t think that students need to be reading longer text information, novels and short stories online. And, computers don’t always work as they should. Books are a personal passion and to replace them with a lit screen is somewhat scary.

Are Computer Only Schools a Reality?

Most schools have a computer lab or two, which need to be scheduled in advance and cannot be used on a daily basis. For every student to have a computer, the school district would have to dig deep into its pockets. Currently, many schools are concerned about how to pay for gas to bus the students to school.

I think that the Kansas fourth grade class is neat; however, I am not ready to scrap my textbooks and novels for blurry eyed students staring at a computer screen. I would much rather that they fall asleep reading their novel than slumped over at the computer desk.