INNOVATION iPhone 5 PAGE 24
E-BOOKS IN EDUCATION PAGE 68
TECHNOLOGY MAGAZINE
E-Readers: The New and Improved Textbooks and Learning Tools
I have seen various technological changes implemented throughout my schooling in order to “improve” the education system. From the laptops my fourth grade class was given, speakers installed in the ceiling and microphone necklaces distributed to teachers to wear at all times, smart boards, online versions of dissections, and green screen technology that made masking yearbook photos a hundred times easier. Each change had different individual effects, whether it made learning more fun, easier, more difficult, or even more obnoxious. But without these technological advances, people still have always been able to learn just fine in the past. I wouldn’t be surprised if my 11th grade math teacher was still using an overhead projector for students to check their homework answers. It served its purpose, why change it? Computers don’t give partial credit if a student forgets one negative sign in a math problem or accent mark on a Spanish word. And you wouldn’t believe how often programs accidentally quit on me while working on this project. There’s endless debate about whether technological changes are effective or not to student’s learning. I think there are many benefits and drawbacks within the issue. But I’m not making the budget for it, so I’m not here to argue that technology in schools is a harmful distraction aiding in the elimination of personal interaction, nor that it’s the enlightening revolution of education techniques. I just want to explore how technology can change the ways in which students go about their daily lives, learn new information, and how teaching methods would change. 68
Many schools (excluding colleges and universities) have been slow to adapt to the constantly changing world of technology. Introducing laptops, e-readers, or other devices with legitimate education tools to children isn’t an easy task for education’s low budget. But children live in a world where reading and learning from a textbook isn’t their primary source of discovering knowledge. With a few taps of one’s finger, and by waiting 0.18 seconds, Google can tell a student that Tallahassee is Florida’s capital, was founded in 1821, and is currently 53 degrees. The point that I’m trying to make is that while factual knowledge is very important, education does need to adjust in order to help students go beyond the app at their fingertips. Will Richardson believes that we need to “Instead ask questions that require more than just a connection to answer -- questions that call upon them to employ synthesis and critical thinking and creativity, not just memorization. Anything less is not preparing them for the information rich world that we live in.” (Richardson) Let’s face it—textbooks are heavy. And the books can become a pain to lug around if a student has up to six academic classes. Rolling backpacks were one way to avoid the pains of textbooks, but did someone really want to deal with other stu-
dents kicking it and making fun of him for it, just for the comfort? Lockers are a great way to store books when they’re not needed, but what if they could all be combined into one lightweight form of reading? Having an e-reader with each book stored on it for an entire academic year could not only lighten the load on an individual’s back and help with portability, but also minimize costs spent on the hefty textbooks. While an e-book can be left in one’s locker, it is less likely that a student will make the same mistake I made, by taking home the wrong book and making homework impossible. Additionally, unknown words and pronunciations, in addition to outside research would be instantly available. Studies amongst teachers show that students may become better researchers as a result of readily available internet (Richtel) But are they relying on Wikipedia and Sparknotes as opposed to more scholarly sources? I personally feel that I retain information better if I physically write it, or spend more than five seconds Googling the definition of a word. And it’s not just me. Bauerlein’s research suggests “That screen time actually inhibits language acquisition by limiting exposure to complex or unfamiliar words.” (Thomas)
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E-books could, however, increase students’ leisure reading, by offering a library that is available to them 24/7, filled with books, magazines, and news stories that appeal to their interests. It is unfortunate, however, that every device has so many possibilities for entertainment based purposes. Without proper security installations, silent reading time could turn into reading a twitter feed, chatting with friends, or playing ruzzle. In two studies, most teachers interviewed believed that student’s constant interaction with technology harms their ability to write, communicate face to face, and pay attention for long periods of time. Teachers feel like they have to do a song and dance just to hold the attention of their students so that they can actually learn. (Richtel) Additionally, many parents interviewed in an article in The New York Times believe that children’s nighttime reading should be an experience limited to physical books. Father and executive for a social media site, Matthew Thompson, believes that “If ... [his son] is going to pick up the iPad, he’s not going to read, he’s going to want to play a game. So reading concentration goes out the window.” (Richtel and Bosman) There is also a question about what age is appropriate for the introduction of e-readers. Thompson, and many other parents like him, feel strongly about their children having the intimate experience of reading a hard copy book, even if they choose to read e-books themselves. (Richtel and Bosman) Additionally, students grades 6 and up would be more trustworthy if given an expensive piece of technology. But how would e-books change how students learn within the classroom? Bornstein examined a study where computers, internet, and learning games were introduced to low income sixth grade students. They found that students did not feel as pressured and intimidated to seek help, and were not at all concerned with other student’s progress because they were zoned into their 70
own learning. The article noted something that I have always struggled with—raising my hand. Saying the wrong answer or not understanding a question lowers my self-esteem and likelihood of volunteering. In A Digital Tool to Unlock Learning, “John Holt noted that...many children in grade school become more concerned with avoiding embarrassment than learning new things.” While I do think public speaking and discussion are very important features of education, it is also a relief to feel comfortable enough in my environment to ask a question without feeling like I’m on a stage. We had a guest speaker in our sorority chapter meeting, and I decided to brave up and ask him a question. He made a joke about the fact that I look 12 years old, when I’m actually 21, and everyone laughed. He finished up by adding that if anyone didn’t get to ask the question they wanted to, that his email was on the business cards he left for us. Although looking young is usually seen as a compliment, I don’t think I’ll be happy to hear it until I’m 40. I wished I had chosen to ask him my question via email. The principal of the school in the experiment, Kristy De la Cruz, noted that students know when they’re struggling and want to know how to work on it. Because of the computer generated learning systems, teachers are able to track where students need more work. While students used to become discouraged and assume that they’re bad at math, the computer-implemented technology helps them work at their own paces and on specific skills that they need to improve. These technologies have “Encouraged students to take ownership of their own learning and made it easier for teachers to differentiate instruction without embarrassing students.” (Bornstein)
Although this study was done with computers rather than e-books, I think that the integration of the two for an educational purpose could create a promising future in middle schools and high schools. If apple wanted to introduce an affordable iPad that limited what the user was able to do, it could be a huge hit among schools. Every textbook could be available, in addition to the iPad supplying apps such as dictionaries, Google searches, translators, calculators, news updates, and educational games. Students will always find a way to distract themselves, just like we used to use our calculators to type Hello upside down, but if common distractions such as angry birds, facebook, twitter, and websites that are not PG-13 were blocked, the learning gains would have the chance to surprise people who are against technology’s place in education.
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