Tablets vs. Textbooks

Let’s face it, technology has a huge role in our generation.

How do you think I managed to write this speech in the first place? In 2013, tablet sales boomed with an increasing 68% since 2012, with 195.4 million units sold. (Marketingtechblog.com) Furthermore, this has brought a debate in to play for K-12 school districts; whether or not textbooks should be replaced with tablets. Many are for this decision because they cost less, they withhold many utensils for a student’s convenience, and even teachers are in favor of them.

Regardless that it’s 2015, the United States is still recovering from economic downfall in 2009. Public schools are on a tight budget, as many may know. Tablets could offer a helpful solution because they cost about 30-60% less than print textbooks. School districts spend on average $8 billion a year on printed text books. (Procon.

org). that’s $250-$1000 per student! However, tablets themselves may be more costly than print textbooks. But the tablet’s prices have been decreasing vastly each year and still save loads of paper and ink, therefore bettering the environment. Tablets hold a lot of necessities that textbooks don’t. For the students that learn best by highlighting or making notes while reading, the tablets would benefit them vastly because print textbooks don’t have those options.

With 8-64 gigabytes of storage, tablets could hold homework, quizzes, projects, books, or anything needed for a student all in one device. Also, if a student is confused on something, the Internet is just a few taps away. According to a survey by the Public Broadcasting Service, 77% of teachers agree that technology use increases a student’s motivation to learn. However, others fear that tablets may be a distraction. But Motivation to put through effort in learning is a vital factor to a student’s success in school.

Not only are tablets motivating to students, they have the ability to improve standardized test scores by about 20%.Also, technology based instruction reduces the time a student takes to reach a learning goal by 30-80 %. (Procon.org) This could help teachers cover more lessons and educate children much further. They are vandal-proof and can be updated online regularly as well.

(Scholastic.com) People who are against the change of tablets and textbooks also fear the possibility of eye strain and headaches, or the tablets being easy for the students to damage. People who are for it would argue that eye strain and headaches or the possibility of them breaking also applies to textbooks. The point is, when thinking about it, tablets and textbooks have about the same pros and cons. However, it wouldn’t hurt to switch over to tablets because every argument on the opposing side could be fixed or maintained. And let’s face it, this would make the students much happier to come to school every day.

The move from textbooks to tablets would most likely be a gradual transition, a mix of different media persay.(Scholastic.com) But that is a change that most may be willing to make. So your move, textbooks. Sources: “Tablets vs.

Textbooks – ProCon.org.” ProConorg Headlines. N.p.

, n.d. Web. 04 June 2015 “Tablet Growth: Usage Statistics and Expectations | Marketing Technology.” Marketing Technology Blog.

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p., n.d. Web. 04 June 2015.