http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/ipods-laptops-replacing-school-textbooks/story?id=8563292
This news article provides and interesting account of how there is a very real potential for mobile media to completely take over the educational system and make text redundant.
“For generations, school meant books -- lots of books. But not anymore. Around the country, from high school to grad school, textbooks are getting harder to find. Technology has made the library something that can fit into the palm of your hand.”
This is quite an eye-opening and almost horrifying concept for a paper lover like me. While as a teacher and avid user of technology and its many facets, I understand that it is important to implement mobile technology in the classroom. However, I did not realise that in some educational contexts and institutions, it was completely redundant.
Martin and Brouwer provide several reasons for this move away from paper material toward digital technology. While this is an American article, it can be assumed that eventually, ideas and practices will filter down and affect Australian teachers. Once particular school in America (Cushing Academy) dismantled their library entirely because it decided that its resources could be better used if they were electronic. Essentially, this means that students are more likely to use e-books and digital resources for directly from their laptops, rather than print materials. While there is underlying logic in this response to technology, I ask teachers reading this blog whether they think it is beneficial for students to be in a library environment that does not value print media.
The article also suggests that print materials are extremely expensive as they need to be constantly updated. However, mobile technology such as a laptop is less expensive in the long run as update to programmes and files happen automatically.
“There is another strike against traditional textbooks: They go out of date, sometimes within a year or so, and replacing them can cost a school district hundreds of thousands of dollars. But with new technology like e-books or handheld devices, updates can happen instantaneously.”
The ideas and actions by schools accounted for in this article suggest that mobile technology is having a ver profound impact on education, its teacher and its students. The evidence that the article provides suggests that students and teacher are reacting to the changes positively, with teacher adapting their teaching strategies to use new mobile technologies like iPods. Students are also adapting (at differing rates). However, again, I ask Australian teachers whether it is viable to completely rule out paper based learning, or can the two work together in a classroom?
References
Martin, R and Brouwer, C. (2009). Schools dump texxtbooks for ipods, laptops. Retrieved October 9, 2011 from http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/ipods-laptops-replacing-school-textbooks/story?id=8563292
What an interesting post. I really do sense that teacher librarians and their role in schools are undergoing a cultural shift. Once they were considered the gate-keepers of knowledge and curriculum resources. Now they need to shift their attention to the emerging technologies, how these will impact on their traditional practices, and how their skills can be 'tweaked' so they can continue to be seen as relevant. At the moment, too many people are asking questions like, "Why do we need libraries?" To others, the teacher librarian represent a breed of teacher who is ill-prepared for the technology-rich environments schools are becoming. These critics are now saying, "Libraries would be great places if we got rid of books and the librarians!"
ReplyDeleteI think the "shush" needs to be taken out of libraries and off the librarian's vocabulary list. Librarians must start championing their libraries as spaces for interaction, collaboration, sharing and celebrating knowledge. Libraries should be places where students' knowledge and creations are showcased not just physically but virtually and to the world, not closed behind firewalls. Perhaps libraries need to be refashioned and, for example, include sound booths for recording and 'break-out' rooms for planning. Instead of having rows of magazines, libraries should have rows of iPads. I do believe there is still a place for books, Beth, but there needs to be a well-managed and resourced library portal from which students can access the virtual resources remotely, anywhere, anytime. Teacher librarians need to engage stakeholders in dialogue centred around the emerging media and its place in the curriculum; for example, YouTube and how this Broadcast Yourself site is helping to shape a student's sense of self and identity.
If teacher librarians refuse to address their changing roles in school communities, then more and more libraries will be torn down and that would indeed be a tragic waste of potential.
I think I've shifted your argument away from the paper-based one but in a sense it's the same argument. Youth, Popular Culture and Texts are changing and our practices and previously held beliefs need to keep pace if we are to remain relevant.
Beth your blog reminded of an article that I had read recently on the Techworld website which explained that paperless classrooms may soon be the reality. Acer computers in partnership with Pearson Australia have announced plans to deliver essential textbook content via e-books (using Acer digital tablet devices) to Australian secondary school students as of next year.
ReplyDeleteI do believe that is important to connect with students at their level and according to their interests; therefore I can certainly see the need for the use of devices such as tablets, ipads, Kindles etc. which allow for access of e-books and for the recording of information digitally.
At a recent Teacher Librarian Conference in Brisbane it was interesting to look around the room during one of the smaller group seesions and see the participants busy taking notes. Of the 30 of us in the room, 22 (including myself) were using the old pen and paper system, 4 had laptops, and 4 were using ipads. I must admit that did look on in envy as one clever ipad user took a photo of the information being displayed on the whiteboard – therefore capturing all the information that the rest of others were busy scribbling down.
However there is something special about sharing the magic of a book with a child that would be lost if the book was and e-book and not a paper book.
Lane Smith in his book titled “It’s a Book” highlights the importance of the paper books in a humorous and entertaining way.
The two main characters are a Jackass and a Monkey. The story is told via a conversation between these characters.
J. What do have there?... M. It’s book.
J. How do you scroll down ... M. I don’t I turn the pages. It’s a book.
J. Do you blog with it? ... M. No, it’s a book.
J. Can it text, tweet, wi-fi? ... M. No, it’s a book.
The monkey gives the book to the jackass who gets so engrossed in the story that he doesn't want to hand it back.
M. Are you going to give my book back... J. No
M. Fine, I’m going to the library ... J. Don’t worry, I’ll charge it up when I’m done.
M. You don’t have to. It’s a book Jackass
Children of course love the ending of the story where the teacher reads out loud that the monkey has called ‘donkey looking character’ a jackass.
Trish, you might enjoy this! The IT coordinator at our school won an iPad for the school when one of her teams won an IT competition. She has been using it and decided to load some ebooks. She loves to read and was skeptical at first thinking she wouldn't enjoy the experience, she thought she would miss the qualities only a book can deliver. She started reading and caught herself licking her finger to turn the page! Classic.
ReplyDeleteThanks everyone for your posts. I agree that there has been a cultural shift in libraries, and this is fabulous. It means that techology is being embraced and utilised to its fullest extent.
ReplyDeleteMy argument was definitely not in ignoring this shift and using old and tried technologies- this would be of definite detriment to students. Technology should not be just thrown in willy-nilly, but as you all have said, it should be implemented with a plan and well-resourced. I think that if both paper and be brought into use IN CONJUNCTION with m-technology, the benefits could be enormous.