Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Traditinal books vs Ebooks
Technology is fast replacing a lot of the traditional elements that were once found in the classroom, among them being printed text. We have not reached the point of totally discarding paper books for ebooks but I believe that this stage is inevitable. I believe this because ebooks are quite similar to paper books but it has more advantages on its side. Ebooks are eco-friendly which appeals to a lot of environmentalists. Ebooks also allow instructors to compile large quantities of data for students and distribute it via the Internet. The ebook allows students to be able to download books and data from the Internet as soon as they are released and also provide an online library that is always accessible making the acquisition of knowledge quick and easy. The ebook contains an audio and video option so people can listen to the text if they prefer to do so. It is also cheaper to obtain material since it is only a matter of downloading as opposed to shipping.
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Hi Candy,
ReplyDeleteFor me,this post infers a new role for the teacher, gone are the days of teacher focused activities in the classroom , today the spotlight is on the learner. There are some teachers who have not yet embraced this reality and this is why we have such a large numbers of uninterested students in school.
It is my belief that active learning through ICT tools is a great way to stimulate demotivated students. It is like bringing the video arcade into the classroom,well almost.
Creating Ebooks in the classroom is one of the best ways to incorporate content learnt across the curriculum in a meaningful and enjoyable way.
I recently read that developing digital and technological literacies should not compromise print literacy. Nevertheless, how much longer will print literacy be relevant? Candy, I think that you are quite right in saying that the time will come when e-books will totally replace printed text and paper books. Since computers are becoming increasingly affordable and the current generation of primary and secondary students are growing up in the digital era, it stands to reason that teachers must come out of the Stone Age (or is it the Pen and Paper Age?) so that we do not make useless fossils of ourselves.
ReplyDeleteMy theory though, is that print texts will remain in use for as long as standardized assessments like national tests, SEA, CSEC(CXC) and CAPE, as well as university examinations are administered via print. Furthermore, there seems to be no end to the new textbooks that local and regional educators continually author and try to market. As such, print texts might die a very slow death locally and in the Caribbean. Only time will tell how this story unfolds.
Beverly Phillip-Le Gendre
The important question here is how long will this method of assessment continue for? We cannot dispute the fact that many institutions are now doing assessments via the computer because it is easier and more convenient. If we were to chart the course of technology we will see that it has covered and taken over a vast amount of terrain and continues to do so at an alarming rate. Things that seemed impossible to do five years ago are very possible now. Print text becoming obsolete may very well be a phenomenon that is likely to happen sooner rather than later.
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ReplyDeleteToday, Ebooks has become more popular compare of traditional books. There are so many of people like to read Ebook. There are so many benefits to use Ebooks that it's good for the environment, easy to updatable, very easy to carry.
ReplyDeleteebooks