[IAEP] Some Comments on Digital Textbooks In California

[K. K. Subramaniam]

On Thursday 11 June 2009 09:55:26 pm Sameer Verma wrote:
> Some people argue that books can only cover so much. Well, paper books
> are limited. Electronic books are not. Syllabi are designed to address
> specific teaching goals in limited time. I use syllabi every semester,
> and I'm not against that approach. However, if books were delivered
> electronically, and children had free access to content, then learning
> would take on a different shape...at least for some.
An digital math book is still a math book. It doesn't take on long festering 
problems in the schooling system. We are not looking at the larger potential 
of digital medium in solving these problems.

The subject/timeslots/syllabus system (which makes sense in a college) has 
percolated down to K7 levels and is doing more harm than good. Teachers want 
to tagged as 'science teachers' and 'math teachers' and 'gym teachers' 
forgetting that what every K7 child needs to know is something every teacher 
should know and be able to teach. Timeslots and lesson plans don't take into 
account different learning sensitivities of children. They are taught about 
rains in peak summer because that is the order in the textbook! School bag 
burden is a serious health hazard [1].

With digital medium, hyperlinked 'digibooks' can be composed, distributed and 
tailored easily. Teachers can introduce digibooks that are tailored to 
age/stage/local needs rather than by subject/syllabus, say on a monthly basis. 
Children chose their own pace and depth while working through the monthlies. 
Monthlies can be printed on paper for those regions that are not yet ready for 
digibooks. The school bag burden will disappear.

[1] http://www.hindu.com/edu/2006/02/21/stories/2006022100170400.htm

Subbu