Should Schools Ditch Textbooks for Tablets?

Tomorrow’s textbooks could very well be on a computer screen.

An Associated Press story last week highlighted a growing trend of school districts investing in tablet computers for students. For some, the devices are a way to give students digital textbooks that have the potential to be updated when needed and may be cheaper than paper textbooks.

One district, according to the AP report, is giving more than 2,000 iPads to every student—kindergarten to high-school seniors—with the price tag at $1.2 million. Schools in a Texas city spent $20.5 million to distribute 6,800 iPads.

The report states that proponents of using the devices in the school setting say students tend to be comfortable with the technology, so trying to reach them through the use of tablets makes sense. But skeptics say the technology doesn’t always focus on improving learning, and teachers may not believe the devices to be effective or may not be versed on using them, which could lead to the technology going unused. 

Do you want to see your schools invest in tablet computers for students?

Share what’s on your mind with us, and then return here to see what your neighbors in Cobb, Douglas and Paulding counties have said.