Tap of a finger or turn of a page?

The controversial debate between tablets and textbooks

Tablets vs Textbooks

The tap of a finger

With the tap of a finger, students are participating in classrooms like they never have before. Students in remote locations around the world are able to get the resources they need to learn new information by themselves. Tablets are seen in schools as innovative opportunities for students to learn through interacting with the digital world. Technology is advancing rapidly that students need to be aware of how to use these devices. Tablets are lighter in weight allowing easy transport between classes (ProCon.org). Teachers are able to provide instant feedback and save paper as well as lines at the printer in the staff room. Personalized learning is given through using tablets as many e-books are available and teachers can differentiate appropriately. Tablets encourage students to enjoy their learning by providing multiple games and colorful ways to portray what may seem like boring information.

Students with Special Needs and English Language Learners:
Tablets have multiple apps that are used to help students with various academic needs.
These apps focus on speech support and language translation. It makes it easier for struggling students to be involved in classroom material and feel comfortable learning in a different environment. Learning games are used to create a fun and easy way to learn difficult concepts.

The turn of a page

With the turn of a page, students are able to digest information for themselves. Textbooks are better for health reasons compared to tablets (ProCon.org). Textbooks create a traditional learning experience that allows students to feel the fresh pages and highlight directly on the page. This physical hard copy allows students to always have information at their fingertips. This human experience of turning pages is better for your brain. Textbooks help develop critical thinking skills and are needed for students to know how to succeed in higher education.

Students with Special Needs and English Language Learners:
Textbooks are beneficial for students with learning needs as they can always be readily accessed. Even if students live in remote areas or have no electricity in their homes they are able to connect with new information and learn through turning the pages. Students are able to see how large the textbook is and therefore feel confident in learning the information provided. Textbooks can definitely come in color, with weblinks, activities, and fun facts for students to be interactive with.

Information taken from:
Frank Catalano: GeekWire.com
Alana Hackes: ThinkFun.com
Understand the issues. Understand Each Other: ProCon.org 
Future Tech: TectoGizmo 

What do I think? 

As a lifelong learner, the physical experience of turning a page helps connect me to the learning concepts. I am able to read and concentrate better. I am able to not get distracted by the online community and vast opportunities for games and apps. My eyes also get strained if I spend too much time looking at a screen.

As someone who struggles with reading, I benefit from the hard copy of words and the active movement of highlighting a page. As someone who struggles with focusing, I enjoy plain text and concrete information instead of abstract learning games and lots of color.
As someone who has lived without electricity and spent most of her life with multiple power outages for days at a time, I am aware of how grateful I was to still have a textbook at hand to read from. I would be worried if I were to rely on battery. Even with electricity, I would not have been able to afford a tablet, yet alone charge it or have suitable Wi-Fi connection to fully enjoy all that was available. Students spend a lot of time searching through options instead of learning. I may now be at a disadvantage as I live in the digital age, but tablet skills can be learned and traditional textbook reading is more difficult to enjoy if not grown up with it.

Too heavy?
Textbooks are heavy; however, this allows a great opportunity to be more organized with school books. This allows students to only bring their textbook for the specific class when needing to.

As an educator, I believe the best way is to integrate both technology and paper-based text in the classroom. Students are all different and have various learning styles. The most effective way to teach is through what works best for each individual. This may be through the use of a tablet or a textbook. I need to learn how to effectively teach using both means of resources. It is important to teach students the significance in using both a tablet and a textbook.

So, how about you? Tap of a finger or turn of a page?