Tablets vs. Textbooks Essay

Exclusively available on Available only on IvyPanda® Made by Human No AI

Technological advances are transforming many aspects of our society today including the education sector. Specifically, innovations in computing technology are being used to enhance the classroom environment. Enriquez (2010) notes that educators are keen to exploit technologies that enhance the learning experience of students. A technological change that is being experienced in many schools is the use of tablets to access electronic books. Proponents of tablets assert that they bring significant benefits to students by increasing student engagement. Opponents argue that printed textbooks are more beneficial since they promote reading comprehension. This paper will demonstrate that tablets offer more benefits than textbooks and they should therefore be adopted by all schools.

A major merit of tablets is that they enable students to access books at a lower cost than they would using textbooks. The cost of textbooks is an important issue, especially among college students. Herther (2014) documents that many students face additional financial burdens due to the high cost of textbooks. Many students choose not to buy textbooks since they are too expensive or base their decisions on which classes to take on the cost of texts. Tablets enable students to access e-books, which often less than the printed version (Herther, 2014).

This increased affordability ensures that students can access the material needed to improve their studying and performance in school. Advocates of textbooks argue that they can be cheaper that e-books for students can buy second-hand books. While this is true, used books are not always available to the student and in most cases he/she has to buy the new expensive book. Tablets ensure that students can easily access the cheap e-books.

Tablets promote student learning through their interactive designs. The tablets make use of a variety of media to present information including text, images, audio, and even video. Students are allowed to interact with their learning material and obtain some feedback from it. Abram (2010) declares that student engagement in the learning material is promoted by this interactive environment. Increased engagement in learning material leads to better performance in class. Opponents of tablets claim that this interactive environment distracts students while they are learning. This is true for students might spend too much time viewing the multimedia objects that interest them. However, tablets allow teachers to easily monitor the learning progress of students and therefore avoid such setbacks.

A major benefit of textbooks is that they foster comprehension since the reader does not suffer from any distraction. Most textbook pages only contain text and the reader is able to concentrate on the content of the book. Rosenwald (2015) reveals that the print book reader is able to take his/her time when consuming the material and this promotes comprehension. The higher comprehension increases the likelihood that the student will remember the information read. While it is true that print books have fewer distractions on the page, this does not mean that the additional media on the tablet impedes comprehension. Contrary to this, the multimedia on tables enhances comprehension by increasing student interest in the e-book content.

This paper argues that tablets are superior to textbooks in the classroom environment. These devices enable people to gain access to books at a lower cost in addition to increasing student engagement in learning content. While textbooks have the advantage of increased comprehension due to fewer distractions on the print page, tablets also foster comprehension through their interactivity. Tablets are therefore the superior medium and they should be adopted more to ensure that everyone benefits from their advantages.

References

Abram, S. (2010). P-Books vs. Ebooks: Are There Education Issues? MultiMedia & Internet, 17(6), 13-16. Web.

Enriquez, A. (2010). Enhancing Student Performance Using Tablet Computers. College Teaching. Summer, 58(3), 77-84. Web.

Herther, N. (2014). Technology Meets the Textbook. Online Searcher, 38(3), 42-50. Web.

Rosenwald, M. (2015). Why digital natives prefer reading in print. Web.

More related papers Related Essay Examples
Cite This paper
You're welcome to use this sample in your assignment. Be sure to cite it correctly

Reference

IvyPanda. (2020, July 3). Tablets vs. Textbooks. https://ivypanda.com/essays/tablets-vs-textbooks/

Work Cited

"Tablets vs. Textbooks." IvyPanda, 3 July 2020, ivypanda.com/essays/tablets-vs-textbooks/.

References

IvyPanda. (2020) 'Tablets vs. Textbooks'. 3 July.

References

IvyPanda. 2020. "Tablets vs. Textbooks." July 3, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/tablets-vs-textbooks/.

1. IvyPanda. "Tablets vs. Textbooks." July 3, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/tablets-vs-textbooks/.


Bibliography


IvyPanda. "Tablets vs. Textbooks." July 3, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/tablets-vs-textbooks/.

If, for any reason, you believe that this content should not be published on our website, please request its removal.
Updated:
This academic paper example has been carefully picked, checked and refined by our editorial team.
No AI was involved: only quilified experts contributed.
You are free to use it for the following purposes:
  • To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
  • As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
  • As a template for you assignment
Privacy Settings

IvyPanda uses cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience, enabling functionalities such as:

  • Basic site functions
  • Ensuring secure, safe transactions
  • Secure account login
  • Remembering account, browser, and regional preferences
  • Remembering privacy and security settings
  • Analyzing site traffic and usage
  • Personalized search, content, and recommendations
  • Displaying relevant, targeted ads on and off IvyPanda

Please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy for detailed information.

Required Cookies & Technologies
Always active

Certain technologies we use are essential for critical functions such as security and site integrity, account authentication, security and privacy preferences, internal site usage and maintenance data, and ensuring the site operates correctly for browsing and transactions.

Site Customization

Cookies and similar technologies are used to enhance your experience by:

  • Remembering general and regional preferences
  • Personalizing content, search, recommendations, and offers

Some functions, such as personalized recommendations, account preferences, or localization, may not work correctly without these technologies. For more details, please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy.

Personalized Advertising

To enable personalized advertising (such as interest-based ads), we may share your data with our marketing and advertising partners using cookies and other technologies. These partners may have their own information collected about you. Turning off the personalized advertising setting won't stop you from seeing IvyPanda ads, but it may make the ads you see less relevant or more repetitive.

Personalized advertising may be considered a "sale" or "sharing" of the information under California and other state privacy laws, and you may have the right to opt out. Turning off personalized advertising allows you to exercise your right to opt out. Learn more in IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy.

1 / 1