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.