Is It Time to Punt Paper?

This article presents two opposing views on whether to replace bound paper textbooks with electronic media. Arguing for the replacement is Alice Owen, district technology director from Irving ISD in Texas, while arguing against the replacement is Renee Krupp, director of educational technology for Charter Community School and Home Study Academy in El Dorado County in California. Teachers tend to rely too heavily on the content in textbooks. When hardback textbooks are used, the most common teaching practice is to have students read each chapter and regurgitate answers to the questions at the end of the chapter. Such an approach leaves little room for innovation, higher-order thinking, or truly informed debates on important issues if only one source is used. Digital materials, on the other hand, are by nature very flexible and can augment the classroom learning experience. Links and activities can be added to include current events, and key information can be updated easily. The Internet provides a wealth of online databases that contain valid and reliable resources. Imagine how teaching practices would change if teachers only used current multimedia-based materials with links to various resources.