essay

Kenny Hoaglund // 12.09.13 // Period 4

Researched-Based Argumentative Essay

	With the introduction of technology in our ever so rapidly changing society, the opportunity has arisen to make an fresh, new innovation in the education system. Digital tablets and e-books are beginning to become increasingly popular in today's American culture, and more than one third of the United States adult population owns some sort of digital tablet[1]. This technology is the next logical step forward in academic modernization. Electronics are becoming a staple in the American lifestyle, and as these advances are made they can be incorporated into the teachers' approaches to improving the learning environment, with a speedily expanding catalogue of instructive resources for tablets such as the Apple iPad and the Kindle Fire. Implementing these into public education would help prepare our growing youth for the world that is constantly immersed in such computer-intensive work. No matter where one works, one is more than likely going to have to interact with some sort of technology or computer communication.
	Based on the FCC's Education Department's research[2], “technology-based instruction can reduce the time students take to reach a learning objective by 30 to 80 percent.”, which includes tablet-based education. In addition to this, when you have a physical textbook rather than a digital tablet for school education, you are confined to that textbook and its content, while with a electronic you have access to a huge library of resources that range from countless different textbooks and various apps that  more easily let the teacher personalize lesson plans to their liking. Similarly, with tablets you have the option of updating your textbooks and material without having to buy a whole new device, in contrast to having to buy a brand new, expensive set of textbooks for every subject, every class, just to have to buy a whole fresh assortment in a few years. Additionally, you can do worksheets and assignments on the device itself, which prevents money being wasted on printers, printer ink, paper, and more. Economically, importing tablets into the classrooms just once is superior to the current textbook layout we have now in a majority of public schools.
	Not only economically and educationally is the tablet the preferable choice for schools, but also logistically. The average textbook weighs about 3.5 pounds[3], while the iPad Air weighs just a singular pound[4], and a Kindle Fire just under 11 ounces[5]. Considering this and the substantial size difference, both storing these devices and carrying them around takes infinitely less effort than a large textbook, especially keeping in mind that these tablets can store countless material for all classes, not just limited to one like your normal physical textbook.
	This plan may be ideal, but it certainly isn't perfect. Tablets, for one, are quite a bit more costly to repair than your average textbook, considering the technical skill and parts required to fix an electronic device compared to something as simple as tape to fix a physical book. However, even with these costs, the tablets will still cost less in the long run considering the amount of content you can put on them compared to the multiple textbooks you need to cover all your core subjects. Many say that you can just goof off on the device instead of doing your work, but they are unaware that there are multiple measures you can take to prevent this. These tablets all have some sort of limit you can set, whether its time based or website based, you can limit anything they do. You can also monitor them all and check history to make sure everything being done on the device pertains to their education.
	Another common argument for keeping textbooks is that the material can still be relevant, even if the textbook is quite a few years old. This may be true to a certain extent, but many subjects have constantly changing material, most notably science subjects like chemistry with the scientific world making leaps and bounds with research as of late. Furthermore, not only does the information in the text change, but also the states' standards for education. What the teachers are required to educate the students of changes every year, and it's much easier keeping the lesson plans up to date if you have a device that is able to update to meet these standards. The ever-changing world of education is a fast flowing stream that doesn't have the time to wait 5 years for new textbooks.
	 Suppose this change isn't made, then our children will truly suffer the consequences of not receiving the most ideal learning experience and that is the education system failing to serve its purpose. The electronic devices are logistically, economically, and educationally superior to the outdated, dusty textbooks that many of our public schools still use. Despite all the flaws, one can see that the issues have simple solutions, and the pros easily outweigh the cons altogether, and tablets should be implemented into our public education systems in place of physical textbooks.




Sources and Citations
[1]http://www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2013/Tablet-Ownership-2013/Findings.aspx
[2]http://tablets-textbooks.procon.org/sourcefiles/digital-textbook-playbook.pdf (Page 9)
[3]http://www.denverpost.com/ci_20397608/e-textbooks-win-fans-but-some-students-still
[4]http://www.apple.com/ipad/compare/
[5]http://www.amazon.com/kindle-fire-hd-best-family-kids-tablet/dp/B00CU0NSCU