Recently, I wrote about eReaders being used for school. I wrote that eReaders may not be the panacea for to improve reading in school. Today, I came a cross an article in the New York Times (NYT) where it is pointed out that eReaders are generally not suitable for school textbooks. Anne Eisenberg wrote in her article, “Devices to Take Textbooks Beyond Text” in NYT:

“Even dedicated e-readers with their crisp printlike displays can’t handle textbook staples like color illustrations or the videos and Web-linked supplements publishers increasingly supply.”

This is a valid observation. But she goes on to highlight a better alternative which are “two-screen e-book readers with a traditional e-paper display on one screen and a liquid-crystal display on the other to render graphics like science animations in color.” Until these type of eReaders become the norm, school textbooks will remain un-digitised.

In addition, another article, this time from by Annie Gowen of the Washington Post, describes how the digital divide has developed and has led a greater advantage to those who are well-off. This reinforces what I had written about the cost issue of eReaders, and this issue can be applied to all the ICT equipment that is used for education. Of course, this has implications for equitable educational opportunities for all. Will those without be severely disadvantaged in the learning process in terms of speed and efficiency?

This digital divide can lead to issues in assessment of learning. A teacher must be very mindful that ICT does not give undue advantage to those who can afford, for example, laptops or PCs. These tools give students greater efficiency and also makes it easy for them to produce a nice report compared to those who probably have to resort to photocopies and a cut-and-paste work. Those without will be severely disadvantaged if teachers do not take note of this digital divide.

Lately there has been a lot of buzz about the use of eBook readers like Kindle, Nook or Sony’s Reader models and so on. In the US, there are also reports of schools acquiring and trying out eBook readers like these. The excitement is understandable as these eBook readers promise lots of things. The promise of portability, and the ability to carry lots of books at one go makes them seem very attractive. They are also “make it easy to take notes, save clippings of quotations and highlight passages we want to be able to find again.” Plus they help save the environment with less paper being used.

However, I cannot help feel that these hype does not address the main problems with reading by students which are the inability to read and getting students excited to want to read. In addition there is the issue of costs.

Seriously speaking, as much as there is that novelty value to using an ebook reader, at the end of the day it doesn’t help students to read. I hope schools that go to eBook readers as a panacea for their students ianbility to read will realise this. Good reading programs are still required whether the material they use to read is paper or a digital screen.

The novelty value of the eBook reader will also wear out once the students don’t get to read what they like. If schools today cannot meet the desires of students with reagrds to the kind of subjects that they like, will they be able to do so in electronic form? Reading is very much a personal choice. Perhaps some day schools will have that wide variety of eBooks for their students to read but will they be allowed to share theese books among their students? What are the copyright issues here? What will the licenses be like? Will it be just like that of paper books?

The eBook reader manufacturers also claim that students will be able to do wonderful things with their gadgets. How many of us make notes on our books or while we read? How do students keep these notes and quotation clippings if the Kindles are shared in school as I don’t see it happening soon that such eBook readers will be cheap enough for everyone to own? In the US, for example, many students have to be provided with daily lunches by the schools.

Is portability a real issue too? Or a “created issue”? It is not like books weigh like heavy laptops which then led to the creation of light weight netbooks. There are also magazines and comics which do not weigh much. How many books do you want to carry with you on a typical daily trip anyway? How many will you read anyway? A recent survey showed that some students at a university didn’t like using an eBook reader as opposed to more traditional media.

Lastly, the costs of such eBook readers are still quite significant. While schools still have serious problems with their budgets, adding the cost of such devices is questionable. Even if money is found for such eBook readers, is the school better off buying such devices or buying netbooks which give greater flexibility to the students in terms of what can be done with the devices?

For these reasons, I have doubts about the practicality of using eBook readers for school. I am not against technology in education. But I am against unthinking use of ICT. Technology for education must always bear in mind the objectives for its use. It must never be the tool first. It must be about the learning objectives first.

I was watching on cable TV recently about what will happen after humans have disappeared from the face of the  earth. I thought that it would be fun today that we try to imagine Singapore schools without its well-known high stakes examinations system.

What would it be like to be in such a scenario? What will it be like for all the concerned with school and education, namely, the students, teachers, school administrators, parents and even potential employers? What will a day in school be like? What will remain and what will change as a result fo the removal of of high stakes testing?

Will the actors in the educational stage die? Will they change and embrace the absence of high stakes testing? Will the manner of teaching and learning change? Will the teachers be taught new skills? Will they have to unlearn many things? Will they welcome it?

Will what is deemed important for learning in school also change? Will it be the same for all schools? Who will considered bright in such an environment? How will learning be assessed? Will students be happier? Will parents be happier?

Will there be more dropouts or fewer? How will the school leavers find their places in the economy?How will employers choose employees? How will the workforce change? How will the workplace change?

What do you think? These are just some of the questions that come to my mind. You may have more. Do share your thoughts with us.