Problems Schools Face When Switching to Electronic Textbooks

July 15, 2011 by Leave a Comment
LAS VEGAS - JANUARY 07: The QUE e-reader by P...

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Many high schools across the United States are considering making the switch from textbooks to e-readers. However, the switch isn’t as easy as people might imagine. There are several major obstacles standing in the way of school districts all over the United States.

Here’s a look at some of the problems school districts are facing when trying to make the switch to e-reader textbooks.

Providing Students With E-Readers

The major problem facing school districts is the ability to equip all students with an e-reader. It is unrealistic to expect all students to have to go out and purchase an e-reader. However, many school districts do not have the financial ability to purchase thousands of e-readers for their students. This makes it difficult to decide if the cost of switching to an e-reader offers more benefits than purchasing multiple textbooks.

Unlimited Internet Access

Many e-readers have the ability to access the Internet via a 3G network. This means students could access a number of websites and their email throughout the school day. This type of distraction could prove destructive to a high school students learning environment.

School districts are faced with the tough challenge of having to protect students from the many inappropriate websites and emails they can receive throughout the day, and helping them use their e-readers for textbooks.

Providing the e-readers to students and limiting internet access is just two of the dozen or so problems school districts all over the United States are facing when trying to decide if they should make the switch to electronic textbooks.

Filed Under: E-Readers, Modern Education Tagged With: , ,

Modern Ways to Learn

July 15, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Scientific literature

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Learning strategies have dramatically changed over the past 20 years. The Internet and new technologies have allowed students new ways to learn old material (and new material as well). Here are some modern ways that students learn.

Internet

The number one modern way to learn is online learning. Instead of just referencing books in research papers, many students are now referencing websites and online journals. Students also have the ability to search for articles in distinguished academic journals just by searching online databases through their school’s library. Many of these articles are available online so the student doesn’t even need to leave home to find research materials.

E-Readers

More and more textbooks are being made available electronically. Some publishers are including an electronic copy when a student purchases the hardcopy of the book while others are selling the book electronically, reducing the cost of the book because it doesn’t need to be printed or shipped. It also allows the publisher to correct mistakes in the book easily without having to print a new edition.

Online Colleges

Another way modern students are learning is through online colleges and universities. Lectures and class materials are made available online and students are able to complete the course without having to relocate to an area with a college and are able to work around their job schedule, allowing students to earn a bachelor degree at EarnMyDegree.com or other education sites.

With all the new, convenient ways for students to learn, it’s no wonder that more and more are going back to school.

 

Filed Under: Internet, Modern Education, Online Learning Tagged With: , ,

Modern Learning Techniques

May 21, 2011 by Leave a Comment

With all the modern advances in technology, it comes as no surprise that there are also technological advances made in the classroom. One of these fancy new gadgets coming to a school near you is are interactive whiteboards, which basically are a mix of a traditional whiteboard with the ability to easily reload it as a multimedia program.

An example of the ActivBoards used at Spring F... 

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There are truly infinite possibilities with these, and teachers never have to worry again about whether they will run out of whiteboard markers. These interactive whiteboards are quite simple to use and are eco-friendly. There are no cables, cords, or even costly installation fees involved.

A key benefit of using interactive whiteboards are that collaboration is made easy. While teachers can still have fun being at the front of the classroom, this does not mean students will miss out at all. Students can also have this kind of whiteboard that allowing teachers and students to collaborate easier. When a teacher splits students up into groups, the students can also do team work using their individual whiteboards at the same time.

Gone are the days where teachers using a traditional whiteboard have to worry that they are going to run out of space when they write on the board. Although these new boards do have erasers, information can be saved, uploaded online, and shared.

Great leaps and bounds have been made in modern education. The benefits are clear when it comes to the online learning and resources. While electronic whiteboards are yet to be in every American classroom, you can be sure this will begin a whole new era in modern learning techniques.

Filed Under: Modern Education

The Benefits of Online Colleges

May 18, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Distance education 

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Though many high school seniors envision themselves packing up their belongs and heading to college someplace far from their home, that decision may not be the right decision for all students. Still, that doesn’t mean they’ll have to miss out on getting a great education. More than 4 million students have registered with online colleges, and these schools continue to gain in popularity among tech-savvy students. There are many benefits that online colleges offer that traditional colleges simply can’t.

You’ll earn a high-quality education. The rise in popularity of online schools has also boosted the education quality. Any online college must meet accreditation standards from accrediting agencies. State and community colleges and universities are now offering online options.

You’ll have access to your classes from anywhere, at any time. For students who travel regularly or who don’t want to be tied down to a particular region, this is a major benefit of online courses. The course material is available 24 hours a day, so if you’re working a job or have other commitments, you can easily make your class schedule fit around your life.

Online colleges can be more affordable than traditional colleges. Students will save thousands in commuting costs, housing fees and textbook costs. Scholarships, loans and grants are also available to online college students

Online colleges will offer a no-intimidation classroom for shy students. A study by the National Survey of Student Engagement revealed that online students are more likely to participate in discussions about their major. If you’re the type of students who dislikes answering professors’ questions or speaking in front of a group, an online college can be your best option. You’ll still have the opportunity to make contributions through chat rooms, instant messages or emails.

 

Filed Under: Internet, Online Learning Tagged With: , ,

Limitations of E-Readers in Subject Breadth

March 27, 2011 by Leave a Comment

The spread of E-Readers has made information and material reach a wider audience, but there are several areas in which E-Readers might not be able to achieve this effect.  Here are the limitations of E-Readers in subject breadth.

  • Poetry
    While some poetry is becoming available on E-Readers and in the form of E-Books, many current poets are hesitant to publish their work with E-Readers.  The fact that poetry is already difficult to publish means that poets are very loyal to their publishers and agents.  Additionally, the aesthetic qualities of poetry, such as type size and font, line length, and spatial arrangement on the page, make it difficult to move from a paper to an electronic format.  Some poets do not like the idea that the reader will be able to control for these things, as it might remove some of the original artistic intent.
  • Experimental writing
    Many newer experimental novels, graphic novels, and artistic books will also be difficult to move into the electronic format.  The limited size of E-Readers and their customizability by the reader makes it difficult for these writers to convey the effects that they wanted to achieve in their work.
  • Textbooks and scholarly writing
    Scholarly writing and textbooks are other areas that might prove difficult to be made available to E-Readers.  Many of these books have detailed figures and graphs that would be hard to translate, and still others are in incredibly narrow niches.

Despite these current limitations, the continuous technological improvements to E-Readers might make them a popular format for writers in the near future.

Filed Under: E-Readers, Online Learning Tagged With: , ,

Pros and Cons of Lab Simulations

March 18, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Technology has become an integral part of the classroom, and it has even begun to spread to the laboratory.  Lab simulations may save on time, increase efficiency, and help students find expected results, but there are several disadvantages as well.  Here are the main pros and cons of lab simulations.

Pros:

  • Cost efficient
    Lab simulations can often be much cheaper than multiple sets of traditional lab equipment that must be modified for each lab.
  • Time efficient
    Similarly, simulations increase time efficiency by a large amount, removing the time it takes to setup and clean up.  Simulations can also improve safety by removing risks of equipment malfunction during lab.
  • Desired results can be easily achieved
    Common issues with equipment will be avoided, and students will be more likely to gather the expected data for the experiment.

Cons:

  • Decreased importance of the scientific method
    With a lab simulation, labs are conducted in a more step-by-step manner, rather than through observation, hypothesis, and experimentation.  Students often miss out on all of the processes of scientific observation.
  • Lack of tactical skills teaching
    The fact that the program is already set up means that students will not have to learn how to create the experimental setup themselves.  If, for example, the lab involves examining a neuron, students will not be able to see or experiment with nerve tissue, and they will not be learning the tactical skills necessary to examine this tissue.
  • Not as realistic
    Lab simulations simply aren’t as realistic as conducting a real experiment.  Students can easily pick up on the fact that the data is stored, which can alter their learning experience.
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Creating a Class Blog

March 8, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Creating a class blog is an innovative way to spread learning outside the classroom.  Not only will it allow students and instructors to read and comment on each other’s posts, but it will also be a way for the class to connect with resources on the internet.  Here are some situations where a class blog would be beneficial.

  • Seminars and humanities classes
    Many seminars and humanities classes can benefit from creating a class blog, as it allows students to discuss concepts and contribute their thoughts outside of the classroom.  Writing short blog entries and commenting on other students’ entries can teach students to improve their debating skills.  Additionally, it will allow less outspoken class members to be on equal footing with the rest of the class when it comes to participation.
  • Ongoing class projects
    For ongoing class projects, a class blog can serve as a platform to enable students to remain in communication with each other.  Similarly, for younger classes, parents, friends, and family members can follow the class’s progress as they work their way through the project.
  • Research papers and projects
    Lastly, for classes conducting research projects, a class blog can be a great way for students and instructors to link to interesting sources that they have found.  This will help students come up with new research topic ideas, find helpful online sources, and contribute their findings as well.

Creating a class blog is both simple to do and free of cost, and it will give students the benefit of broadening their learning experience.

Filed Under: E-Readers, Modern Education Tagged With: , ,

Technologies for Improving Efficacy and Literary Skills

March 6, 2011 by Leave a Comment

According to a study conducted by the Internet World Stats, 28.7% of the world’s population comprises of Internet users. Just as the screwdriver eventually paved way for the electric drill, improvisations in technology have led to several changes in the way people live. While a part of the population might not believe in the enhancements it has brought along, a large number is convinced that improvements in technology have only produced benefits.
Some of the most compelling results of technology have been realized in the fields of literacy and communication. Its positive influence is scalable in terms of the evident increase in the wealth of knowledge and resources.
Technology: Advancing Efficacy
The advances in technology have increasingly been used to facilitate learning and are often used as the means for promoting literacy. Various online tools such as visual aids, eBooks, word processors, and other technological resources are easily available and accessible to allow the smooth flow of information and encourage self-education.
The wealth of written material and published content available on the Internet is for one and all to discover and use. Prose has, in fact, attained a different level of understanding and usability due to the advances in the computer era. People across the globe are using various means such as Email, text messaging, chat windows, discussion forums, blogs, social networking tools and even Internet search – taking writing to a completely new dimension.
Technology: Advancing Literacy
The advances in technology have certainly brought about a radical change in the traditional classroom teaching methods. They have been seen to effectively enhance the existing teaching methods. Email, online chat, eBooks and more make teaching much more interactive, resulting in perhaps a larger amount of creativity. These interactive tools are mostly used by educational systems online like earnmydegree.com. They prove to be very effective tools for both students and teachers.
Technology is a tool that has opened up a gamut of possibilities, especially in the areas of literacy and communication. Easily available resources give both teaching and learning a brand new appeal.

Filed Under: Modern Education, Online Resources Tagged With: , , ,

Negative Implications of E-Books for Writers

March 4, 2011 by Leave a Comment

The spread of E-Readers and E-Books has created some concern among the writing community.  While these aspects of technology can be highly beneficial for learning, some writers are hesitant to publish their work in the form of E-Books or make their work available to those with E-Readers.  Here are some negative implications of this technology for the writing world.

  • No place for publishers or agents
    Many writers remain loyal to their publishers and agents, who are facing a number of challenges associated with online publishing.  Some writers will not consider leaving their publishing organization or agent to submit work in an online format, even if the potential for earnings is greater.
  • Limited input in design
    Poets and experimental writers are concerned with the increasing limitations when it comes to artistic and visual design of their work.  E-Readers often have features in which the reader can adjust the font, type size, and even color of the work, which can limit the ability of the author to communicate the artistic effects he or she wanted to achieve.
  • Decreased ability to protect work
    The spread of online books has made it easier for individuals to obtain free texts, decreasing the income generated for the authors and publishers.  The concept of ownership is becoming increasingly blurry, worrying some writers, agents, and publishers.

Despite these issues, many writers are embracing the freedom that goes along with publishing their work online; only time will tell what actions writers will take in response to the spread of reading technology.

Filed Under: E-Readers, Online Resources Tagged With: ,

Reducing Internet Distractions in Class

February 25, 2011 by Leave a Comment

The spread of Wi-Fi technology to the classroom has both benefited and limited learning.  While there are numerous advantages to internet and laptop use during class, internet distractions can be an unfortunately common occurrence in some classes.  Here are several tips for reducing internet distractions among students.

  • Don’t allow headphones
    Headphones during class will be used to listen to music or watch videos online.  Allowing them will almost definitely encourage students to cave into internet distractions.  Videos are some of the worst distractions, as they can distract other students sitting within view of the laptop screen.  By forbidding headphone use, instructors can help limit the likelihood of video distractions during class.
  • Require Wi-Fi to be turned off at times
    Another rule to reduce internet distractions is to require Wi-Fi technology to be turned off during class.  This will still allow students to use their laptops for note taking, but it will prevent them from logging into Facebook or surfing the net during class.
  • Engage student participation
    Walking around the classroom, soliciting student input during lectures, and posing questions to the class are all ways to encourage students to participate and pay attention in class.  If students are actively engaged, then they are much less likely to turn towards internet distractions to alleviate boredom.
  • Be clear about the rules
    On the first day of any class, instructors should be prepared to provide an overview of the course as well as clear expectations for student behavior during class.  Internet use should be covered during this time, and instructors should clearly communicate the rules for when the internet can and cannot be used.  This will reduce the temptation for students to use the internet for personal purposes during class.

These strategies can help ensure that the internet is used for educational purposes during class.  Students will be better able to focus with a decreased risk of distraction.

Filed Under: Internet, Online Learning Tagged With: , , ,
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