I’ve never been much of a technology guy. I take notes in class with a notebook and a pencil. I have never read a book on a Kindle or a Nook. And I didn’t have an iPhone or laptop until I came to college. Yet I cannot help but notice that whenever I enter a lecture hall, I see scores of screens light up the room. As finals approach, I expect plenty of students studying will turn to their laptops rather than their notebooks and textbooks.
Last year, the University became one of five schools nationwide to pilot an electronic textbook program to determine whether digital textbooks can eventually replace traditional ones. This pilot program received a mixed review in Alex Yahanda’s February 2012 opinion piece “Forcing the subject,” which argued that the initiative wrongly forced students to purchase e-textbooks rather than giving options. Nevertheless, the digital-textbook initiative has now spread to more than 50 colleges and universities following the fall 2012, spring 2013 and fall 2013 pilot programs.
I suspect that in the coming years electronic textbooks will become more and more integrated into the University’s curricula, but I remain doubtful as to the necessity of schools to completely switch to e-textbooks. Contrary to a recent survey showing that 63 percent of college students “believe tablets will effectively replace textbooks within the next five years,” the research results from the pilot program showed that there are still improvements to be made. Difficult readability, lack of use without Internet connection and only one-semester availability were a few of the problems listed.
Physical textbooks should remain a part of students’ studies for the sake of productivity and because there are plenty of things that can go wrong with a laptop: it can freeze, run out of batteries, stop working or lose Wi-Fi. Maybe it’s because my elementary school education built a foundation more around physical books rather than computers, but I prefer to hold a book in my hands and turn the pages.
I recognize that this is overly skeptical. There is, however, no distraction greater on Earth to me than a laptop. When on a laptop, I can’t get five minutes into my homework without going on the Internet. An increase in the use of digital textbooks for classes would also lead to an increase in students’ time spent on laptops, leading to more chances for distractions.
A 2013 survey revealed that the average American spends two hours and 19 minutes a day on the Internet. This means that I’m not the only one that feels the urge to open Safari, Firefox, Internet Explorer or Chrome when I’m attempting to write a 10-page paper. Thus, physical textbooks provide productivity that digital textbooks cannot. This does not apply to elementary students that only use digital textbooks in class but rather to middle school, high school and college students that spend too much time on social networks.
My dilemmas with screens go further. Because digital textbooks cannot be resold, their prices should be much lower than they currently are. Just as some books on a Kindle or Nook cost a few bucks, digital textbooks should by no means be a slight mark-up off the original textbook. Not to mention that it can be tougher to take notes or mark-up a textbook that is digital.
Breaking off my rant for a second: there are also undeniable benefits to digital education systems. E-textbooks lower the costs of textbooks for both schools and students. Through the web, teachers can add tools such as flashcards, quizzes, videos and notes. Ultimately, digital textbooks have the potential for increased efficiency in and outside the classroom.
On the other hand, until students are brought up in elementary, middle, and high school using e-textbooks, it does not make sense to fully implement them at the college level because students simply are not used to them. Although some students may adapt to technology better than others, other students, like me, are stubborn and still want to rely on the familiar traditional textbooks. I believe physical textbooks must remain as long as there are both enough students that prefer to use them and enough negatives to going digital. It’s hard to tell how much “enough” is, but for the time being, physical textbooks will remain the major force at universities.*
Jared Fogel is an Opinion columnist for The Cavalier Daily.
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