Will Digital Textbooks Simply Replace Traditional Textbooks?
Hmmm, will digital textbooks simply replace traditional textbooks so that the wheels of these entrenched, corporate behemoth money making machines just keep chugging right along?
Let’s look at 9th grade…
Why would I pay for Romeo and Juliet when the full text of the play is already online free of charge in more places than I can even count?
I wouldn’t.
So then schools like mine will just pay for the accompanying lesson plans, right?
Not so fast.
I mean why pay for lesson plans when there are literally a host of INCREDIBLE lesson plans already online free of charge? I mean the Royal Shakespeare Company is pretty reputable, wouldn’t ya say? And they provide SO MUCH material smoking material it feels like it would be an honor to have them help me in my class.
Then add in the resouces being provided at NCTE or the stuff I can find on websites like WebEnglishTeacher.com and I can do some pretty sweet stuff.
Okay, R&J is covered. So what about The Odyssey?
Check.
Check.
The Scarlett Ibis? The Gift of the Magi? The Lady or the Tiger?
Check. Check. Check.
And are there resources for teaching these on the web? And good ones?
CHECK!!!
And do I then get to go back to doing what the state wants me to do, teach to the standards in a way that doesn’t come from one myopic source that attempts to be one-size-fits-all but rather empowers me to PICK and choose materials as I best see them working, as most appropriate to the needs of my individual students as I professionally diagnose their academic needs?
Check.
Indeed, my school used to shop for our entire grocery budget at the textbook supermarket — but now, it’s just looks like we’ll just be taking a banana please… and it better be a darn good one in order to justify the expense otherwise… I’ll just get the rest of our groceries elsewhere.
And look at all the money I’ll have left over in my wallet for other household needs. Wow!
And so, will digital textbooks simply replace traditional textbooks so that the wheels of these entrenched, corporate behemoth money making machines just keep chugging right along?
I wouldn’t bet on it.
P.S. For a really interesting view on textbooks which Jim Burke passed along to me, check out this blog post by Seth Godin.