Lesson 18: Tablets for Textbooks in Schools

Jean C. Cotamora BSED General Science 4

Author

CONTENT

Tablets in school

Here's video about Textbooks or Electronic Devices in School: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etmn8LuAjD4

 

With advent of Tablets, reading, and learning as a whole have become less cumbersome. If books makes someone’s back ache, tablets are now here to take that burden away. Today, books however are still the number one medium of instruction in schools. Books are more durable than tablets but many educators now prefer the use of tablet in the teaching and learning process. Aside from the fact that it is less bulky, it offers a wide and faster way in accessing information because it cannot only contain books but also access the net. A book has its advantages, a tablet also has its pros – either of this two may prevail today but we cannot deny the fact that we are towards the digital realm where digital things are inevitable. With the present condition of the Philippines, it is still difficult for the government to provide all students tablets. For now, school administration, teachers, and parents must agree upon the notion of using tablets in school since tablets for now are very expensive, if there is a want to use tablets in the school.

Tablets in school

EXPERIENCE

The future with tablets use as replacement for books is good since it has many advantages like many books can be put inside the tablet and there is faster access to information since tablets can connect to the net. Based on experience, a tablet can really be a good aid in learning. A tablet being small, can be put inside my bag and carry it anywhere, which means to say then that I can study anywhere. However, it is not as durable as a book. My tablet no longer functions, I don’t know for what reason perhaps because it fell down – books are still books even when they fall down. I didn’t use my tablet in studying, it makes my eyes teary and afterwards my head to ache. Although, less bulky, tablets can cause harm. I have heard so many stories of students being victims of snatchers. Tablets compared to books are expensive, so, for now, I still go for books. I would like to make it clear however that I am not against the tablets for textbook in schools.

REFLECTION

The two – book and tablet – have their advantages and disadvantages, however, in this present situation, since our government cannot afford to give everyone this yet (although tablets are less expensive than PCs), we have to use the books that we have (no wonder, books still remain to be the number one instructional material in the Philippines). Books are no less different than those book that has become an EBook in tablets. If one can afford to buy a tablet now, then that’s good but schools should not make it necessary to have this in school if the majority cannot afford it. The use of tablets instead of books is still a choice, not mandatory, hence a teacher can still teach using a book, and it has not yet become useless.

Teaching with tablet

APPLICATION

Here's a video about a High School Without Textbook:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UB2RXPqFgdI 

Later if the government can already afford to give everyone tablet, then teaching for me (somehow) wouldn’t be so hard. If by now there are some lessons that are difficult to explain since it requires illustrations, with the use if tablets, it will be easy. I will just share to my students my lesson and give them the handouts as guide and it will be up to them to do the action and I will make use of hypermedia to facilitate individualized learning. I will conduct online class since everyone already has the gadget whenever I’m not around.