The Textbook-Free Classroom

It's a brave new world of high-tech learning

October 24, 2009
ASHLEY SURDIN
WASHINGTON POST
AGOURA HILLS, Calif. (Oct 24, 2009)
The dread of high school algebra is lost here amid the blue glow of computer screens and the clickety-clack of keyboards.
A fanfare plays from a speaker as a student passes a chapter test. Nearby, a classmate watches a video lecture on ratios. Another works out an equation in her notebook before clicking on a multiple-choice answer on her screen.
Their teacher at Agoura High School, Russell Stephans, sits at the back of the room, watching as scores pop up in real time on his computer grade sheet. One student has passed a level, the data shows; another is retaking a quiz.
"Whoever thought this up makes life so much easier," Stephans says with a chuckle.
This textbook-free classroom is by no means the norm, but it may be soon. Slowly, and in increasing numbers, grade schools are supplementing or substituting the heavy, expensive and indelible hardbound book with its lighter, cheaper and changeable cousin: the digital textbook.
Also known as a flexbook because of its adaptability, a digital textbook can be downloaded, projected and printed, and can range from simple text to a Web-based curriculum embedded with multimedia and links to Internet content. Some versions must be purchased; others are "open source" -- free and available online to anyone.
Some praise the technology as a way to save schools money, replace outdated books and better engage tech-savvy students. Others say most schools don't have the resources to join the digital drift, or they question the quality of open-source content.
Hardbound books still dominate the $7-billion U.S. textbook market, with digital textbooks making up less than 5 per cent, according to analyst Kathy Mickey of Simba Information, a market research group.
But that is changing, as K-12 schools follow the lead of universities and schools in other countries, including South Korea and Turkey. In Florida's Broward County, students and teachers log online to access digital versions of their Spanish, math and reading books.
In Arizona, classes at one high school are conducted entirely with laptops instead of textbooks. In Virginia this year, state officials and educators unveiled a free physics flexbook to complement textbooks.
California made the largest embrace of digital textbooks this summer when it approved 10 free high school math and science titles developed by college professors and the CK-12 Foundation, a Palo Alto-based nonprofit aimed at lowering the cost of educational materials.
Some dispute the idea that digital textbooks -- even open-source versions -- will be cheaper, at least right away, or improve education quality.
"Keep in mind that with open-source materials, you have to ask, 'Where are they coming from?'" said Jay Diskey, executive director of the Association of American Publishers' school division. "Is it a trusted source? Is it aligned to state standards? Is it based on real research?"
Diskey said traditional textbooks offer a comprehensive curriculum, while some open-source texts provide only bits and pieces. "There can be quite a difference of content and accuracy," he said. "In many cases, you get what you pay for."
Textbook publishers face losing business as free Internet content expands. But Diskey blames the recession, not free digital books, for any fiscal hardships facing the industry.
"We don't think budgets are being cut because of open-source materials," he said.
Schools using digital texts say it's too soon to tell how much money they may be saving. As critics point out, long-term fiscal benefits require upfront resources that many schools lack: money, teacher training, bandwidth to support Internet multimedia and, most critically, computers.
The majority of households have personal computers and Internet access, according to a 2005 report from the Census Bureau, but access declines with income. U.S. schools on average have roughly one computer for every four students, according to 2005 data from the National Center for Education Statistics.
"It's going to be a bit of a challenge for schools throughout the country to implement this new technology," said David Sanchez, president of the California Teachers Association. "How do you guarantee all children have access to that kind of textbook?"
Glen Thomas, California's education secretary, questions whether digital textbooks require a computer for every child. "This initiative is not about hardware," he said. "I visited a classroom where there were a couple kids using laptops, several had textbooks, some had a couple of chapters printed out, and the lesson was displayed on a screen in front of the class."
For now, it appears that digital textbooks are largely a school-by-school, teacher-by-teacher choice. But converts such as Stephans of are quick to encourage more.
"If there was a list of math teachers who would have signed up for this, I would have been at the bottom," said Stephans, who hesitantly agreed to pilot the textbook-free class this year. To educators considering the digital possibilities, he now says: "What are you waiting for?"

Aroga Open House

Aroga is happy to announce our Toronto office's first Open House! Come by and see our new office space, check out new product demonstrations, view a wide range of product displays and enjoy free food and drinks! Come by anytime between 10 AM and 7 PM on Thursday October 29. Please RSVP nicole@aroga.com if you are planning to attend.
Aroga Toronto 101-12 Concorde Place, Toronto Ontario 1-877-551-6222

Taming The Wild Wiki!

Here is an interesting lesson that grade 7 & 8 teachers might want to try in their class.

http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/resources/educational/lessons/elementary/internet/upload/Taming-the-Wild-Wiki_Sept09.pdf

Overview
Students are introduced to Wikipedia, the user-edited online encyclopedia, and given an overview of its strengths and
weaknesses as a research source. They are taught how to evaluate the reliability of a Wikipedia article and then
attempt to improve an existing article.

Learning Outcomes
Students will:
• learn how to evaluate a Wikipedia article for reliability
• learn how to effectively use Wikipedia as a research source
• assess the reliability of sources
• state and defend an opinion
• research a topic and publish their research
• contribute to a public debate

Bitstrips for Schools

Hello Again Finally!
This is a site which I was emailed earlier this week and is now available to use. Please go to, http://bitstripsforschools.com, Click on Activate Your Account, find Six Nations District School Board, Click on your school, and enter your government email address (please make sure you have the correct address). From here you need to enter all of your students and create a class login. From here your students may log in with their name and password.
Overall this is a very interesting program which can be used to create Comic Strips. Main features include character building, comic building, custom assignments, shared assignment library, administrative controls, teacher community forum, and ongoing free are updates, with new scenes and costumes. Comic strips are a proven tool for building language skills, in particular with building boy's literacy. Teachers are in total control of this site and must approve all content. Have fun and please don't hesitate to give me a call if you have any questions.

Bitstrips for Schools from Bitstrips on Vimeo.