Jessica Dalrymple

04 November 2016

LL 131-D1 English Composition

Research Paper Draft

The digitization of information offers important benefits, including instant transmission,

easy searchability and broad distribution. But before we shred the last of the paper textbooks, let

us pause and remember those old streetcars, and how great it would be if we still had them

around Justin Hollander, PhD. Due to the rise in e-books and tablets, many public schools in

the United States of America have created, or are in the process of establishing, a program where

students are provided with a tablet to use in class and for homework assignments (Federal

Communications Commission (FCC), Feb. 1, 2012 Digital Textbook Playbook). This allows

the students to have access to websites, educational applications, and software that allows them

to communicate with their teachers easily, and even turn in assignments. While there are some

studies that show that tablets help students learn material faster, it has also been proven that

people who read print text comprehend more, remember more, and learn more than those who

read digital text (Pam A. Mueller and Daniel M. Oppenheimer, May 22, 2014, The Pen is

Mightier Than the Keyboard: Advantages of Longhand over Laptop Note Taking,

Psychological Science). In addition, while there are e-textbooks available online, many

textbooks are not available in digital format or on tablets used in schools (Book Industry Study

Group and the Association of American Publishers, July 18, 2012, BookStats 2012).

Moreover, the annual cost for students using textbooks is significantly less than the annual cost

for a tablet (Lee Wilson, Feb. 23, 2012, educationbusinessblog.com, Apples iPad Textbooks

Cost 5x More Than Print). A tablet requires the purchase of hardware (the tablet) and software.
In addition, the use of tablets is dependent on wifi and electricity access in addition to the

training of teachers and administrators to use these products in their classrooms (Geoffrey

Fletcher, Dian Schaffhauser, and Douglas Levin, 2012, State Education Technology Directors

Association website, Out of Print: Reimagining the K-12 Textbook in a Digital Age).

A current debate among schools across the United States of America is the use of tablets

versus textbooks in classrooms. While some people believe that textbooks should still be used,

eighty-one percent of Kindergarten through twelfth grade teachers believe that tablets enrich

classroom education (Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), Jan. 23, 2012, www.pbs.org, National

PBS Survey Finds Teachers Wants More Access to Classroom Tech). Westminster Choir

College of Rider University in Princeton, New Jersey has 510 students attending and 75 faculty

members. The college spends an average of two thousand dollars per month on paper toner and

ink. It uses approximately two hundred and twenty-five thousand pieces of paper annually. This

means that each student and faculty member uses about 3,000 pieces of paper per year, about 250

pieces per month, and approximately 8 pieces per day. In addition, textbooks can be downloaded

onto the tablet along with other files and applications, which helps decrease the amount of paper

used by schools each academic year (Emily Price, Mar. 3, 2012, www.tecca.com, How Much

Storage Does Your Tablet Need?).

Although tablets help save money on school supplies, the estimated annual cost per

student per class with tablets is $71.55 versus $14.26 for tablets. The cost of implementing for e-

textbooks on tablets on iPads are 552% higher than new print textbooks in an average high

school (Lee Wilson, Feb. 23, 2012, educationbusinessblog.com, Apples iPad Textbooks Cost

5x More Than Print). Textbooks can last for up to 10 years whereas a tablet will need to be

replaced after approximately two years (LA Times, Aug. 25, 2014, www.latimes.com, L.A.
Unifieds Halts Contract for iPads). Although studies have shown that using tablets in schools

has helped students reach learning objectives faster, tablets can be a huge distraction because

they may increase chances of students cheating on classwork. It may also encourage plagiarism,

since students can just copy and paste text from articles on the Internet (Nicholas Carr, May 24,

2010, wired.com, Author Nicholas Carr: The Web Shatters Focus, Rewires Brains).

Although e-textbooks on average cost 50-60% less than print textbooks, hardcopy

textbooks still convey relevant information to students, even if they are not brand new. K-12

school districts spend more than $8 billion per year on textbooks (FCC, Feb. 1, 2012 Digital

Textbook Playbook), but e-textbooks can save schools up to $1,000 per student per year

(Electronista, Mar. 30, 2012, electronista.com, "Digital Textbooks May Save Schools $250 Per

Student Per Year"). An older print textbook, however, still teaches students the basics of various

school subjects such as algebra, physics, and U.S. government (C. Claiborne Ray, Oct. 24, 2011,

nytimes.com, The Weight of Memory). Ronald I. Dorn, a professor of geography at Arizona

State University, conducted a study from 2000-2006. As part of the study he conducted, he gave

students the option to use an online version of the required textbook or the hardcopy. When

given the choice, about half of the students chose the hardcopy, while the other half chose the

online version. The hardcopy textbook was more sophisticated than its online version, but the

basic information was similar. There were no statistically significant differences among the

students regarding GPA, class, age, and ethnicity, among many other things. There was,

however, a growing resentment of hardcopy textbooks in the class (Dorn, R. (2007). Online

versus Hardcopy Textbooks. Science).

Tablets contain many technological features that cannot be found in print textbooks (Tom

Mendelsohn, Apr. 14, 2004, California Department of Education website, Ten Great Free
Education Apps for the iPad). Mathematics educators Ayanna D. Perry, Emily P. Thrasher, and

Hollylynne S. Lee, discuss how the number of schools in the United States of America that use

iPads in the classroom is increasing. Teachers will often use a website called Dropbox, a file

hosting service, that allows students to share documents, and therefore, turn in assignments

online. The authors also discuss how there are many apps that teachers will use on the tablets to

help enhance the students understanding of the topic (Ayanna D. Perry, Emily P. Thrasher, &

Hollylynne S. Lee. (2014). High-Leverage iPad Apps for the Mathematics Classroom. The

Mathematics Teacher)

Although many teachers support the use of tablets in the classroom, excessive use may

become detrimental to the students learning, and therefore, textbooks should be more widely

used in order to enhance their educational experience.

In the study that Ronald I. Dorn conducted from 2000-2006, the conclusion made based

on data from that study does not explicitly say that tablets are better than textbooks. It is

possible that the conclusion drawn was oversimplified and too generalized, since there was really

no data to indicate that textbooks were more favored than tablets or vice-versa. This supposed

generalization is definitely questionable. The article mentioned that there was a growing

resentment of textbooks among the college students who were part of the study (Dorn, R. (2007).

Online versus Hardcopy Textbooks. Science). It can be inferred from the study that there is an

increase in tablet preference over textbooks because it is a new piece of technology being

introduced to the students, which makes them more appealing. According to the study, there was

not a significant difference in GPAs of students that used textbooks versus the ones who used

tablets. In addition, there was about an equal number of students who chose textbooks and

students who chose tablets, which shows that there was no real preference among the students at
the start of Dorns research (Dorn, R. (2007). Online versus Hardcopy Textbooks. Science). With

this being said, one cannot claim that tablets better enhance student learning in the classroom

because there is not enough evidence from this study to support this claim.

The article published by mathematics educators Ayanna D. Perry, Emily P. Thrasher, and

Hollylynne S. Lee discusses that applications on tablets can help enhance student learning in the

classroom, but they do not really explain how. Regarding alternatives to apps, the authors only

discuss websites that also can be downloaded as applications (Ayanna D. Perry, Emily P.

Thrasher, & Hollylynne S. Lee. (2014). High-Leverage iPad Apps for the Mathematics

Classroom. The Mathematics Teacher). They do not discuss specific computer programs

sponsored by textbook companies or websites that do not have an application available for

purchase. The argument in this article suggests that tablets are more beneficial for student

learning than textbooks most likely because tablets are becoming more prevalent in todays

society. Technology-based instruction can reduce the amount of time it takes for a student to

reach a learning objective by up to 80% (FCC, Feb. 1, 2012 Digital Textbook Playbook). This

is not a valid argument, however, since it is not only a common belief today, but also because

many studies that support the use of textbooks over tablets in classrooms have stated that

students attain more knowledge on topics by reading print text and not digital (Pam A. Mueller

and Daniel M. Oppenheimer, May 22, 2014, The Pen is Mightier Than the Keyboard:

Advantages of Longhand over Laptop Note Taking, Psychological Science).

Even though tablets help students learn material faster, studies have shown that people

who read print text comprehend more, remember more, and learn more than those who read

digital text (Pam A. Mueller and Daniel M. Oppenheimer, May 22, 2014, The Pen is Mightier

Than the Keyboard: Advantages of Longhand over Laptop Note Taking, Psychological
Science). Because the brain interprets printed and digital text differently, people generally read

digital text about 30% slower than print (Kate Garland, Sep. 2008, Ergonomics, Computer-vs.

Paper-based Tasks: Are They Equivalent?). Mathematics educators Gwendolyn J. Johnson,

Denisse R. Thompson, and Sharon L. Senk researched the role of textbooks cultivating students

understanding of mathematics. It was discovered during the study that textbooks reinforce a

students understanding of concepts. The researchers concluded that textbooks play a prominent

role in fostering a students understanding a subject (Johnson, G., Thompson, D., & Senk, S.

(2010). Proof-Related Reasoning in High School Textbooks. The Mathematics Teacher) This

shows that textbooks still convey relevant information to students, and in addition, enhance their

understanding of a given subject (C. Claiborne Ray, Oct. 24, 2011, nytimes.com, The Weight of

Memory).

Research has shown that textbooks encourage note-taking on paper, which helps students

learn better than by taking notes on a tablet (Pam A. Mueller and Daniel M. Oppenheimer, May

22, 2014, The Pen is Mightier Than the Keyboard: Advantages of Longhand over Laptop Note

Taking, Psychological Science). A study conducted by Aaron Weinberg and Emilie Wiesner,

mathematics professors at Ithaca College, however, found that hardcopy textbooks were

powerful tools that helped students develop an understanding of mathematics. They discuss the

importance of teacher mediation when students use textbooks. In addition, the researchers talk

about how a students success in learning material from a textbook is dependent on his/her

relationship with the textbook (Weinberg, A., & Wiesner, E. (2011). Understanding mathematics

textbooks through reader-oriented theory. Educational Studies in Mathematics). This shows that

students comprehend more information by reading print text rather than digital text (Pam A.
Mueller and Daniel M. Oppenheimer, May 22, 2014, The Pen is Mightier Than the Keyboard:

Advantages of Longhand over Laptop Note Taking, Psychological Science).

As we have seen, while they can be beneficial in the classroom, hard-copy textbooks still

contain relevant information that enhance student learning (C. Claiborne Ray, Oct. 24, 2011,

nytimes.com, The Weight of Memory). While use of certain material on a tablet can be useful

once in a while, it is important that teachers do not use them excessively as part of their

curriculum. Although it is inevitable that tablets will soon completely replace textbooks, it is

important that teachers continue to incorporate the use of them, perhaps in addition to tablets,

into their daily lesson plans.

 Works Cited

Book Industry Study Group, & The Association of American Publishers. (2012). BookStats 2012.

BookStats 2012.

Carr, N. (2010, May). Author Nicholas Carr: The Web Shatters Focus, Rewires Brains.

Dorn, R. I. (2007). Online versus Hardcopy Textbooks. Science, 1220.

Electronista. (2012, March). Digital Textbooks May Save Schools $250 Per Student Per Year.

Federal Communications Commission. (2012). Digital Textbook Playbook. Digital Textbook Playbook.

Fletcher, G., Schaffhauser, D., & Levin, D. (2012). Out of Print: Reimagining the K-12 Textbook in a

Digital Age.

Garland, K. (2008). Computer-vs. Paper-based Tasks: Are They Equivalent? Ergonomics.

Johnson, G., Thompson, D., & Senk, S. (2010). Proof-Related Reasoning in High School Textbooks.

The Mathematics Teacher, 410-417.

LA Times. (2014, August). L.A. Unifieds Halts Contract for iPads. LA Times.

Mendelsohn, T. (2004, April 14). Ten Great Free Education Apps for the iPad.

Mueller, P. A., & Oppenheimer, D. M. (2014). The Pen is Mightier Than the Keyboard: Advantages of

Longhand over Laptop Note Taking. Psychological Science.

Perry, A. D., Thrasher, E. P., & Lee, H. S. (2014). High-Leverage iPad Apps for the Mathematics

Classroom. The Mathematics Teacher, 706-711.

Price, E. (2012). How Much Storage Does Your Tablet Need?

Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). (2012, January). National PBS Survey Finds Teachers Wants More

Access to Classroom Tech.

Ray, C. C. (2011, October). The Weight of Memory. New York Times.

Weinberg, A., & Wiesner, E. (2011). Understanding mathematics textbooks through reader-oriented
 theory. Educational Studies in Mathematics, 49-63.

Wilson, L. (2012, February). Apples iPad Textbooks Cost 5x More Than Print.