Schools are changing programs to fit in the current educational systems. The laptop fee of $35 per year is a bit reasonable as stipulated by the management of Fairfield. If a student is on a free or reduced lunch plan, then they should also get the same on book fees, which are a bit high, especially considering the fact that students do not even read or see the books. This is because, most of the times, students and teachers use online textbooks for their educational activities. Through the internet, students access diverse information from various authors. Additionally, the internet sources are, fast, efficient and reliable and save students the bulk of purchasing several books and walking miles to conduct research. Besides, purchasing the books is not a guarantee for students attaining the information they are searching. On the contrary, parents now prefer that their children resort to using textbooks other than laptops. This is because laptops have created social isolation for their children, distracted them from real education as they now concentrate on un important content instead of educational content, they have developed eye problems and other health problems that need quick intervention. This essay reviews why textbooks are a better option for students other than the laptops.
Issues at Fairfield
The Fairfield school charges high fees for books and only $35 per annum for laptop fees. According to some parents, the school management is unfair to charge extra ordinary fees for books. This is because of the fact that students rarely use the books, let alone see them. This is attributable to technological changes, which have contributed to schools changing from standard ways of teaching and learning to modern ways where students use laptops to access online textbooks. Apparently, they have forgotten to use pencil and paper, which made them become disciplined learners (Procon, 2018). Parents can only wish for the traditional teaching and learning methods because of the numerous distractions that online education is causing their children. Not only is screen time causing eye problems and other health concerns, but it is also distracting their attention in class because of the numerous content it contains.
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Concession about Having Books and Laptop Fees
Parents have no choice but pay for the high charges of book fees according to the demands of Fairfield school. This is amidst doubts that students will even look at the books because current educational requirements stipulate that students use online textbooks. In this case, most parents are comfortable with the laptop fees charged by their children’s school, as it is easily affordable. Besides, students make good use of laptops in their educational activities since they learn diverse content in a short period. Additionally, according to Zook (2017), the internet provides them with numerous resources from where they can access information compared to textbooks that are limited to specific information. Similarly, parents are of the opinion that if schools have decided to employ technology in their educational systems, then they should consider the best that fits the school and the requirements of the young learners. Moreover, parents are complying with Fairfield’s demand of paying $35 annually for laptop fees, implying that they are comfortable with their children embracing the current educational changes. Furthermore, laptops and tablets enrich classroom education by motivating the young learners since they access diverse information raising their learning curiosity.
Effect of Paying For Books That Students Do Not Use
Parents feel like they are wasting their resources by paying high costs of books, which their children do not use at school, let alone see them. Rallis (2000) asserts that this is because students are now using online textbooks as their educational references instead of the textbooks. Besides, the money used for purchasing the books could have been useful in other areas that need money. Furthermore, parents develop feelings of mistrust for the teachers of their children because of their unrealistic demands. However, considering the numerous effects that laptops have on their children, parents would wish that they continued buying textbooks for the young learners. Apart from causing nerve and muscle straining for the eyes, laptops turn children into unsocial beings spending most of their time at times assessing information that is unfit for their age. This is because watching internet content is unlimited for people of all ages.
Effect of Paying for Books and Laptops
Parents are paying fees for both laptops and textbooks. Yet, students are only using laptops in their classrooms to access online textbooks. This is a worrying issue to parents because they view it as wastage of time and resources. Furthermore, the parents pay high fees for textbooks compared to the laptop fee yet their children do not even use or see the textbooks. Additionally, parents should grow weary of their children spending too much time on their laptops and the internet because of the diverse content that they are accessing apart from educational content (Greenfield, 2015). This is unlike in the past where students only read textbooks with content suitable for their age group. Laptops cause numerous disruptions for students in various aspects. For instance, through the internet, students can access various social media sites like Face book, Instagram and twitter at the expense of their academics. Some of them chat with strangers and people they know of when the teacher is busy with lessons, while others view pornographic literature setting their minds away from the classroom. One major con of the laptop in the classroom is that a teacher lacks the inability to monitor the content that a student accesses during classes. In this case, it is imperative for parents to pay for laptops but they are more of a distraction to their children than textbooks.
Effect of Too Much Screen Time
Using online textbooks is becoming a major concern for parents because of the fact that their children are spending too much time on the screen than on textbooks, pencil and paper as required by the the standard ways of teaching and learning. Apparently, they develop eye problems, other health benefits and many associated distractions. Similarly, according to medical reports, the number of teens developing eye problems is growing at an alarming rate. In normal circumstances, the average age for people in need of bi-focals is 45 to 50 years, and not 14 to 18 year olds as is the present case (Erbacher, 2018).
Seemingly, apart from straining their eyes on the computers, students are usually looking at their phones every morning they wake up with the sound of the alarm. As their day starts at school, teachers expect them to open up their laptops in readiness for their classes. In addition, in between the classes or during their breaks, the same students are usually on their phones checking out for messages from social media sites like Instagram, Whatsapp and face book. After that, they return to their classes for more time on their screens. Nevertheless, after classes, the young learners are on their phones yet again scrolling and texting their friends. Afterwards, they do their homework and play video games as a way of unwinding (Alzoubaydi, 2014). Before retiring to bed, they check their phones for messages and social media platforms before setting their alarms for the next morning. In this case, too much screen affects young children since it deprives them of their social lives. Apparently, they are unable to interact physically with their friends therefore causing them social isolation. If only the educational systems could reintroduce textbooks, the eyes of students could attain the much-needed break of relaxed and unstrained straining from screens.
Solutions
Because laptops lack restrictions for students watching and accessing all kinds of information, it is vital that teachers and educational stakeholders make computer labs for students to use other than have a laptop for each student. Computer laboratories come in handy as a break for the eyes from constantly viewing laptops in the classroom. This is an excellent strategy for teachers trying to solve the situation of students gluing their eyes constantly on laptop screens when accessing online textbooks, therefore saving their vision. This is because; this plan provides students with flexible schedules like specific times for watching screens. Additionally, not all students are interested in watching other content or information apart from what the teacher is teaching (Erbacher, 2018). In this case, computer laboratories assist in increasing the attention of students because their counterparts act as their keepers in ensuring that they pay attention to lessons and not stray into other unnecessary activities unlike everyone owning a laptop. Furthermore, since students are used to obtaining information from online textbooks, with particular times of accessing the computer laboratories, they can diversify their sources of information. For instance, they can use textbooks and give true-life experiences as examples in their learning process.
Teachers and students can resort to standard ways of teaching and learning where they use paper, pencil and textbook; other then laptops that present multiple disruptions. This is because the standard educational systems promote social interaction; allow room for making mistakes and rectifying each other (Rallis, 2000). On the other hand, using laptops causes social isolation as students stay for long hours on the screen learning instead of talking to each other and sharing their learning experiences. Besides, they only interact with their teachers at a personal level making the learning process a less inclusive experience. Furthermore, using textbooks restricts students to particular content unlike the laptop and the internet, which distracts them by presenting them a variety of information, some of which is vulgar and unfit for their age.
Examples of Working Solutions
The internet has various online textbooks from which students can access a variety of information from different authors. However, some educational sites have unreliable information because authors are motivated to write false information with the intention of making money. Therefore, not every piece of information from online sources is accurate and reliable. However, the case is different with textbooks, because the ministry of education approves their use as they observe the required standards and write content fit for students. Besides, the books have been long in existence as popular authors and artists wrote them making them a reliable source of information. Textbooks are the best references for student knowledge as they restrict their content specifically to the needs of students unlike the internet, which provides them unwanted information.
In conclusion, technology has changed educational systems from traditional ones using pencil, paper and textbooks to modern ones that use laptops and the internet to access online textbooks. The modern systems have enabled students to access multiple information from various authors therefore enhancing their research skills. Besides, students concentrate more on their work as using laptops requires personal effort to complete an assignment and not group work. Similarly, in schools, teachers are setting high fees for both textbooks and laptops to enhance quality education in their students at the expense of parent complaints. On the contrary, the internet comes with various disadvantages that both parents and teachers prefer that students resort to textbooks and the standard ways of teaching and learning. Apart from students developing eye problems and health problems, they also have numerous distractions unlike use of textbooks, which do not strain the eyes and regulate the content which students gain access.
References
Alzoubaydi, H. (2014, December 6). Tablets should replace textbooks. Gulfnews.com. Retrieved from: https://gulfnews.com/lifestyle/community/tablets-should-replace-tex
tbooks-1.1422921 .
Erbacher, M. (2018, June 8). Find out where your school ranks when it comes to use of textbooks vs. technology. Retrieved from https://www.courierpress.com/story/news/ education/making-the-grade/2018/06/08/find-out-where-your-school-ranks-use-text-books-vs-technology-evsc-warrick-schools/683026002/
Greenfield, S. (2015, October 1). Five Reasons iPads Should NOT Be In Classrooms. Psychology Today .Retrieved from: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/min
d-change/201510/five-reasons-ipads-should-not-be-in-classrooms
ProCon. (2018, December 4). Should tablets replace textbooks in K-12 schools?. Retrieved from https://tablets-textbooks.procon.org/ .
Rallis, H. (2000). Using Computers to Assist in Teaching and Learning. Retrieved November, 15, 2017.
Zook, C. (2017, September 7). Infographic: Textbook costs skyrocket 812% in 35 years. Applied Educational Systems . Retrieved from: https://www.aeseducation.com/blog/info
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