Our proposal is to abolish physical schoolbooks and to replace those with e-books on e-readers. We have two arguments for this proposal.
A common complaint is that physical schoolbooks are too heavy. In general an e-reader is lighter that a single school book, while it is possible to safe hundreds of e-books on such a device. This will save a lot of back aches among our youth.
The consistent use of e-books in education will reduce the demand for paper. Since importing paper from Earth will increase the price of paper in space settlements, paper should be produced domestically. And spatial constraints will limit the amount paper which can be produced.
The case for electronic schoolbooks is based on practical arguments and not on didactic ones.
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makes a lot of sense
It does make a lot of sense. But, call me old-fashioned. I love my books and I’ve kept every one I’ve ever had. When the power goes out, or when my internet connection drops off, or when my computer and electronic devices fail, I can still read.
I love my ebook but I would still buy a paperback
Me too.
It would certainly be a lot cheaper. I remember my high school textbooks cost a pretty penny, though not as much as my college ones did, ugh.
We had to rent schoolbooks, was cheaper than buying – but still it took my parents a few hundred euros.
In space, sure, it stands to reason.
In space it makes sense. … but nothing awakens curiosity like falling on the wrong page of a book we are thumbing, seeing an image or a cluster of words. That’s when reading becomes an adventure and an exploration.
Nicely said.
🙂