More school districts look at whether to switch to online textbooks
12:00 AM CDT on Monday, April 19, 2010
At a time when Facebook and iPad are the rage and information updates with a click, some policymakers are trying to take textbooks off the shelf and onto the Internet.
Sophomores Eric Menlendez (left) and Eli Flores worked last week on an online tutorial at the Jack E. Singley Academy in the Irving school district. " style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; cursor: pointer; ">Electronic textbooks are imperative, advocates say, because they offer inexpensive, interactive lessons that engage today's tech-savvy student and keep content fresh. Opponents worry that more free-flowing material will affect quality and remain unavailable to poorer students without computers.
Texas could help lead a textbook transformation if Gov. Rick Perry's recent proposal to abandon traditional texts takes hold. He already has support in the Legislature, which passed two bills last year increasing schools' access to digital content. But the process won't happen with the click of a mouse, warn educators, who may be the faction that needs the most convincing.
"Some of the headaches that come with computers won't be any cheaper than traditional textbooks," said Gail Lowe, the state Board of Education chairwoman. "You know what a drain the maintenance of