Recently, I received this question from another school:
The question was whether it would be possible for Classical publishers to put their text books onto iPads for students to more easily use at home. They were not suggesting getting rid of text books but were making the point that the convenience of having textbooks left at school and access at home would be a huge help to their children.
I was curious about what you have heard of discussions along these lines?
Here is my response:
Good question:
I have thought a bit about this. I think that there is nothing about many books, especially text books, that would make me object to making them digital. Text books are cumbersome and expensive. There are some books: mainly the Great Books that everyone should have a paper copy of. The reader is harmed, I think, by not having paper copy (and the text might be at risk). The person is diminished by not having a favorite (please make it well-worn) copy of many Great Books.
That said, this is where the problems start! First, iPads or Kindles don't just house books. Students are usually distracted more than engaged when reading them by the other things that they can do on the gadgets. Also, readers typically react differently to electronic texts. We do not have patience with them…and reading takes patience. Having iPads would, I believe, drop the price of the texts radically. The economics are going to drive a lot in this direction. My opinion on this point is not settled. I am getting more at home with some electronic texts. I have my devotions on my phone each morning (ESV). It takes great notes for me (I dictate them verbally). I love it. As more text books move to this format, we will consider moving there. For the great books, we will buy paper copies. The applications and helpfulness are just starting in this area. Imagine a math book on a iPad where you entered the answers on the iPad. It reported to your teacher on the concepts that you struggle on and personalized your homework. I would love that. It makes the experience more personal. Machines can not replace human interaction and discussion concerning the issues in the Great Books—which, because it passes on a cultural heritage, is at the core of a decent education. You could read them on you Kindle, but you would have to discuss them with your friends and teachers. (A good math teacher can not be replaced by a machine either!)
There have been issues of text shifting with electronic texts—most recently with Huck Finn when the text has been altered electronically to rid it of racial epithets. Of course, this could be done with paper texts, but I worry that electronic texts are more changeable. It is Orwellian. There might be a problem with this in the future. (Of course, it is ironic that they would attach Huck Finn which is probably the most important anti-racist book in the American classics!
Hope this helps.
