Digital textbooks’ good outweighs bad

to a report on the feasibility of using digital textbooks in schools. If there are no major setbacks, I hope that the digital textbook system will be implemented soon.

We are on the cusp of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) and implementing this system will enable students to boost their learning.

As science and technology are evolving, the digital textbook system is suitable because it can be updated on the virtual platform, compared with textbooks, which have to be reprinted to include new information.

Traditional textbooks are also heavy, expensive and underused by teachers.

It would be interesting if the Education Ministry could partner with Google or Microsoft to produce a student edition tablet.

It could come with a proprietary software so that only applications for learning that are approved and accredited by the ministry can be installed.

This is to avoid students from abusing the tablet for games or videos.

The student edition table is not only to be used as a textbook, it can also be for jotting down notes, audio recording, homework, research and online discussions.

As it is, students are learning to process information with mobile phones. To some extent, students can learn coding with the tablet.

We need to remember that with 4IR, the employment sector tends to favour the technologically savvy.

There are pros and cons when implementing something as new as digital textbooks, but the good outweighs the bad here.

Digital textbooks are environmentally friendly, cost effective (schools can use the extra funds to invest in teachers, and additional resources for students) and do not take up storage space.

A digital tablet saves time when students need to search for topics for research or homework.

With planning and execution, digital textbooks would be a success.