The advent of Google, Wikipedia and other collaboratively-created, edited and free for all platforms have made attaining knowledge easier now than ever before which now has made the classic manuals a thing of the past. Are the repercussions of this change positive or negative is what I will discuss .This essay will argue that the benefits of the situation exceed the drawbacks due to its practicality and eco-friendly improvement.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, when all schools and universities were shut and all, otherwise normal activities had to be replicated online, was the time when a lot of us got to know the immense power of the digital libraries online. The sheer unending knowledge that was accessible to almost anyone was what kept the universities and schools running even when the world went into lockdown. As a pupil progresses from a high schooler to a university student the cost of the learning materials especially textbooks increase exponentially, thus making the internet a great free resource to replace our traditional handbook. Thus, from a cost effectiveness standpoint, online resources have a great advantage over our traditional paperbacks. Furthermore, with the economic disparity in today’s world, it is becoming extremely difficult for a person with lower means to get a good education, and I feel that the introduction of online libraries and the wealth of free information online that is accessible to anyone makes it easier that ever before to start on a level playing field.
The convenience aspect of not having to haul an often large academic book to classes may also be a welcome advantage to many, as nowadays with the increasing amount of cloud storage or digital storage makes it easier for us to have as many books as we want at the touch of a finger.
One major disadvantage of digital materials Is the relatively easy piracy of the material, which is then shared for free. But, this is not a problem that cannot be solved with stricter laws regarding the same. Despite the advantages, some people believe that e-books can cause eyestrain. The amount of time spent on screen exposes the eye to harmful rays that may be detrimental to ophthalmic health down the road. Radiation is likely to cause farsightedness, but, it can be prevented using blue tinted glasses, that blocks the radiation. Moreover, it can be a challenging issue for underprivileged tertiary students who cannot afford a particular gadget for e-learning, but in this case, the institutions or the government can resolve it with financial aid. Also, to be noted is the fact that digitalisation may not be convenient for everyone and also can cause harm to health which are the drawbacks. If others really cherish the feel, touch and smell of the paper then the digital alternative may not satisfy them, for instance. Moreover, sitting for long hours in front of digital screens is detrimental to the eyes and can bring about other pernicious effects on the body as well. Therefore, older generations are addicted to paper publications and the youngsters are risking devastating deterioration in their health, particularly in their sight, as a result of adoption of alternative technology.
In conclusion, unequivocally there are a combination of advantages and downsides in case the tertiary institutions replaced the paper version of textbooks with the modern digital alternatives. Nevertheless, I argue that the harms are infinitesimally small when compared to the enormous advantages of digitalisation.Overall, to ensure that everyone, regardless of economic background, can have quality education at a fraction of the price, is a step in the right direction.