Some people argue that schools should stop using books in teaching since students find them cumbersome and therefore digital gadgets are the better appealing approach in education. In my perspective, while both methods provide their own benefits, there should be a balanced approach to maximize their full potential.
On the one hand, traditional teaching materials such as books and transcripts are becoming more obsolete in classrooms due to the fact that they are mostly text – based and as not appealing as other teaching tools. Without any visual inputs, students can not fully visualize the written content and as a result, they view the reading process as a weary and monotonous process. However, books still offer a meaningful impact on readers’ cognitive ability through reading them. Since there are few images, learners have to imagine the visual content based on the texts and by doing so, their creativity can become strongly enhanced over time.
On the other hand, digital gadgets are solidifying their position in education. They are becoming more effective in conveying knowledge to students since newer generations tend to have shorter attention spans. Reading is often boring to these students and they often seek support from other teaching tools to make lessons more engaging. This is where digital teaching tools prove their usefulness by providing visual imagery and interactive activities for students. However, these convenient tools come at a cost. The price of a single unit can be still manageable but in order to accommodate the large number of students, schools may run into financial problems. Not only does this affect schools’ financial ability but it also takes a toll on students’ fee.
In conclusion, combining the traditional and modern methods of teaching may resolve their own drawbacks. Books are still required in literature and subjects that need creativity so that students’ cognitive ability can be improved. At the same time, by integrating a limited amount of modern gadgets in certain scientific subjects such as physics or biology to make lessons more appealing to students, schools can avoid spending too much expense on modern teaching tools.