Should Ipads be the Permanent Textbook? Journalism Uncategorized October 23, 2018November 1, 2018 Should Ipads be the Permanent Textbook? October 24. 2018 Cora Pereira Ipads should not replace textbooks as a permanent learning resource for students. Today you can walk down the street and won’t see a single bookstore. There are libraries, but even those are becoming obsolete. Today most schools and colleges use electronic textbooks and resources for teaching classes and students. Ipads however are the most popular source of gaining information by most students. Students prefer to use an Ipad instead of carrying around physical textbooks not only for a less physical burden, but also as an easier and quicker way to access the information. However, as students continue to use ipads, they sacrifice retaining the information. With one quick google search they gain the information, but after they use this information they do not retain it. When students have to physically hold a book and read through the pages they are more apt to retain the information. Because they are physically putting in the work to find this information they are learning more. Ipads take away the motivation and work necessary to gain information. Students however rely on technology over books because it is a shortcut to an easier A+. They unfortunately overlook the fact that they are giving up valuable information put in their curriculum. What is the point of doing the work if you aren’t gaining any of the information or skills the teachers provide you with? Another downside to using ipads as a textbook in all schools and colleges is the amount of distractions available while having internet access or access to other applications. As students scroll through different tabs and multitask on the ipad they are losing their train of thought. As soon as they are concentrated on one task or idea and switch to another tab they are immediately thrown out of their “Mojo” or zone. With books and textbooks they are actively thinking about one topic and are able to better analyze and use the information they are finding. In schools especially this is an important skill to have. In all learning environments, each section of the curriculum is used as a step or ladder for the next section. How can students continue to go through the curriculum without retaining information given to them early on in the course?