I'm very excited to welcome Amy Jones to Bookish today!
Amy is a YA fantasy fiction writer and her debut novel, Soul Quest, was one of my top favorite reads of this year! I've been lucky enough to interview Amy before, as well as review her brilliant novel. Here are the links to both posts: Soul Quest review, Amy Jones interview.
Guys, please give a warm welcome to Amy...
About Amy:
Visit Amy's website for the Spring Blog Carnival hop (May 1st - May 8th) and get a free copy of her amazing YA fantasy novel - Soul Quest!!!
How awesome is that?
It's a limited time offer, so hurry up and grab it! :)
Ebooks in the Classroom? by Amy Jones
I recently read an article about the prospect of Ebooks replacing textbooks in the classroom. I remembered instantly what a pain it was (literally) to lug a huge book sack over stuffed with high school curriculum to and from school everyday. You remember that picture, Literature, Arithmetic, Science and Social Studies busting at the seams, day in and day out. Just imagine what it would be like to have all of that knowledge at your fingertips in an instant on an ereader device. I suppose it shouldn’t be that much of a surprise to me. As a teacher I’ve seen technology pave its way slowly, yet consistently into the nooks and crannies of our schools over the past several decades. Video projectors were first replaced by VCR’s and finally DVD players. Those green grading books became networked programs through out a state wide system. Instead of scratching numbers into a tiny box, teachers plunk them into a computer database and export them. Chalkboards have become whiteboards, overhead projector images are now on power point, students demonstrate oral report presentations using Video Maker and the old musty Apple computer lab in the back of the school has transformed into a portable Del laptop laboratory.
Has all of this changed how kids are learning in the classroom? You bet it has. It has engaged them deeper in the learning process, furthering their understanding of the curriculum. So, what does the emergence of ebooks equal in this equation? More kids reading? Maybe. Children in today’s world are entirely tuned in to technology. They have cell phones, ipods, laptop computers, Zunes, Wii, Xbox, accounts on Facebook and Twitter… you get the drift. When you really think about it, if you want to encourage a child to read into today’s society it almost sounds crazy to consider handing them a paper bound book. You might as well hand them an old forty – five record or VHS video. The reality is traditional books may become obsolete sooner than we believe. Many school systems in the more affluent areas have already traded in their bound textbooks for ebook formatted curriculum. Instead of passing out textbooks on the first day of school teachers are downloading the documents to their student’s laptops. Colleges and universities are doing the same thing on a greater scale.
What does this mean for the writing industry? What does this mean for indie authors? I know many of us love to feel the weight of a book in our hands as our fingers sift through the pages. There is nothing like the scent of fresh ink on paper, or in contrast, the weightlessness of the paper thin worn copy of your favorite novel that you’ve read at least twenty times. Never the less, I believe a Golden Era in publishing may be on the approach. I believe many would argue it has already emerged and a revolution in writing dawns upon us. What do you think? Please interject your thoughts. I would love to hear your opinion.
Both Amy and I would love to hear your opinion on the subject! What do you guys think about the prospect of eBooks replacing textbooks in the classrooms? Let us know in the comments below!
Amy, thank you so much for taking the time out of your busy schedule to join us here today! It's always a great pleasure to talk to you. I am looking forward to the next installment in the Soul Quest Trilogy!
