Thursday, April 28, 2011

Ebooks in the Classroom? by Amy Jones (Guest Post Time!!!)


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:
I am a 1993 graduate of The University of North Carolina at Greensboro where I received a Bachelor of Science degree in Dance Education. I have seventeen years of experience in education and currently teach Dance and Theater Arts to high school students in southeastern North Carolina. Dancing, acting and writing are all forms of communication. Each form requires exceptional creativity and passion to inspire and impress an audience. I have enjoyed a passion for reading, writing, and the arts since I was a child. As an adult I’ve enjoyed having the opportunity to share my passion for the arts with children. It only seems appropriate that delving into the world of teen fiction would be the next logical step in my life.


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!

6 comments:

Amelia said...

That was such an interesting article! Thanks Amy and Evie!
It definitely made me think about how ebooks influence our lives. As a student I have been studying from ebooks a lot! And not only because it was easier to instantly access many of them, but also simply because it was much cheaper. University textbooks are ridiculously expensive!
I'm a traditionalist, I prefer reading "hard" copies of books (at least fiction books), but let's face it.. ebooks are not only cheaper and instantly accessible, but it's also easier to store them and take them with you on mobile devices like iPhone or Blackberry. Plus you get to save few trees from being chopped down!

Then again.. like Amy pointed out, nothing can replace the excitement from holding a brand new book in your hands and smelling the freshly printed ink!

Bonnie said...

What a great article! My first thought was ebooks instead of textbooks - yes please! Who needs the 40lb backpack, or the frustration of forgetting a book that you need. How nice would it be if it was on your laptop or ereader. I also went to a school that often did not have enough textbooks for each student - so the thought of actually *getting* a textbook is kind of exciting as well.

BUT... I as I thought about it more I was reminded that as much as I LOVE my ereader it is not the most convenient device to flip back to an earlier chapter to look up a word/fact/date, and then flip back to where you were reading. Also, I personally cannot stand reading on the computer for a long period of time. I think that ebooks definitely have a place in the classroom, but I don't know that they would suit everyone's learning styles (ahem... the hilighter kids) nor do I really think they would be appropriate for every subject.

Daniel said...

Hi Dude,

E-books can be used like a textbook that is available online, only it is the teacher, who is writing the content. The popularity of the e-book is growing substantially and is being widely used all over the Internet. Thanks a lot...

Building Confidence and Self Esteem

Norman Roy said...

GREAT INTERVIEW!

Jennifer said...

I remember lugging around so many books too. E-books as a replacement? I still like reading a real book. But such an interesting idea.

Janine said...

This was very interesting to read ^^ Great!

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