The Fate of Textbooks

BY: ETHAN SUTTON

SEPTEMBER 2, 2022

Textbooks have been an integral part of school since the 1700’s, and yet today, most textbooks sit idly on a dusty shelf. Simply put, they have become an unnecessary part of school. Technology such as computers have allowed teachers and students alike more freedom. Technology has also proven to be more cost effective, and has been easy to integrate into the classroom.

A textbook is very limited in nature, the print is limited by the page count, and the information is limited by what is currently available. This information can easily become outdated after 10 years, an age that is not uncommon for an individual textbook to achieve. With how easily a text can be edited and updated online, this is a non issue for computers.   

The freedom that computers provide cannot be overstated. Computers allow for a teacher to use a much larger scope of resources compared to that of the textbook. Things like videos, online texts, and educational websites are used daily in some classrooms. 

Textbooks aren’t cheap, something everyone can agree on. According to education data.org, the average postsecondary student spends between $628 and $1,471 annually for books. A single computer on the other hand is very affordable, especially when you take into account the value you are getting. No one can argue textbooks are logical from a financial standpoint. Even the textbook publishers have taken notice of the downward trend in sales; one such company, Mcgraw-Hill, has begun moving toward a mostly digital print.

History teacher Mr. Cheshire said, “With how many different resources there are online, there is no real need to have a textbook anymore.” Most teachers would agree that textbooks have been made purposeless by computers.

Textbooks are more of a hassle to deal with than a computer. Having to haul around a bag filled with useless textbooks on the off chance you need one is not something any student wants to deal with.

The introduction of computers into the classroom has proven that textbooks are an outdated form of teaching. They have proven to be redundant and more of a burden, than a useful resource for students to use. They have no place in the classroom.