The revolution has been canceled.

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The revolution has been canceled.

: Image by opensourceway via Flickr

While doing some brainstorming today, I decided to do a search for articles about digital textbooks. One of the results was an article from David Warlick. In it, he mentioned how excited he was that his son had the choice of “bringing home a traditional, 400 page, five-pound, paperbound book, and a one-half ounce optical CD-ROM.” Of course, reality came crashing down when he realized the CD was little more than over-glorified PDFs.

He goes on to describe several characteristics he expects to see from digital texts. Some interesting ideas, it’s worth reading.

But what troubles me is that the article was written almost exactly 6 years ago. And in that time, there has been almost zero progress towards this end in most schools.

Depressing to say the least. That’s not to say there hasn’t been any progress at all. At Discovery, we have a Science service that has been approved for use as a textbook and is purchasable with textbook funds in the state of Oregon. Without a doubt, I think it’s on the right track. It has all the text one might want, but also videos, interactives, simulations, multimedia, bookmarking, read alouds, and assessment built into it. One could never accuse it of being an over-glorified pDF.

What’s concerning to me is how slow this adoption process is. While we’re working on getting it approved in several other states right now, for the most part a school can’t adopt a digital text even if they wanted to.

Think about that. It’s the year 2010 and most schools still can’t spend their textbook dollars on a digital solution. 21st Century skills? Meet 20th Century curriculum.

So what’s a teacher to do in this situation? The only thing they can… Pray they have an incredibly enlightened administration or fly under the radar. I think that’s what upsets me most. I see teachers that are doing incredibly innovative things to provide their students the best education possible, and more often than not they feel they have to hide their actions from the administration. In order to do what they feel is best for students and learning, they have to become fugitives within their own buildings.

In the end, for anybody who is patiently waiting for the digital revolution to come to them…. well don’t hold your breath. Unless you just happen to live in Oregon… or can convince your school/district to change the rules. Otherwise, if you want to do right for your students, you better be prepared to start a revolution of your own. Nobody else is going to do it for you.

The 21st-century textbook (radar.oreilly.com)
The Coming Digital Textbook Wave (downes.ca)
Available for Free: 75K School Textbooks from Pearson Education (prathambooks.org)

5/18/2010 11 Comments

I was asked to present on handheld and mobile technology trends at a local technical college this morning. I took this gig mainly to kick my own thinking and explore things in preparation.

My conclusion was similar to what you expressed above.

There’s huge hype on the iPad. I understand buying books. I even understand that there are a ton of free books.

Try taking a Word document and making it a book. Not so easy on the paths I tried. I considered the PDF route after some frustration in banging around creating stuff in the ebook format. Of course, then there’s the “how do I get this PDF to my iPad?” It’s not that these are impossible steps…it’s that it could/should be much easier. There’s a difference in format/specs that’s going to hold things back even further.
John Pederson´s last blog ..“Don’t get kicked in the face by a horse.” is apparently a 1st grade standard in Wisconsin.

John Pederson

5/18/2010
I agree with you here 100%. In my district (Rockwood in suburban STL) we are using Discovery Science as our textbook in the elementary schools. We spent money on this and all the materials for science kits instead of textbooks. I think that is big start for us and hopefully we continue to move this way in the future.

Bob Deneau

5/19/2010
Completely with you on this point also, although I wonder is it just about the text book being converted to digital. Is there not some part that is being restricted by the method of accessing such resources?
i.e. having fantastic, full media, resources/books is fantastic, but the requirement for an easy way to view the material is a requirement.
As you mention also, it’s getting it into the mindset of all the teachers out there. Many new teachers are keen, but as always, there’s entrenched habits that have to be changed…..

Or am I over-reading the situation? first-year teacher here who’s really interested in this topic.
Neal´s last blog ..Use to trending or recent topics in classes

Neal

5/19/2010
While i’ve actively used the word “revolution” when talking and writing about the current transition to digital textbooks, it’s a misconception, like many revolutions, that change will quickly sweep out the old and replace it with the new. (i must say that it’s fun to call my presentation, Textbook Deathwatch.) The reality is that what’s happening is more evolutionary-like, than revolutionary. Yes, Discovery Science was adopted in Oregon and Hawaii, and it’s components include many of the features i believe will be included in future resources. Like digital cameras in 1991, which were expensive, bulky, and feature-lacking, we are at the beginning of the evolutionary process and a new species has yet to be born. what’s happening in Texas and California (and South Korea) are helping to fuel and shape future mutations, but i find this an interesting journey.

Brian Bridges

5/19/2010
RT @teach42: The revolution has been canceled. http://bit.ly/9zrhlC – Is it even possible/worthwhile to continue the dream of digital texts?

A.Manternach

5/19/2010
Currently reading – The revolution has been canceled. – by @teach42 http://www.teach42.com/2010/05/18/the-revolution-has-been-canceled/

Ania Zielinska

5/23/2010
RT @teach42: The revolution has been canceled. http://bit.ly/9zrhlC

Greg Limperis

5/24/2010
RT @TechInteginEd: RT @teach42: The revolution has been canceled. http://bit.ly/9zrhlC

Dan Barber

5/24/2010
RT @teach42: The revolution has been canceled. http://bit.ly/9zrhlC

Michele Rivera

5/31/2010
I completely agree with you on the points made in your post. Schools are falling behind in times in regards to textbooks. I would completely make more sense to have digital books instead of the 400 pound paper books. It would allow for much more interactive learning with video clips, website links, and push our kids into the 21st century of learning.

I believe that school’s economic status also plays into why it is taking so long for them to adopt this idea. I am from Illinois and school districts are facing enormous budget cuts this coming school year. Thousands of teachers are getting laid off, school districts are going into enormous debt because of back payments form the state, and schools are looking at various drastic solutions such as adopting a four day school week. The last thing on the minds of school districts is moving from old school paper text books to digital books. Although there would probably be a long term savings on text books for the school, the up front cost would be too substantial for any Illinois school district to consider right now.

Unfortunately, at least for the time being, I believe that the students of Illinois are just going to have to continue to carry around those paper books!

S. Regilio

6/13/2010
I agree that the process has been at snail’s pace. However, just this past school year my students, families, and myself were able to access a social studies curriculum through the use of digital conversion. It so much more than “not having a textbook.” Being able to access maps, video clips, real-time geography, review lessons, and subject related games was the new and exciting feature for all of us. I had parents excited that they could access the components at home! Gone are the days of forgetting your textbook at school.

Rebecca

6/20/2010