How long before we swap textbooks for tablets? Within three years, students in South Korea will read digital textbooks instead of paper versions, says its Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, which is sinking more than 3.5 trillion won (HK$24 billion) into the programme.
Welcome to cloud cramming. Digital textbooks will be available for the students to download from a central server straight to their government-funded tablet, much as Kindle users get the latest novel delivered wirelessly to their devices.
Also in the pipeline is a system that allows students to submit assignments and attend online classes via a cloud-based hub that charts their progress.
'This is a bold and grand challenge,' says Durham University Professor Elizabeth Burd, vice-president for educational activities at IEEE Computer Society. Burd thinks it has to be about more than digitising paper-based learning materials.
'Ideally, the material should include multimedia and interactive content that encourages students to engage with the content in a thought-provoking way,' she says, recommending that the South Korean government work closely with educators and IT specialists.
The temptation to assume that modern, much-loved electronic devices can instantly improve education is a dangerous one. But there are some undeniable advantages. Anyone with a Kindle knows how it can lead to more time spent reading, although whether this is just a phase is questionable.