Advertisement

Online Letters, December 26, 2017

Reading Time:4 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
0
E-learning offers pupils access to so much online material. Photo: David Wong

Pupils can benefit in school from using e-textbooks

Advertisement

Some people are sceptical about the increasing use of e-textbooks and e-learning in schools, but I think they can be effective and help pupils. They are also useful for adults in various ways.

This form of education has so much potential and we should not just focus on the cost issue, for example, of purchasing a computer or buying material online. Young people can gain from e-learning in so many ways if it is fully utilised by teachers.

For pupils e-learning offers unlimited resources which are not available with traditional textbooks. It also helps students at universities and people in the business world.

When using e-textbooks pupils may have to be adaptable and approach the learning process in a more flexible way. In the past they bought a textbook and during the course of the year might be expected to read it from start to finish. With e-learning, they can study in a different way. They can look at various e-books, just calling up and reading the relevant sections. And they can enhance the learning experience by finding other material online, such as graphics and videos, which help them to have a deeper understanding of their subject.

Advertisement

Young people in some remote parts of countries, who might have difficulty getting hold of a printed textbook, can now access it online. As long as the school makes sure there are computers they can use in class, this creates a more level playing field for everyone.

It is impossible to say how the internet will affect the learning process in the future, but I hope that it will be largely positive and progressive and actually benefit young people from different backgrounds.

Advertisement