The format with which students read in the present continues to change to the demands of the proliferating technology. Colleges and universities worldwide are rushing to be at par with advanced information technology. Learning and reading by the students has been found to be the Centre-stage of technological advancement with the introduction of electronic material to replace hard-copy material for learners. Pressure from all corners has been piled to all stakeholders dealing with students to introduce, maintain the practice of electronic learning to enhance affectivity as they tap the benefits of advanced technology. Students, therefore, should be encouraged to use technology such as iPads in schools in order to make learning easier and more enjoyable. This paper evaluates the advantages of embracing technology like the iPad by the students over textbooks in their learning.

Embracing iPads and other e-learning material enabled devices enhances interactivity, and this is a plus to the learners. Publishers, who have also embraced the technology, are, in addition to publishing a book in print, introducing digital formats to enhance learning and understanding (Naillon 30). Students who have loved technology can in this case be able to access the book in the form of portable digital format, listen to audio files, watch videos of the book and as well watch animations to enhance understanding of the text. With universities and colleges maintaining online libraries and online resource centers, it means that their students can access materials anywhere anytime and achieve learning goals up to 80 percent faster that using the hard-copy material.

The initial costs of starting and running e-learning resource centers are little compared to corresponding costs of maintaining hard-copy learning materials. Accessibility to the e-learning resources is made cheaper even by considering their durability. Naillon asserts that most colleges and universities have entered into memorandums with publishers to break costs of electronic books advantaging the students (27). In addition, renting of eBooks by publishers has seen many students consider technological methods like the iPad to access learning material. A big plus for e-learning students is the current trend of lecturers who are using iBook’s Author to write open eBooks for their students. This has enabled them to eliminate publishers in the system making the books readily available.Textbooks may not produce as much material and in the variety as an iPad. This makes more students and schools favor the iPad as a number one method in developing the materials of the curriculum. Any school not considering or implementing such is seen to be living in the dark days and students are likely to avoid it. Embracing technology has enabled teachers to track the understanding and performance of students in class (Loomis and Martin 248). The technology in this case enables teachers to programme software to flush questions as well as multiple choice answers on the screen to the students. From this teachers are able to know who answered what and the system also informs teachers of the students who did not understand.

Learning to use practical experiments in science laboratories has been digitalized becoming more enhanced and making understanding easier (Loomis and Martin 248). The use of simulations of dissections and experiments has enabled students execute investigations which were not possible in the old days. Repetitions of experiments can be used to enhance understanding to slow-learners without worry of depletion of materials and safety.

Adoption of technology such as iPads has gone a long way in enabling students with special needs to learn. Loomis and Martin assert that animations of the 3D type and 3D non-verbal communications activities can be of use in teaching children suffering from autism (248). This has been used to enable them acquire social communication skills.

The use of iPads and related devices has enhanced the conduct of scientific fairs and conferences worldwide (Hyson 20). Students from any part of the world are able to participate in such competitions, conferences and fairs incurring very little marginal costs.

Use of the iPad applications has been found to be invaluable by students and administrators in schools. Mobile ME, an inbuilt application of the iPad that makes use of the Find-My-iPad technology, has been handy in protection and tracking technological devices in schools (Gunter, Gunter and Sherry 348). The technology has been used in anti-theft programs to protect electronic learning materials. The use of text books cannot be compared with such high level tracking and protection of intellectual property.

The multifunctional nature of the iPad has made it to be the darling of many. For example, the multi-touch iPad can be used easily to take notes by just tapping on the screen since it is digital-touch enabled. Gunter et al indicates that the Apple iPad, for example, has changed the tiresome process of note-taking forever.

The heaviness and bulkiness of textbooks give me another reason why I should use my iPad for learning purposes. Many schools are bargaining for lightweight iPads against the heavyweight textbooks (Lopez, Garcia, Duennas and Morrell 223). They have realized the advantage of embracing electronic learning resources and have embarked on creating websites where students can access electronic materials.

Researchers claim that the iPad impacts literacy in students (Jim 2). With iPads, students can make easily do their assignments and also their research while seated anywhere. This has contributed in propagating the culture innovations since the research resource is made readily available.

On the other hand, there are obstacles in the application of technology that makes some students favor the use of hardcover learning material. Naillon states that not all students may afford the cost of the iPad, whereas if they may all afford, not all iPads, will support a particular format of an electronic learning material (27).

Application of technology that supports the use of the iPad comes as an additional cost to the institution of learning. Naillon notes that strained bandwidths have been witnessed in universities due to congested networks as almost all the students come with their iPads (27). Web security risks for the institution are increased in such a case ant the institution may end up losing its intellectual property.

Lack of will and passion for technology is a challenge to using the iPad and related technological learning materials by students. There are teachers who will never support application of new technology simply because they are not in love with it (Kors and Gustafson 23). There are students who naturally dislike devices. Textbooks will be the best for them. Administrators of such nature may not develop infrastructure that favors application of new technology and in such a case students will find textbooks to be their best option.

There is a group of students to whom the use of electronic means like the iPad will be of fewer benefits than the textbook. Such are students of various categories. Students with medical problems whose eyes are affected by iPad screens will be benefited by textbooks. A textbook will never have an effect to the extent of medical problems to them. A number of students like underlining material in books as the read. Such group of students will not befriend the highlighting in the iPads and thus, textbooks are their darling.

Conclusion

The fact the use of the iPad in learning by the students is advantageous over the use of textbooks cannot be overemphasized. The advantages of adoption of the iPad in, particular, and modern technology in general, in learning institutions far outweighs any imagination of such a comparison with textbooks. The iPad is favored than the textbooks because of its multifunctional nature as well as its ability to enhance interactivity. Everything in the sector of education in the present times is going digital. Government policies and institutional requirements, coupled with globalization have put pressure on the education sector to adopt modern technology like the iPad. However, students should not just abandon textbooks and rush to the iPad. There are formats that iPad cannot support, and they are possible only with the textbooks.

Works Cited

Gunter, Landolph, Gunter A. Glender, and Sherry B. Gary. Teachers Discovering Computers, 7th ed: Integrating Technology in a Connected World. USA: Cengage Learning, 2011. Print.

Hyson, John. Science Fair Warm-up: Learning the Practice of Scientists. n.d. Web. 28 Oct. 2013.

Jim, Harmon. Unlocking Literacy with iPad. n.d. Web. 28 Oct. 2013.

Kors, Kurt and Gustafson Kimberly. Strategic Implications of an Educational Technological Assessment. Indiana: Educause Review Online, 2004. Print.

Lopez, Jorge, Garcia Veronica, Duennas Rudy and Morrell Ernest. Critical Media Pedagogy: Teaching for the achievement of City Schools. Amsterdam, NY:Teachers College Press, 2013. Print

Naillon, Buffy. “What are the Pros & Cons of Using iPads to Replace Textbooks in Colleges?”. n.d. Web. 28 Oct. 2013.

Loomis, Kimberly and Martin David. Building Teachers: A Constructivist Approach to Introducing Education. USA: Cengage Learning, 2012. Print.

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