South Korea to digitize all textbooks by 2015, provide tablets for school kids

South Korean students will soon say goodbye to heavy school bags, with the Education Ministry announcing a 2.2 trillion won (S$2.4 billion) plan this week to digitalize all textbooks by 2015.

This means students may go to school with just a tablet computing device, such as the Apple iPad or Samsung Galaxy Tab.

Ministry officials said on Wednesday that students of all ages will be able to access their textbooks on smartphones, computers and smart televisions under the 'Smart Education' scheme.

The textbook plan will be implemented in primary schools by 2014, and expanded to secondary and high schools the following year, South Korean media reported.

In the transition period, both printed and digital texts will be used.

http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/technology/south-korea-to-do-away-with-printed-textbooks/450131


And Republicans are defunding public schools here. How fucked up is this political system....

Really? You do realize that books do break, cost a ton to print & buy, weigh tons, updates require a total reprint of a million paper books, while a tablet can hold 1000s of books, likely free because they are S. Korean gov. standardized books, tablets are very durable and can be fixed or replaced for a reasonable price, and serve as a computer, word processor, can play videos and interactive media, are internet devices set up for video chat and virtual classes, you name it?

Asia is WAY more technologically advanced than the US in peoples' daily lives, a fact that the US are painfully unaware of.

...my question is the reliability of placing the technology to access them in the hands of children, traveling to, from and around school on a daily basis. Once the technology inadvertantly falls and breaks, ALL of the books, papers, homework, etc. is inaccesseble until the device is repared or replaced.

I can see the books on my phone and computer as well.

don't worry, this country is too fucking backward to ever move forward enough to help our kids. Along with the politicians who enable these antiquated philosophies.

Amazing. My kid struggled with her books in school. Stupid giant textbooks designed with NO through to a child's safety or well being. But of course, it's OK with you to stay in the 19th century.

I'm pretty sure 0% of the tablets would be.

Not a deal-breaker but another thing to consider.

I have read here of some schools doing it, but we're still stuck on physical books. While I'm all for anything that cuts down or eliminates the waste endemic with the printing of books, that's not really my primary focus here.

Consider this: Individual state school boards will be able to write their books the way they see fit, instead of letting the Texas State Board of Education dictate what gets included and what doesn't. Are y'all on board with the benefits of this now? ;)

wish they'd had those around when I was in school.

And it's not really about funding. We spend more than they do per student.

It's how that money is spent. We have way too many administrators.

Turning on your iPad (or similar device) and seeing your Algebra App, English-Lit App, Physics App, etc. Your daily or weekly assignments pop right up on the screen, and have a deadline that defaults into your calander. And, parents can also have a copy of all assignments sent to their email - to track and see if their kids have completed (or even started it).

Text books & assignments are integrated together, and as information is outdated, the app just "updates" instead of killing an entire forest to reprint the updated information.

Yes, the tablets may be made in China or elsewhere.. but think of the jobs created here by app creators, programmers and educators to make this new software, etc?

Tablets and computers in education have amazing capabilities for parents & teachers to be very involved in their kids education. I live in a school district where all middle & high school kids are assigned laptops.. and elementry school kids have them, but they stay at school. The cost of the laptops is more expensive short term, but I belive it is more cost effective long term.

and was successful. Now however as she goes for her higher degrees, she has to use textbooks again, but the college gave her a laptop to add to her collection.....

American kids will be using pieces of slate.

So "retro"... so "low tech".... sooooo "saving of the taxpayers hard-earned dollars".

Who needs all them modrun doodads?