What part can technology play in real learning?
What's more important: computers or books?

Bushra B.
Harris Girls' Academy
England, United Kingdom

The question I am going to research is - what's more important: computers or books?

I believe that computers are more important as you have different software to choose from such as Microsoft: power point, word, excel and publisher e.t.c. to use to suite your needs. Computers help present your work neatly and are also easy to operate. Unlike books, computers allow you to access the internet a world wide web where you are able to get a wide variety of information from.

Advantages of using computers:

• Using computers helps prevent tasks such as: cutting, pasting and retrieval of field notes.
• Computers are a useful aid to those who have to work to tight deadlines.
• Programs can cope with both multiple codes and over-lapping codes which would be very difficult for the researcher to cope with, without the aid of a computer.
• Programs can combine codes in complex searches.
• Computers can be used to help the researcher overcome 'analysis block'.

DISADVANTAGES

• Programs cannot understand the meaning of text.
• Participants can change their opinions and contradict themselves during an interview.

Advantages of reading books are as follows:

• Books help you understand things better.
• Books teach you new things.
• Books improve test scores.
• Books have more accurate and reliable information.

Disadvantages of reading a book are as follows:

• Affects eye sight
• People try connecting with what they read. This may cause mental issues
• Makes you tired
• Can get boring.

However a study claims the following:

Books are better for schools than computers

Survey of 6,000 schools finds that books improve test scores more than PCs.

Schools get more value from books than computers, a survey has found.

Spending £100 on books would increase Key Stage 2 test scores by an average of 1.5 per cent, while spending the same on computer technology would only result in an increase of 0.72 percent on average.

This survey proves that schools benefit from books then computers as the student's grades are often higher when using books.

“A study also claims that old-fashioned books are better than computers at raising standards among primary school children.”

Independent research for the Publishers' Association found that schools which spent more on their library stock than new technology were twice as likely to get better test results. On average, primary schools now spend £30 per pupil on computers each year, £19 per pupil on books.



CONCLUSION:

In conclusion I believe that computers are better than books. However the evidence gathered outweighs the advantages of computers which prove that books are more effective as they have more accurate information, even though they do get out of date after a while. You would have to print another edition of a book to keep it current.

Also the information given by books is more reliable as there are fewer sources and known sources. Anyone can post up a website. Books are safer as well. They don't allow strangers to be in contact with children (e.g. chat rooms)

As you can see it is said that books help improve students test scores which means they are very helpful.

References

1. Article - "Reading Books Is Important To Development"
2. Google
3. Ask.com
4. Everyclick



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