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Schwarzenegger: "Textbooks are outdated"

Schwarzenegger: "Textbooks are outdated"


California spent $350 million on textbooks in 2008 — 1.4% of the entire state budget. Astonishing, right? It makes you wonder how. I'd imagine that most textbooks are hardcover, and hardcover textbooks are good for probably 5-10 years. Just how many new textbooks are being printed each year?

According to California governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, the answer is way too many. In his words, textbooks are "outdated," and he will be expanding online learning throughout California schools, counting on ed-tech to lessen the strain.

While I wouldn't say textbooks are worthless, teaching using the Internet and CD-ROMs certainly has its perks. Materials are produced much more cheaply, and lessons can be updated more easily and more often, delivering more timely course materials.

What do you guys think?


Link to the original article:
http://www.printweek.com/RSS/News/911931/Textbooks-wont-back-says-Schwarzenegger/

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Published Tuesday, June 09, 2009 11:03 AM by AndriaL

Comments

 

Cajun said:

I agree and have been thumping this proverbial "bible" for over a year now.  Texas should do the same thing.  Education has got to be our biggest single state expenditure yet we are always looking for new ways to spend MORE rather than less.  It makes no sense.  From what I've studied, elearning can cut budgets from 1/3 to 2/3 depending upon how the learning is facilitated.  I think I'd faint if my taxes dropped from 1/3 to 2/3rds.  

June 9, 2009 1:57 PM
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About AndriaL

Greetings! I'm Andria and I help manage the fantastic information available all around the eLearners site. Some of my very favorite things are: lying in the sun, swimming, reading, brainteasers of all kinds, singing, playing guitar, and Coca Cola.

helenh

Greetings and salutations, I am your friendly neighborhood Content Director here at eLearners.com. (I am also mom to a seemingly tireless 4-year-old girl and owner to a cat that hates me. Oh well - can't win 'em all.)

I have a bachelor's degree in computer science from Rutgers College and am thisclose to completing my master's degree in instructional design from Western Illinois University later this year.

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