Reframing the iPad vs textbook argument
Posted by: ashleytan on: February 21, 2012
Recently, Edudemic featured an infographic by OnlineTeachingDegree of the numbers game between e-books on iPads and traditional textbooks. I could bring up Richard Byrne’s critique of infographics, but I shall not even though it applies in this case.
It should come as no surprise that textbooks cost less than iPads. But that is if one only focuses on the financial cost of the media tools.
The graphic conveniently fails to point out that iPads are not just reading devices. The iPads cost more because they are more. They are also disruptive in ways that challenge both teaching and learning.
The graphic does not illustrate the cost of NOT using such a technology in powerful ways. It cannot and it dares not. To do so would be to encourage some critical discourse and favour change. Perish the thought!
If you need to see how fickle the publishers of infographics can be, you need only look at the one offered by OnlineUniversities which focuses on how e-books are giving textbooks “a run for their money”!
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