Doing away with books in the classroom

James Ratemo

In one corner in a Standard Four classroom three pupils sit around a computer. One of them puts on headphones to take his turn at the computer, reading passages from a virtual storybook complete with lively animations.

When she trips over a word, a voice-detection software signals her to retry. After all the pupils complete the exercise, the computer gives the teacher a progress report on the students, down to the letter combinations they could not pronounce.

This is not science fiction but a scene from the future classroom and it may just be around the corner.

Soon students will no longer be able to use the excuse: "My dog ate my homework".

Computers are forcing educators to reconsider how people learn and what useful information is.

In many classrooms around the world, information communication technology (ICT) is helping teachers cut down on paper use. Teachers can keep grades and attendance online and use free Internet generated information. Students are also accessing free reading material online.

Kenya is waking up to the reality of a paperless classroom. Just last week the Kenya Institute of Education (KIE) announced it had developed a digital maths and science syllabus for classes Four and Five. The institute is now converting classes Six and Seven, and Form One and Two subjects into digital modules before piloting them in schools.

KIE Director Lydiah Nzomo says the digital curriculum would enable learners to access lessons that have otherwise been out reach because of the high cost of books. She says the module, which are available on KIE website, come with demonstration and detailed explanations and can be self-administered without need of a textbook. The audio-visual lessons can also be packaged in compact disks.

A single lesson can be taught in all schools with the facilitation of teachers in a similar manner to what used to be done with KIE radio and television lessons.

If properly implemented, the syllabus will reduce cost of publishing since the digital formats can easily be updated and distributed as opposed to paper, which can only be replaced with each new edition. Besides obvious savings in paper, e- learning allows parents, schools and Government to save on buying books and exposes students to a wider range of learning material from the Internet.

In future students will be able to download books and plays from the KIE website but also other free Internet public libraries. Evidence that the paperless classroom is around the corner came two months ago when Mr Arnold Schwarzenegger, the California governor, unveiled a plan to save his struggling state money by phasing out school textbooks in favour of learning over the internet. The governor said he believed that online activities such as Facebook, Twitter and downloading to portable devices demonstrate that young people are ready to learn from the Internet.

"A world of up-to-date information fits easily into their pockets and onto their computer screens," the governor wrote in the San Jose Mercury News.

Since August California high school maths and science students have been offered educational materials online and the opportunity to use digital readers, which hold the equivalent of 160 books.

But for the digital revolution to be realised locally there is need for massive investment in upgrading teachers’ ICT skills and infrastructure including Internet, computers and personal digital assistants (PDAs). The Government is working with various organisations to equip teachers with ICT skills, improve access to computers and provide connectivity and electricity to schools to support e-learning.

In some schools in the West, students already receive tests and homework on their PDAs via an infrared beam from teachers. Teachers can type tests and assignments into their computers at home and transfers them to the PDAs at school saving time and photocopying costs.