Could school textbooks soon be a thing of the past for British schools?

So says Richard Culatta, a U.S. education advisor to Barack Obama, who believes that digital resources will make printed textbooks obsolete within the next five years. His belief is based on the idea that printed texts quickly go out of date, while digital resources such as apps and websites can be updated to keep pace with any changes. Culatta also pointed out other benefits of digital platforms, such as being able to manipulate the text to make it larger for those who are partially sighted.

Speaking at an Education Reform summit in Westminster, Mr Culatta said,

Learning is fun but we make it boring. Textbooks are outdated, they are in a format that it’s not adaptable, and for students learning in other languages, they can’t press the word and get a definition.”

He continued,

If I am struggling to see, I can’t zoom in. They are not accessible, they are in a format that can be updated or modified by teachers, which is important. Teachers know what they need and they need formats that adapt and they can’t do that if it’s in a traditional textbook.”

Mr. Culatta also said that he felt it was easier to get students to “engage” with their classes with interactive digital resources – particularly in science and technology subjects.

He stated,

I would get rid of textbooks really quickly. Some schools have gotten rid of the textbooks very quickly. Others take longer. I would say within a couple of years in the US, I hope in the US in less than five years. I would hope in the UK too,” adding, “Lots of stuff that has been around for a long time, but just because it has been around for a long time, it doesn’t mean that it is effective.”

Mr. Culatta’s comments came after Schools Minister, Nick Gibb warned that an “anti-textbook” culture in English schools was harming pupils’ education. Gibb believed that textbooks provide students with a more structured education, while also saving schools money and allow parents to support students outside the classroom.

Indeed, research demonstrates that schools in countries that favour textbooks tend to perform better than British schools. Despite this statistic, many schools are opting to use iPads and computers in a growing number of classes.

Could it be that the rush to digital resources could have a negative impact on exam results? Or are they a more adaptable resource for the future?