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California opens classroom door to digital textbooks
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California opens classroom door to digital textbooks
California opens classroom door to digital textbooks
An initiative by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to move classrooms to use digital textbooks moved forward in Costa Mesa today. KPCC’s Adolfo Guzman-Lopez says that’s where the governor’s secretary of education unveiled a list of digital textbooks that meet state content guidelines.
Adolfo Guzman-Lopez: Orange County education superintendent Bill Habermehl held up a traditional textbook when he addressed the group, to drive home the point that students are carrying too many books.
Bill Habermehl: I want to thank the publishing industry. You’re building the backs of our kids. Not only are they large, but they’re costly.
Guzman-Lopez: More than half the 16 digital textbooks state educators reviewed met nearly all the state content guidelines. A Silicon Valley non-profit co-founded by entrepreneur Murugan Pal produced most of them. Pal said budget cuts are melting educators’ resistance to change.
Murugan Pal: That’s there right now, the economic crisis. Any crisis is really an opportunity to make use of.
Guzman-Lopez: For now, the state evaluated only high school math and science texts, with more reviews to come. Some Southland school districts are using digital textbooks in a few classrooms. State educators say that’ll change after school districts get this list of free, open source digital texts.
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