Political Group Proposes a Kindle for Every Student
Posted 07/16/09 at 07:35:23 PM by Pulkit Chandna
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The Democratic Leadership Council, a political think tank with well-connected members, has proposed that all K-12 students in America be handed an Amazon Kindle each. They believe Kindle can be made into a cost-effective platform for distributing digitalized textbooks. DLC has tried to forestall any attempts to dismiss its proposal by suggesting that all such attempts would eventually prove futile, as gadgets like Kindle will inevitably supplant textbooks.
An estimated $11.2 billion will be devoured by this mammoth project. The DLC wants the government to test the proposal’s viability, prior to taking a final call, by distributing only 400,000 Kindles in the first year. As per the proposal, annual savings to the tune of $700 million – possible by the 5th year - can be made by phasing out printed study material.
“The ‘Kindle in every backpack’ concept isn’t just an educational gimmick—it could improve education quality and save money,” the proposal reads. What does the American taxpayer make of this?
Image Credit: Prospect.Org
I got a better idea!
Submitted by Guillermo_De_Gaulle on Sun, 07/19/2009 - 10:31pm
I don't think they should buy a fleet of kindles for every child (8 year old children are a little irresponsible to cart $300 dollar equipment to and from school) BUT! kindles do posses several advantages (I would have prefered a kindle instead of 18 lbs of books), so why not make them optional? All the schools would need to do is provide the required textbooks in digital form, and make rules allowing and encouraging their use. The decision (and cost) if getting one would be passed on to the parents. That's it... it's way cheaper and less risky, schools save money by buying a few less books and (some) kids win too
And maybe amazon could make a special educational kindle that's cheaper (10% off) and bit more rugged (rubberized edges and a book like screen cover)
oh by the way giving netbooks to every student is probably a bad Idea, you'll have kids playing unreal tournament mid lecture, plus the battery life leaves something to be desired, and in any case most schools do just fine with a computer labs or laptop carts to satisfy needs for internet access or what not
Submitted by arielguard on Sat, 07/18/2009 - 8:47am
Riiight...and then they can sensor, and remove any literature they find objectionable. 1984 anyone?
Submitted by Vegan on Sat, 07/18/2009 - 12:04pm
Paranoia, anyone? If they were censoring literature, they could do it just as easily with the paper books they distribute.
Submitted by Edwincnelson on Fri, 07/17/2009 - 11:13am
Losing, missing or damaging the Kindle isn't really the point as it's clear those things happen to books and one textbook can cost close to $100. If your kid loses a book you pay. The thing to remember here is that new editions of textbooks are released yearly, and in fields like science and governement where the changes are essential to providing accurate information, the Kindle would save school districts billions in the long run by providing new editions without the cost of having to buy a new physical copy of the book. In addition, because of the limited function of the device, upgrades will never be necessary. If all you need to do is read with it why would you ever need a new one?
Kindles Saving Schools Money, a Myth?
Submitted by tkid124 on Mon, 07/20/2009 - 7:03am
Unlike computers, even technically advanced districs would have a hard time repairing the Kindles. Upgrades will be necessary as the products wear out, schools don't buy a new batch of textbooks every year, becausee most of the cost in a text book is the content, licences, not the physical book. I have worked in the Tech Dept. of a school district that uses one on one laptops, while the Kindle and other devices like it are a great idea, and will work well in limited areas, they are not ready to be pushed down onto schools.
Submitted by worm8199 on Fri, 07/17/2009 - 8:22am
I like the idea of a netbook rather than a Kindle. Like someone else said the cost wouldn't be much more if any at all and the benefit would be for taking notes and writing reports and such. The idea is a good one though. Getting rid of all those heavy ass books would save the kids backs. I see the kids at the bus stop hunched over with probably somehwhere close to a third of the own weight on their backs. That can't be good for them. But then if the netbook or Kindle is lost or broken, you just lost all of your books. They better have backups in print as well to deal with this issue.
the idea has merit, book
Submitted by nekollx on Fri, 07/17/2009 - 8:08am
the idea has merit, book bags are heavy bitches but i agree a netbook is a better investment, it lets them type reports, read text, and more for the same price as a netbook
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Eee PC please
Submitted by Cthomasuscg on Fri, 07/17/2009 - 3:46am
I agree with the above comments. Replace it with something more reliable, like an Eee PC. Not only do they get something that reads a textbook, they get something to write their essay on, and complete a powerpoint for class. To limit the design to the small little kindle, why waste our money. Kindle's been around two years, two versions, and a third on the way. And by the way, 10 BILLION could be used to make currently run down, improperly maintained schools create a better working environment for the students and the new generations of learners.
We can't give them toys in a building that is falling down.
DLC, get your head out of your a#$!
Submitted by kurakasama on Thu, 07/16/2009 - 9:54pm
I agree with the other comments about loss and breakage ect but I think we are missing one key issue that anyone that follows the tech world.
How long do you keep your PC before replacing it or at least upgrading parts? How about your pocket PC, or your phone?
Assuming savings of the $700M in the sixth or seventh year because of repairs and replacements does anyone think that the kindle will be a little outdated? Honestly my smartphone is outdated and I got it just a year ago, another year left on the contract still.
Consider what happens to tech in 7 years. In 2002 Intel released a new version of the Pentium 3. At the end of 2002 Palm introduces the palm zire (first color (kinda) palm pilot). The list goes on. My point it will be obsolete before it saves them money.
Submitted by Vegan on Thu, 07/16/2009 - 9:27pm
A Kindle is no substitute for a real textbook. Yeah, I can see how a search function would come in handy, but still.
??????
Submitted by Danielt876 on Thu, 07/16/2009 - 8:43pm
This is completely pointless becauase of a couple possablities.
1. The kid looses it.
2. The kid breaks it.
3. Just about everyone would find a way to get their own books on, and read something else during class.
This makes no sense. Schools are always looking for a way to save money and limiting resources to save money but they will go out and buy a Kindle for each kid. Just like laptops it will cause tons of trouble.
Submitted by MeTo on Thu, 07/16/2009 - 8:42pm
The kindle book would have to last five to save money. How many do you think would get lost or stolen in the first semester? How many would get broke in the first semester? My daughter is in college and is very responsible but cell phone,remote control,MP3 player hit the floor alot. How many people have dropped your school books on the floor you pick them up and carry on. Drop these on the floor and kiss it good bye.
Submitted by Velcrow on Thu, 07/16/2009 - 7:45pm
Seems that everyone is overlooking one major detail. The school system (ie. government) can barely afford to keep teachers paid, let alone provide high-tech gear to EACH friggin child. I say try paying your teachers more and discipline the children and they'll actually get educated. Ya know, actually act like education is important before the super-brains come up with multi-billion dollar plans to justify their job. Maybe they should come up with a way to actually pay for these devices AND pay teachers before suggesting anything.
Do we really think a fancy device will make our education system better? I'm gonna go out on a limb and say... no. The American culture does not respect education as much as others do. That's why we're contantly down on the list. A shift in cultural thinking and financial support for teachers would make a bigger difference. Let's start at the basics before throwing mad cash around.
Submitted by immersive on Thu, 07/16/2009 - 7:04pm
Why dose it need to be k-12 why not start with just highschool? Also why give it to them? Why not make them into the desk they use. I understand they need to be able to take there books home to study, you can't just make the meterial available online? Well for that to work I guess we would need the free wifi that was promised after TV went HD. Oh and what about a computer for kids at home like the computer for every child givin to people of other contries?
So lets see. Books built into there desk, free computer with internet so they can study from home, also make the books printable at school so they could print the pages they need to study.
Now with a free computer just about all there homework could be e-mailed into there teacher so the paper they save on most homework would make up for the paper they print. Some work would have to be done on paper still but I can see a dramatic decline in paper use if this were to happen.
Submitted by AkuPenguin on Thu, 07/16/2009 - 6:34pm
Why do this for K-12 kids. Really, is it them, or the high school through college kids who have the thousand-page TOMES to carry around?
Back in my day, we had
Submitted by Cache on Fri, 07/17/2009 - 6:26am
Back in my day, we had million-page tomes because they hadn't invented 8-point font yet for textbooks.
Submitted by Bryan Herbst on Thu, 07/16/2009 - 6:16pm
It would be great for a select group of kids, but what happens when you run into those who simply cannot keep one working for more than a week? Do we just replace it for them whenever it breaks? Even going beyond those trying to microwave their kindles, these are bound to break. Have you seen high school textbooks? Even those who traditionally take excellent care of everything will nd up giving their kindle a run for its money.
Submitted by SEALBoy on Thu, 07/16/2009 - 6:09pm
I think that taken at face value it's a good idea, but there are the obvious concerns with kids trying to figure out if the $300 Kindle can be used as a frisbee.
Also, I'm not sure how big a problem this is for K-12 school, but often in college I need multiple textbooks open... so this won't really work there.
Submitted by dcrail on Thu, 07/16/2009 - 5:56pm
While I'm no big fan of netbooks, why would you spend $300 on a Kindle, when you can pick up a netbook for the same money. Netbooks can display full color e-texts, animation, connect to the web, etc.
I think somebody at the DLC has fallen for the Amazon hype machine.
Except
Submitted by nmanguy on Thu, 07/16/2009 - 6:33pm
The thing is that LCDs are really bad for reading long periods of time.
Try reading something, anything, for 2 hours on your netbook, and then (after your eyes no longer sting)read a book.
Submitted by MeTo on Thu, 07/16/2009 - 8:51pm
Wait till they get a job and they will have to use a computer LCD 8 hours a day.
Submitted by Zachary K. on Thu, 07/16/2009 - 6:43pm
I think the kindle uses a different type of
display that makes it easier on the eyes
Its obvious that we will
Submitted by Pentium 0 on Thu, 07/16/2009 - 5:24pm
Its obvious that we will eventually go digital but im not sure that the Kindle is the right device...atleast have a color screen. It would be a step backwords otherwise.
Submitted by Goolashe on Thu, 07/16/2009 - 5:21pm
I think it's a great idea. Maybe something other than the Kindle can be used to save money as students wouldn't need all the features it has, but it's still a good idea.
Ever since e-ink was introduced to the market, I've been thinking that schools should do something like that. It would ease the amount of weight that students bookbags would be and it would be something that students would be willing to carry around. I look forward to this for college, but it would be nice to have them with bigger screens.
Submitted by pellier on Thu, 07/16/2009 - 6:06pm
kids need the exercise
Submitted by Zachary K. on Thu, 07/16/2009 - 5:18pm
Better make those kindles rock solid or millions
will get messed up, I go to high school and I see computers with missing
buttons, broken USB plugs and in crappy condition overall. They don’t respect anything,
even if the taxpayers to pay for it
Submitted by Digital-Storm on Thu, 07/16/2009 - 5:30pm
I agree, anyone that is not tech savy abuses there electronic devices.
Agreed. My brother blandly
Submitted by I Jedi on Thu, 07/16/2009 - 6:32pm
Agreed. My brother blandly throws his cell phone everywhere and says,"I have a warranty on it!" Which really isn't the point.
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