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Kevin Jacobson

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Schools need to update their text books for higher, up to date, education.

Schools tend to keep a set of textbooks for up to a decade. That just doesn't seem right. Especially in science, chemistry or social studies classes. Plus, if something happens to the book while your in possession of it during the school year, the school, at least in my case, charges you full price for the book when it was already in poor condition from previous use.

Topics: Accountability: education
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Closing Statement from Kevin Jacobson

Basically, The educational system needs to change for better education around the world.

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    Debra Smith 200+

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    Jun 27 2012: That might be old thinking. Why upgrade textbooks which will surely be out of touch next week. Why not show them TED talks and stay perfectly current? It can maximize class time if they watch as homework and then you can get comments or feedback or bring them here to make postings.
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      Kevin Jacobson

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      Jun 28 2012: I never thought of that. Great idea.
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        Debra Smith 200+

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        Jun 28 2012: It would absolutely thrill me if it were good enough to be plugged in and I hope you will find it so....it is now yours.
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      Claudia Valdes

      • +1
      Jun 29 2012: Hi Debra,

      I think your idea of showing them all TED talks is good, but I think it should be as a complement of the education. We must not loose the importance of a book, even if it is digital.
      Here in Mexico, and I think in many other countries, we have a problem, people don't like to reed, they just want to know, but not make the effort of reading.
      Personally, I found reading the most revealing experience, why?, because it help us develop our imagination. I can give you an example of that, in the case of history, is not the same that a child can imagine who the World War I or II develop, than watching a film, because in the film he is watching the imagination of someone else, and he doesn't get the opportunity to imagine by himself.
      It is true that our society receives updated information almost by every day, and that we must find a solution, but I don't think the answer for that will be the elimination of the text book.
      Beside the text book, we have forgotten the importance of the teacher. The teacher in the classroom is the person in charge of the children education, if the teacher is not updated with the information just released, it doesn't matter how many changes a book may have, it will be worthless. That's why I think the change in this should start with our teachers.

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