Sweden returns to using textbooks

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Please can we do the same?

https://amp.theguardian.com/world/2023/sep/11/sweden-says-back-to-basics-schooling-works-on-paper

The return to more traditional ways of learning is a response to politicians and experts questioning whether Sweden’s hyper-digitalised approach to education, including the introduction of tablets in nursery schools, had led to a decline in basic skills.

Do you work for the textbook industry or something? There's no need for this old tech. It's like demanding we return to scrolls.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Singapore still uses paper textbooks and lots of paper worksheets. Teaching style there is very traditional. Their PISA scores are far far higher than the US and have been for many years.

I don’t believe this is true. Singapore is a global leader in applied technology and are investing in it for schools.

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/moe-education-ministry-technology-learning-spaces-industry-partnerships-21cc-framework-3790921

My niece goes to high school in Cupertino - home of Apple in the Silicon Valley - and they use textbooks.

My niece goes to school in Florida. They also use textbooks that teach about states rights and seem to white wash history.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Again Europe is ahead on education. If only Randi Weingarten would immigrate and even things out.

It's wild how such a pernicious person manages to hold such an important position in the US education establishment. No surprise that she doesn't actually have kids herself (to my knowledge). Free to make horrible decisions without any concern for the consequences. A purely self-interested political actor wreaking havoc on a generation of children and the nation's future.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Please can we do the same?

https://amp.theguardian.com/world/2023/sep/11/sweden-says-back-to-basics-schooling-works-on-paper

The return to more traditional ways of learning is a response to politicians and experts questioning whether Sweden’s hyper-digitalised approach to education, including the introduction of tablets in nursery schools, had led to a decline in basic skills.

I'm so glad to hear this. My 4th grade/APS daughter brought home study sheets for VA history. These were very brief sections, mostly 1 sentence bullet points. Missing the paragraphs of explanation that a textbook would've had. I've no clue what they're supposed to be learning. Memorize bullet points and by process of elimination match memory to multiple choice answers?

+1. Kids are not learning how to look up the answers from a paragraph in their textbook. They are not learning how to scan for what they need. It’s a critical skill. It’s already been boiled down for them and life doesn’t work like that. Parents have nothing to reference either if a child needs extra help.

Books are a past technology. Internet and digital resources are many years fresher up to date.
Its not a matter of "boiling down", which by the way is the very definition of "textbook".

[Anonymous]

Weird thread. Our school never stopped.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m an attorney. I have found over the years that I digest information much better when I print it, highlight and take notes in the margins—even if I never refer back to my highlights and notes. I don’t think our kids retain information the same way from an iPad that they would from a textbook. There is no coincidence that leaning metrics have gone down. Yes, Covid is the primary reason but I think the loss of textbooks has contributed.

This is most people btw. Technology can be used (IMO) for to display/share/delve into known concepts- it should not be used to learn new concepts.
It should be used as a supplement not the main course.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Again Europe is ahead on education. If only Randi Weingarten would immigrate and even things out.

It's wild how such a pernicious person manages to hold such an important position in the US education establishment. No surprise that she doesn't actually have kids herself (to my knowledge). Free to make horrible decisions without any concern for the consequences. A purely self-interested political actor wreaking havoc on a generation of children and the nation's future.

I've never seen someone so deeply hated by so many Republicans.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Randi_Weingarten

I love her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Again Europe is ahead on education. If only Randi Weingarten would immigrate and even things out.

It's wild how such a pernicious person manages to hold such an important position in the US education establishment. No surprise that she doesn't actually have kids herself (to my knowledge). Free to make horrible decisions without any concern for the consequences. A purely self-interested political actor wreaking havoc on a generation of children and the nation's future.

I've never seen someone so deeply hated by so many Republicans.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Randi_Weingarten

I love her.

She kept schools closed and accused those of us who wanted our kids back in school of wanting to kill teachers. Teachers who were on vacation in Mexico. Eff her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Please can we do the same?

https://amp.theguardian.com/world/2023/sep/11/sweden-says-back-to-basics-schooling-works-on-paper

The return to more traditional ways of learning is a response to politicians and experts questioning whether Sweden’s hyper-digitalised approach to education, including the introduction of tablets in nursery schools, had led to a decline in basic skills.

Why?

Because (checks notes), Sweden does something?

This is a digital age. Textbooks are heavy and outdated. Would like to force kids to use slate and chalk too?

Chalk is for people who make mistakes. Students should think before they write, and write with chisel in stone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Please can we do the same?

https://amp.theguardian.com/world/2023/sep/11/sweden-says-back-to-basics-schooling-works-on-paper

The return to more traditional ways of learning is a response to politicians and experts questioning whether Sweden’s hyper-digitalised approach to education, including the introduction of tablets in nursery schools, had led to a decline in basic skills.

I'm so glad to hear this. My 4th grade/APS daughter brought home study sheets for VA history. These were very brief sections, mostly 1 sentence bullet points. Missing the paragraphs of explanation that a textbook would've had. I've no clue what they're supposed to be learning. Memorize bullet points and by process of elimination match memory to multiple choice answers?

+1. Kids are not learning how to look up the answers from a paragraph in their textbook. They are not learning how to scan for what they need. It’s a critical skill. It’s already been boiled down for them and life doesn’t work like that. Parents have nothing to reference either if a child needs extra help.

Books are a past technology. Internet and digital resources are many years fresher up to date.
Its not a matter of "boiling down", which by the way is the very definition of "textbook".

But if you're trying to teach a child basic algebra, they don't need "many years fresher and up to date". Algebra hasn't changed, and teaching it isn't some mysterious process. What students really do need is a well-organized system for learning which they can quickly access and review. Something like...a book.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Please can we do the same?

https://amp.theguardian.com/world/2023/sep/11/sweden-says-back-to-basics-schooling-works-on-paper

The return to more traditional ways of learning is a response to politicians and experts questioning whether Sweden’s hyper-digitalised approach to education, including the introduction of tablets in nursery schools, had led to a decline in basic skills.

Why?

Because (checks notes), Sweden does something?

This is a digital age. Textbooks are heavy and outdated. Would like to force kids to use slate and chalk too?

This is outdated. Not all textbooks are hardcover/heavy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kudos to Sweden. This is the right decision.

No it isn’t. Should they get off your lawn, too, Luddite?

You should go online and look up what Luddite means

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If we are going to copy Sweden, I can think of many other more important public policies to adopt that would do more to contribute to educational outcomes than … heavy, out-of-date textbooks.

Do you have kids? My daughter was struggling with Algebra. I asked the FCPS teacher which textbook they were using so I could help her. He said no textbook - just endless pieces of paper, some lost, out of order, and a website that they get a link to - that is no way to learn.

The other problem is that without textbooks, you get different teachers using different resources, teaching in a different order - complete madness. Textbooks were good enough for hundreds of years - the internet has been around for 20 and we've abandoned everything that we know works.

+100

My kid has an IEP and math is his challenge area. You put kids who want to avoid math on the internet to learn math and you know what happens? Not much math is learned.

My kid's teacher this year uses a binder but luckily does most of the problems by hand. She also went back and taught the 5th grade stuff they missed due to COVID online school. My kid is doing so much better in math this year.

But we're off to high school next year and he'll be in non-honors Algebra I. If the school won't give me a textbook, I'll just buy one anyway and use the table of contents. Math needs to be done on paper. Unless you're naturally good at math. But that doesn't seem like the kid we should be focusing on!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Please can we do the same?

https://amp.theguardian.com/world/2023/sep/11/sweden-says-back-to-basics-schooling-works-on-paper

The return to more traditional ways of learning is a response to politicians and experts questioning whether Sweden’s hyper-digitalised approach to education, including the introduction of tablets in nursery schools, had led to a decline in basic skills.

Why?

Because (checks notes), Sweden does something?

This is a digital age. Textbooks are heavy and outdated. Would like to force kids to use slate and chalk too?

Bring back the books for kind and body! Kids these days could use a little extra weight in their bags. Feel the burn.

The bodies they’re getting from gaming all day are borderline extraterrestrial. Skinny arms and undeveloped calves. Round bellies. Smooth little creeper hands that have never seen a day of work in their lives. 🤢

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Please can we do the same?

https://amp.theguardian.com/world/2023/sep/11/sweden-says-back-to-basics-schooling-works-on-paper

The return to more traditional ways of learning is a response to politicians and experts questioning whether Sweden’s hyper-digitalised approach to education, including the introduction of tablets in nursery schools, had led to a decline in basic skills.

Why?

Because (checks notes), Sweden does something?

This is a digital age. Textbooks are heavy and outdated. Would like to force kids to use slate and chalk too?

Bring back the books for kind and body! Kids these days could use a little extra weight in their bags. Feel the burn.

The bodies they’re getting from gaming all day are borderline extraterrestrial. Skinny arms and undeveloped calves. Round bellies. Smooth little creeper hands that have never seen a day of work in their lives. 🤢

Typo - mind not kind.