Technology Textbooks
Choices Available When Seeking Student Resources for Classes
Several options exist for teachers searching for new or replacement texts for technology courses.
Textbook options are plentiful for technology courses. It can be difficult to decide which one to use, especially since many are not exactly what the teacher wants and it may not be replaced for another ten years. Considering that technology is changing quickly, a standard textbook may not always be the best option.
Textbooks
Educational textbook publishers, such as Glencoe and Prentice Hall, have specialized textbook lines devoted to middle and high school classes in technology use. Course Technology also provides a wide variety of texts, especially covering the use of specific software packages.
The positives involved with deciding to use texts from a traditional publisher is that the school district probably already has a relationship with a given publisher and it will be easy to obtain examination copies. The negatives include the initial cost of the books and the fact that the district might only make this money available once every ten years, which works well for core subjects but results in outdated books for technology courses. Also, it is common for teachers to find that there is not a textbook that covers all of the topics desired for the course.
Workbooks
An alternative to using a textbook is to use workbooks. Many traditional textbook publishers also offer workbooks. Frequently, these work in conjunction with a textbook, but some also stand alone as their own text or rely on website support for updated material.
As with textbooks, workbook publishers tend to be established resources with the district and it can be easy to obtain examination copies. Purchasing workbooks is also much less expensive than purchasing textbooks. The primary negatives are that a workbook may not cover all of the desired topics and that one book is purchased per student each year. Depending on the number of students and the cost of the workbooks, after a few years this could become more expensive than purchasing a set of textbooks.
Design A Textbook
One alternative to a standard textbook or workbook is to design a textbook specialized to the course. Technology book giant O’Reilly offers SafariU, which allows teachers and professors to order custom designed technology textbooks. Course Technology and Prentice Hall also offer the ability to design a textbook in some business and technology subjects.
In all three cases, these textbooks are created from chapters, case studies and projects found in their existing standard textbooks. The positive aspect is that a custom textbook can be created for the technology course. However, the challenge of replacing the text as soon as it is outdated still exists.
Use Existing Websites
Another alternative to textbooks and workbooks is to use pre-existing websites or create a specialized web site. Many books are now available online and can be accessed with a web browser. WebQuests, tutorials and other interactive activities exist and can be incorporated into the curriculum depending on the teacher’s needs.
The positives involved in using existing web resources in lieu of a textbook involve lower costs, increasing student understanding of the computer as a tool and improved ability to customize the curriculum. The negative aspect is the time required by the teacher to search out these resources, determine their usability and then decide how to integrate them.
