No Textbooks, No Problem? Not quite

A common complaint I often hear from parents, and students is how their class does not have textbooks, or if they do, they are difficult to check out a physical copy, or activate the online copy.
Many teachers use their own slides and handouts, or use multimedia sources as a medium to teach- which often works great for most students.
However many schools do not have a standard requiring teachers to put up all of their content online, which puts more of a burden on students to understand what to study, where to find it, and what is important for their assignments.
Textbooks can be a touchy subject because they’re heavy, expensive, and require constant updates. In the age of the internet, do we really need them?
Schools have long been investing heavily in technology and personalized learning, and in general this is a good approach to tailor education methods to evolving times.
However part of the learning process involves having a reference point to go off of- whether that’s the slide deck the teacher is showing in class, class notes, the book, something that the student can look back on and discover the answers for themselves.
The aspect of discovery is crucial to learning and retaining information.
“Beyond Textbook” initiatives and the use of multimedia and online resources is often not widespread, or as relevant depending on the type of class.
Supporters say the traditional education model, in which a teacher lectures at the blackboard and then tests all students at the same time, is obsolete and doesn’t reflect the modern world.
“The economy needs kids who are creative problem solvers, who synthesize information, formulate and express a point of view,” said Rhode Island Education Commissioner Ken Wagner. “That’s the model we are trying to move toward.”
So if we are trying to mold children into problem solvers and give them the ability to synthesize information, shouldn’t we also give them access to information so that they can formulate points of view and compare with their teachers’?
And are books so expensive that schools cannot afford to provide them? Often the answer is no.
Spending has not significantly decreased on a per-student basis in many major school districts, and due to programs like Texas’s Robin Hood, schools in underprivileged districts can have higher than average per pupil spending (although the issues facing those districts is a whole other animal, and will be the feature of future posts).
Districts like Southlake Carroll ISD and Highland Park ISD spend upwards of $9,000 per pupil per year (after removing Robin Hood payments), and according to their budget proposals more than half of funding is devoted to Instruction and Related Services. In theory there should be room for reference materials for students, whether it is textbooks, e-books, databases or other sources.
The Solution- Studying Smarter
Public Policy aside, if your teacher does not give you a textbook, there might be other ways to procure them, or best practices to follow to ensure students are using all of the tools at their disposal.
Being a victim of the system is unfortunately not an excuse to not knowing the material.
Suppose you miss class, or are overwhelmed from class notes and are looking for was to know what concepts to study for a quiz or test, if there is no standard for what teachers put up on their class websites, students need to be resourceful to identify and categorize information to focus on.
1. Use your teacher’s notes, textbook, or online book as the “be all, end all” reference
If your teacher has a class website or uses a website like Blackboard, have this bookmarked, and even better, save all of your teachers’ posts into a Dropbox or Onedrive folder so that you always have access.
If your class does have a textbook, keep it with you as a reference when working on homework. Even if it is a pain to check out, or get a online copy, having either a physical or digital copy can be a game changer.
The book is often where harder test and quiz questions come from, and working on the Odd Problems in math and science textbook is a great way to double check answers and get some extra practice in.
The book / class notes also have color diagrams which can be essential to visually look at a concept that you might have trouble with, or to review something that you might have overlooked.
2. Take more effective class notes that are made to be re-read
Effective note-taking is a crucial skill for students of all ages, whether it’s in high school or college.
When many students take notes, they tend to be in transcription mode i.e “Write down everything the teacher says so I don’t forget”.
This is not the best way to take notes because 1. it is a ton of work, 2. you will never read your notes, and 3. not everything that is said is immediately useful information.
There are many approaches to taking notes including using Shorthand to abbreviate concepts, using the “Stanford Method” (this approach involves organizing notes logically, translating ideas into your own words, and not focusing too much on spelling and grammar), or if you are a Debater like me, using the “Flowing” method to break down ideas and outline them.
The key to taking notes is that you’re writing them to be reviewed later, not to be forgotten about later, so they should be clear, and easily referenced.
I always recommend using outlines or bullet points, using tables to express related ideas, drawing and labeling charts, and also putting clear dates and names of concepts.
Note-taking is like building your own personal Wikipedia, Yourpedia, that will help you fill in gaps.
3. Use online resources, but don’t rely on them too much
It’s 2017 and the internet has become so ubiquitous that we often forget that the tower of steel and light in our pockets has more processing power than the rover that did the moon landing.
Websites like KhanAcademy, IXL, PrepScholar, CodeAcademy, Wikipedia (I love Wikipedia), and Youtube are great starting points to find a lot of quality content tailored to specific subjects.
But bear in mind that there can also be misleading information, and this should not be a crutch for actual research and discovery of information in class, or from your own notes / textbook.
Since every teacher has a slightly different approach, you want to put the information you are looking at in context with the rest of the class.
4. Work with a study group or online class group
Humans are social animals, and often we generate the best ideas when working in a group.
Study groups, whether in person, or online, can be an immense tool for kids to get to know each other, and to work through common questions.
Study groups can be a way for students to compare notes, review together, and talk through the material.
It is always comforting to know that if you miss a class you can count on your groupies to send you their notes.
But as with online tools, you also want to find the right balance to avoid plagiarism, to not have others’ work be a crutch for your own study.
Cheating is not a trivial matter, and academic integrity and honesty are serious ethical standards to uphold at all levels of study.
5. Work with your teacher, or a tutor to stay on track
Learning is not a burden to bear alone, and that is why your teacher is also there as a resource.
Often times your teacher is the #1 resource to ask when it comes to important concepts, or for a slide deck that was covered in class, they will be able to give you the most specific feedback and help direct your study.
But, there is also only so much that your teacher can do to guide you and that is where having a strong tutor or mentor can also help.
Working with someone who has had similar struggles, and reviewed the material recently can also help you to categorize information and make the connections yourself.
Learning requires discovery, and sometimes having the right person frame a concept for you can make a huge difference.
Tutors can also help you to come up with systems to take notes effectively, look out for what information is important, and to fill in gaps.