By Alexia Orosco, reporter
Sophomore Taylor Corbett typically carries a stack of books home every night—so much that she has asked teachers for an extra copy of some books to keep at home. While Corbett has the chance this year to take home the extra textbooks, she won’t need to carry as many books with her soon.
Next year, KHS will adopt new math and English textbooks, each of which has a online version that can be viewed from home.
21st Century Skills coordinator Kris Weiss said electronic tools would help students better consume information, and learning would be easier by giving students information that more closely reflects their own world.
The Board of Education approved the purchase of new electronic textbooks and technology in math and English. English materials would cost $62,577.40, which is more expensive than math materials. The new materials will meet the new Common Core Standards issued by the federal government, which state what each school must teach students and what they must master by a certain grade level.
“I believe that this change will be good for all Kaneland students. As we move toward more rigorous outcomes for students, these tools and options will help us in that endeavor. Education should engage students and making some of these changes will help us to increase that engagement,” said Weiss.
Textbooks online can have updated information as things change, and it would force students to become more engaged and interactive by using technology that they’re familiar with.
“The only real con that I see is that some students do not have access from home. Even then, if they are in a classroom or STEP class with a computer, then they can get to their book online,” English teacher Ryan Malo said.