Electronic schoolbags replacing textbooks

While it releases a heavy burden on kids, many have other concerns.

Jianan Elementary School is one of the five schools the Ministry of Education chose to pilot electronic schoolbags.

Although the school is pleased with the results after nearly a month, beginning on Nov. 5, some parents are worried that their children are indulging too much in the electronic schoolbags, and that they are spending less time playing outdoors with friends.

The electronic schoolbag is basically a laptop with handouts and the contents of textbooks saved inside.

During the transitional period, it is natural that some negative aspects surface, said Chen Hsuan-mou, the principal of Jinan Elementary School. “However, in the long run, electronic schoolbags will benefit students more than traditional ones,” Chen added, saying that students have been making improvements in typing speed and using Internet search engines, besides having good moods during class.

The use of electronic schoolbags is still in the pilot phase, according to the Ministry of Education, adding that authorities will have to assess the advantages and disadvantages before further implementing the project. In addition, to fully abandon traditional textbooks, the popularization of e-books is still needed, which will cost an enormous amount of money.

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