The Democratic Leadership Council is proposing a year-long pilot program that would give some 400,000 students in grades K-12 an Amazon Kindle.
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A plan to put an Amazon Kindle in every backpack
By Amy Farnsworth | 07.15.09
Could the Amazon Kindle help save the nation’s struggling school systems? Yes, according to the Democratic Leadership Council (DLC).
On Tuesday, the DLC, a think tank in Washington, D.C., made a proposal asking the government to provide each of the nation’s 56 million K-12 students with a Kindle, or electronic reading device.
The group’s proposal, “A Kindle in Every Backpack: A Proposal for eTextbooks in American Schools,” which was published on their website Tuesday, requests that the government fund a pilot program that would equip some 400,000 students with Kindles, or other electronic reading devices, for an entire year.
By providing each student with a Kindle, the DLC hopes to not only reduce the amount of money schools spend on textbooks, but to give teachers the tools they need to develop an interactive, digital curriculum. The proposal explains some of the advantages of having a Kindle in the classroom including the ability to instantly download updated versions of textbooks as well as literally lightening the heavy load of books students carry to class on a daily basis.
The initial cost of the program would exceed the $6 billion spent on paper textbooks each year by $9 billion. But the authors of the proposal, Thomas Z. Freedman, a former senior adviser to President Clinton, and Blair Levin, previously a member of the Obama-Biden transition team, estimate that the project would result in over $700 million in annual savings within five years as the demand for electronic reading devices increases and eTextbook costs begin to drop. If the year-long pilot program succeeds, the group eventually plans to expand the program to outfit every student in the nation with a Kindle, or electronic reading device, within four years.
Nationwide, school districts are attempting to provide students with electronic reading devices in an effort to save money and stay-up-to date with new teaching methods and technology trends. This fall, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger announced a plan to implement the use of free, open-source digital textbooks in high school math and science classes throughout California.
Higher education institutions will also begin to utilize Kindle in the classroom. Seven schools, including Pace University, Princeton University, Reed University, the Darden School at the University of Virginia, Case Western Reserve University, The University of Washington, and Arizona State University, will receive free (or discounted) Kindle DX electronic readers for some of their students as part of the a Kindle DX pilot program. The program was announced last May when the Kindle DX was released and Amazon announced a partnership with textbook manufacturers: Cengage Learning, Wiley, and Pearson.
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2. Jennifer Halcomb | 07.16.09
I think this is a terrible idea. Kindles are only made to read TEXT. What students really need are small lap tops that allow them to not only read text but then to engage in multimedia activities, games, videos, quizzes, etc.. to make sure they really understand what they are reading and to engage thier learning style. DON’T give students Kindles! Give them each a laptop or make sure they each have a computer in the classroom then take advantage of learning materials that are made to be online. Products like this already exist and are VERY good… There are Interactive Ebook out there which link students to videos, tutorials, web research, practice quizzes, etc..
3. Jim Marteney | 07.16.09
Why limit this to the K-12? I would suggest that this program be extended to the community college that President Obama sees as a key in training a modern workforce,
Sorry, forgot to add great post! Can’t wait to see your next post!
4. Doug Stein | 07.16.09
Moving off paper is a good idea; moving from one “push” medium to another (printed text -> electronic text) is a terrible idea.
We need to enable students to create and not just consume. This includes writing, diagramming, graphing, solving math, running simulations, etc.
Laptops (especially those that are designed for children and have touch screens) not only allow students to become active participants, but assist teachers in gathering student work in electronic form for traditional grade-and-return. It also allows for peer review of student work.
There’s nothing wrong with a Kindle per se, but it’s not the best use of the money. To use Christensen’s terminology, Kindles are a sustaining innovation, not a disruptive innovation.
5. Jennifer Halcomb | 07.17.09
Doug- I completely agree with you! The Kindle SOUNDS “innovative” in theory because it’s “technology”, but it’s actually quite archaic as it assumes a traditional textbook is the best content delivery method. All we are doing is moving the “paper” to a computer. I WOULD say this is at least better for the environment, but even THAT isn’t true since these devices are’t recyclable 
I hope to see both K-12 and the Higher Ed institutions moving to interactive, engaging software that allows students to read, watch, explore, “play”, practice, and problem solve… These products already exist and many institutions are already on board with these types of products.
7. Martin | 08.12.09
Kindle has 16 levels of black and white. It’s nowhere near a laptop or netbook. Checkout the Britannica on DVD. That’s much better.
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1. Jim Marteney | 07.15.09
Why limit this to the K-12? I would suggest that this program be extended to the community college that President Obama sees as a key in training a modern workforce,