Textbook Vs Computer, which one is the best?

By Azys Syaiful Anwar

Formerly, textbook is the most helpful media that supports the teaching and learning process. Since textbook constructed with complete materials which are meet the requirement of school curriculum, textbook becomes the main resources of the teaching and learning process. For Example, textbook written by J.S Badudu (I’m forget the book’s title) is the primary resources which is used in teaching Indonesian of junior high school (1999, when I was junior high school student).

The other resource which teacher mostly used is students’ worksheets book (LKS). These students’ worksheets are usually written based on the textbook. It means either textbook or students’ worksheet used to explain the same material. In my opinion, students’ worksheets will not give positive impact to students. Since the students’ worksheets arranged with the summary of each topics discussed in the textbook, students tend to use it to learn the material. However, students’ worksheet is more helpful for the teachers. Teachers do not need to write some exercises related to what they are taught.

In the recent year, technology dominates many aspects of life including education. One media which has multipurpose function is a computer. Computer may very familiar to us as an entertaining device for gamer; working property for designer, officer, employee, etc; and it can be a learning assistant when it is used by students. The concept of learning emphasizes on the use of computer to help learner understanding the lesson can be said as CAL (computer assisted learning).

The combination of hardware and software is very important in the CAL. Hardware is the real device. Meanwhile, Software presents some programs containing the learning material. Students can study in more convenience through CAL. They can even study by self using many educative software which may recommended by their teacher. Do you think they have less social contact? I don’t think so. CAL also accommodates the use of internet that allows learner having social interaction through computer mediated communication, for example email, forum, and blog. Besides, internet can be used as unlimited information access. Learner can search many recent learning resources, including article, eBook and journal.

In conclusion, book or computer, each of them has advantages and disadvantages. Since textbook is containing proper material that meet school curriculum need, it is considered as a useful learner resources which can be learned anytime and anywhere. Meanwhile, computer has advance technology assisting learner in learning the lesson. So, I think using both computer and textbook as learning resources is the best solution. Then, How about you?

14/09/09