Governor in Calabasas for textbook launch

New phase in digital learning announced


STEPHANIE BERTHOLDO/Acorn Newspapers BOOK IT—Gov. Schwarzenegger with Superintendent Don Zimring

STEPHANIE BERTHOLDO/Acorn Newspapers BOOK IT—Gov. Schwarzenegger with Superintendent Don Zimring


Those heavy backpacks students lug around could be getting lighter.

On Monday, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger unveiled a Free Digital Textbook Initiative at Calabasas High School, making California the first state in the nation to use high school math and science textbooks that are on disc or online. The new cyber books are not only lighter and cheaper, but they’re interactive and flexible enough for frequent updates.

The move from conventional books to cyber technology will save public schools millions of dollars annually.

“Kids are feeling so comfortable with cellphones and keyboards . . . as (comfortable) as I was as a kid with pencils and crayons,” Schwarzenegger said.

Conventional textbooks are replaced in six-year cycles. With world events unfolding at a fast pace and rapid changes being made in science, medicine and technology, the content of traditional textbooks quickly becomes outdated, the governor said.

The digital textbooks will update information digitally, provide interactive learning through real-time videos, and offer other online technology which will infuse energy and excitement into learning, Schwarzenegger said.

The push for digital textbooks was first introduced by state Sen. Fran Pavley (D-Santa Monica) in 2004. With the help of Las Virgenes Unified School District officials, Pavley, who was then an Assembly member, drafted Assembly Bill 1010, which authorized 12 school districts to use state funds to purchase electronic textbooks. Schwarzenegger vetoed the bill, citing cost, but two years later the governor signed a similar Pavley bill—AB 1548.

“They are flexbooks, not textbooks,” LVUSD Superintendent Donald Zimring said about digital textbooks. “They are scalable, flexible and mediadriven.”

Las Virgenes school board President Dave Moorman said digital textbooks will provide more depth, variety and relevance to learning.

When Pluto loses its status as a planet, the science textbook won’t have to be rewritten, Moorman said. Only one change has to be made, and it can be done electronically.

The Las Virgenes Measure G, a $128-million school bond passed three years ago, enabled the district to upgrade technology at all schools. Each teacher was issued a classroom media presentation system, and bandwidth was increased districtwide for high-speed Internet connections while lowering annual costs.

The district has already identified online resources for digital textbooks, including downloads at Wikibooks.org and CK12.org‘s Flexbook.

Schools in Oak Park Unified School District also use online science and math textbooks and other digital resources, said Laurel Ford, director of teaching and learning.

“In terms of math and science books, having online books has been a high priority for us in textbook selection,” Ford said. Students in high school science and math have electronic editions that include online resources, she said. An audio button in the science books helps English learners and special education students by allowing them to hear the spoken words as they read text. Tutorials are also included in the electronic textbooks, she said.

“Ideas don’t come out of Sacramento,” Schwarzenegger said. “They come from people in the trenches. We like to adopt those ideas as quickly as possible.”

Lawmakers have other relevant bills working their way through the Legislature. State Sen. Elaine Alquist (D-Gilroy) introduced Senate Bill 247, which would permanently allow the use of state funds for digital textbooks. Assemblymember Julia Brownley (D-Woodland Hills) drafted AB 314, a bill that would require publishers to furnish instructional materials in an electronic format at a lower cost than printed versions.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *