Article-Based Questions
- Japan plans to give schools a choice between paper-only, digital-only, or a mix of both. Which would you choose for your child or younger sibling, and why?
- The article says some countries are returning to paper textbooks after trying digital ones. Does this surprise you? What do you think it tells us?
- Professor Sakai warned that digital learning could weaken language and thinking skills. Do you find this warning convincing? Why or why not?
- Poet Machi Tawara suggested using the digitization budget to raise teachers' salaries instead. Do you agree with her idea?
- The article says young children in the lower grades should only use paper. At what age do you think it becomes okay to start learning on a screen?
Discussion Questions
- Do you think children learn better from paper books or from digital screens? Why?
- In your country, how much technology do students use in school? Do you think it is the right amount?
- When you were a student, what was your favorite way to study or remember new information? Would that method work well on a screen?
- Do you think governments should limit how much time children spend on digital devices or social media? Why or why not?
- If you had a child, would you prefer their school to use paper textbooks, digital textbooks, or a mix of both? What would be your main reason?
Vocabulary Spotlight
digitization
The process of converting physical things, like paper books, into a digital format.
disparity
A noticeable and unfair difference between two groups or situations.
cognitive
Relating to mental processes such as thinking, learning, and understanding.
retention
The ability to remember information after you have learned it.
premise
An idea accepted as true and used as the starting point for a plan or argument.