In past centuries, books were significant learning tools. Books were used as reference materials by the tutors. The students also used books to record notes learned in class. Notably, in the 21^st century, books have been dismissed by new technological innovations. In the present days, tutors use internet sources such as Google as reference materials. The provision of easy access to the internet has played a role in dismissing the book as teaching material. On the other hand, technology has led to the innovation of gadgets in which the students record notes. Equipment such as iPhones and some mobile phones have features that allow the student to record the voice of the tutor teaching. After that, the students listen to the voice recording to understand the topic taught in class. This essay will discuss the role new technology has played in replacing the book as a tool of learning.

In the article, “Is Google Making Us Stupid?” Carr describes how the internet has affected his and his friends’ ability to read. Carr records that before the technology, he would spend long hours reading through books. However, in the present days, he rarely read books, and if he does, his concentration drifts after reading three pages (Carr, 89). Carr attributes the change of his reading ability to prolonged exposure to the internet that provides brief and precise information. Hence, exposing his to reading shorter articles thus reading longer books becomes a problem.

From Carr’s case, it is clear that the internet is taking the place of books in the learning sector. Carr is a representation of many researchers and learners who have dismissed the books and have adopted the internet as a source of information. The internet provides brief, clear and quick information. Therefore, the readers have embraced the internet since it is less time-consuming. Thus, intensive research tends to be done within a shorter time than it would take using books. The internet also has a wide range of information about different issues. Therefore, research that requires the use of various sources can be done conveniently.

In the past decades, people read books for pleasure, and in the process, they got to learn different things from the book. Technology has led to the innovation of equipment that gives pleasure to people. This innovation has reduced the number of people who read for fun. From the article, “People of The Screen”, the author denotes that in America, the people of ages 18-28 have no books for pleasure, Americans ages 15-24 spend only 7-10 minutes a day reading voluntarily and two thirds of the college freshmen read for less than an hour per week willingly (Rosen, 21). This data clearly shows that most Americans of all ages have disregarded books as a form of pleasure. This dismissal has resulted from the inclusion of types of fun on the internet.  The internet gives pleasure through social media sites, online music, online videos, games, and articles. Therefore, with easy access to the internet, people prefer internet pleasure to books.

From Rosen’s article, it is evident that the internet is taking the role books played in passing knowledge to people.  Unlike books, the internet has a wide variety of features of passing information through entertainment.  For example, the internet provides interesting entertainment videos that give specific information to the viewers. On the other hand, books may have a monotonous writing style that may be unattractive to the readers. Therefore the internet becomes more popular among people who seek information and entertainment at the same time.

The innovation of E-literacy is another aspect of technology that has dismissed books as a tool of learning. E-literacy helps the students and teachers to interpret messages efficiently using the internet. In the article “The New Bibliophobes,” the author states that many young people in America attend college to be able to make more money (Bauerlein, 90). Therefore, they need to be exposed to a wide range of information on how they can make money. Books can not quench this desire since they offer limited information. Also, he dismisses the argument that young people avoid books because they are lazy or stupid. Arguably, he states that the current economic status requires high-speed communications, and faster transfer of information (Bauerlein, 90). Thus the young people need technological innovations that will make them get to learn faster. In this case, E-literacy technology becomes more useful than books. Therefore, with the trends, E-literacy will finally take the place of books as a learning tool.

E-literacy is a representation of many other technological innovations that innovators will develop. Such innovations will consistently put the books at risk of not being used anymore as a learning tool.  Due to the convenience of the technologies, young people will prefer to use the techniques to get information and knowledge to books. Also, the mentality of students learning to be able to make money will contribute to the adoption of the technologies rather than books. The books that contain information that is not related to money making will not be attractive to the students. Consequently, the students will opt the E-literacy materials to give them the information comprehensively.

Generally, new technology innovations and the internet have significantly dismissed the book as a learning tool. Researchers, teachers, and students have adopted the internet as a source for reference materials, and as a result, the books have been dismissed. Technology has also developed new forms of learning for pleasure. Therefore, the number of people who read books is continuously decreasing. With the rapid increase of technological innovation, new methods of learning are consistently being discovered. Therefore, in the future, the most significant percentage of individuals will adopt new methods and dismiss books as learning tools.

Works Cited

Bauerlein, Mark. “The New Bibliophobes.” Educational Horizons 88.2 (2010): 84-91.

Carr, Nicholas. “Is Google making us stupid?.” Yearbook of the National Society for the Study of Education 107.2 (2008): 89-94.

Rosen, Christine. “People of the Screen.” The New Atlantis 22 (2008): 20-32.