Technology In Class

Paperless World

The “paperless society” has been a threat ever since the advent of word-processing programs and computers.  Yet, for all of the threats we have yet to witness such a society.

Nevertheless, smartphones, netbooks, laptops, one terabyte external hard drives, digital cameras and video, digital voice recorders, and Kindle et al. could make a paperless society a reality.

In order to make the idea tip, the paperless society idea has to make a comeback in the popular culture.  I intend to contribute to that comeback.

Some of the burden:

1. As a teacher, I deal with too much paper—homework, forms, gradebooks, essays, tests, records, etc.
2. Physical storage space is more costly than digital storage.
3. Copy machines  and printers break down, and are often unreliable.

Some of the disburden:

1. Save the trees!
2. Better for travel.
3. Easier on the back.
4. Abundance of digital storage and backup.

Schools, businesses, government will all run more efficiently when the paperless idea catches on.  I can even foresee government and businesses nudging
the general public in the paperless direction by levying fees for anything processed on paper.  Watch this report from 2008 on the paperless boarding pass:

And this report on the first paperless hospital:

Related posts:

1. Google Alerts–a Paperless Paradise
2. Computers and Reading
3. Coming Back From a Break
4. If You Could Would You
5. Ripping Out The Green