Face Off: Should local schools consider going paperless?

The World Counts, a website that tracks the planet’s social and environmental challenges, estimates that 500,000,000 tonnes of paper is produced each year. In addition, paper accounts for 26 per cent of waste at landfills and is a major source of air, water and soil pollution. In light of these facts and the advantages of devices like iPads, local schools should consider going paperless and using electronic devices in the classroom and for administrative tasks.

Firstly, paperless learning could streamline the learning and teaching process. Teachers would save time because they wouldn’t have to print out teaching materials, and students could access them online, such as in Google Classroom. They could submit their work online too. For instance, if a teacher wanted to do a survey, they would not need to print it out and collect it from students – they could simply use Google Forms or a similar app, which would also tally their students’ answers and cut down on their work.

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Going paperless would also benefit student health since lugging around heavy school bags full of textbooks poses a serious risk.

According to research by the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong in 2017, around 80 per cent of the city’s primary students carry overweight school bags, with most weighing nearly 5kg. Carrying heavy textbooks and exercise books to school every day can lead to numerous health issues, including a curved spine and back pain, the effects of which can be lifelong. Going paperless means students would only need to carry an electronic device such as an iPad, which weighs only around 480g. It would literally be a weight off their shoulders.

In addition, going paperless would save many trees, reduce the energy it takes to produce and transport paper, and, most importantly, cut down on waste. The Education Bureau’s Environmental Report 2020 said it aims to promote green education and enhance environmental awareness – what better way to achieve this than encouraging local schools to go paperless? It would signal the government’s commitment to green practices and a more eco-friendly Hong Kong.

Going paperless has many advantages, which is why local schools should adopt the practice.

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Susie Wang, 14, Diocesan Girls’ School

Many people question the use of paper due to its impact on the climate and wastefulness. While it is a legitimate concern to keep in mind, this doesn’t mean that local schools should go paperless.

Using paper in education has many benefits and a more positive impact on learning than other materials.

In 2020, veteran maths teacher Bill Hinkley partnered with two other researchers to conduct a small classroom study examining the relationship between students’ maths grades and how they did their homework – with pencil and paper or using a computer or electronic device. His results found that students who did their maths homework on paper scored almost two times higher than students who submitted their work online. The team hypothesised that seeing their work written in front of them allowed students to “think about their thinking”.

Furthermore, a 2021 study called “Paper Notebooks vs Mobile Devices: Brain Activation Differences During Memory Retrieval” showed that students who read from paper had more positive brain activations than students who read from digital devices.

Using paper is also better for student health, as we have learned from the coronavirus pandemic. Hong Kong’s Covid-19 restrictions led to citywide school closures and online learning for students of all ages, increasing the time children spent staring at their screens.

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According to a study reported in the South China Morning Post, screen time tripled to seven hours a day for primary school students, disrupting their sleep schedules. Lack of sleep can negatively impact their overall well-being, since it can affect their emotions and their ability to learn and concentrate.

Meanwhile, another study found that the percentage of Hong Kong children who developed nearsightedness increased an estimated 2½ times during the pandemic, thanks in no small part to the increase in screen time. Paperless classrooms mean students will continue to spend a long time on their iPads, worsening their eyesight. Using traditional textbooks and doing work on paper will give them a break.

Students can use iPads to study in their free time, but teachers should continue to use paper in the classroom.