i feel it is better to be wholly textbook based. on top of the usual school books my son has to bring a slate tablet personal computer. he tells me that it is better to bring both as the teacher may sometimes choose to use the textbook instead, if he finds the boys getting too distracted by games on the tablet. so he has to bring both textbooks and the slate tablet PC to school which adds on to the load he has to carry, and he has to take public transport