Some, like H.J. Wu, chief editor for natural sciences at Newton Publishing, argue that those who will be the masters of the 21st century will need "to be able to express themselves well, think independently, and cooperate with others." Whether a textbook can teach these abilities is a problem that all texts, old and new, must consider.
也有人認為，二十一世紀的未來主人翁，要有「語言表達、獨立思考、與人合作的能力」，牛頓出版公司自然科總編輯吳惠潔說，而教科書能否提供這些，是不管新舊版本，都應思考的問題。