Printed versus digitalised books
Response to module 2- opinion about the use of technology in schools
My first fear of the integration of technology into schools, was that books could be replaced with the internet and digitalised versions. I understand that books can be digitalised and that they can be downloaded off the internet and read on computers, phones, iPads, Kindles etc. This makes them easier to access and more portable to carry around in comparison to books, especially hardcover releases that can be heavy and lumbersome! I believe that books offer a unique experience to their readers, as Josh Caprone discusses in his article (2013) “there’s something about holding a book in your hand and the visceral act of physically turning a page that, for me at least, can’t be matched with pixels on a screen” (para. 3). I agree with Caprone in that there is something sensory and personalised about holding a book, being able to see the cover with your own eyes, feel the paper as you flick through the pages that makes you feel personally connected with what you are reading. Armitstead (2017) explores how books can also communicate with readers through their smell and explains that “…it’s the smell that hits readers first” (para.7). It is true that every book holds a distinct smell which they have acquired from their travels, where they have been kept and the people they have met. A book is quite a communal thing, made to be read, enjoyed, passed around and sometimes down through generations. Each book has an individual life and contains its own stories about the places it has been, the people it has met, inspired and shared information with. While downloading electronic versions of books onto your iPad, Kindle, laptop etc. makes them more convenient and portable, I often wonder if people have the same experience, sense of connection and pleasure from reading as they do with a book? I believe that the physical qualities of a book can never be possessed by a digital version but it is possible for both version to complement each other.
My first fear of the integration of technology into schools, was that books could be replaced with the internet and digitalised versions. I understand that books can be digitalised and that they can be downloaded off the internet and read on computers, phones, iPads, Kindles etc. This makes them easier to access and more portable to carry around in comparison to books, especially hardcover releases that can be heavy and lumbersome! I believe that books offer a unique experience to their readers, as Josh Caprone discusses in his article (2013) “there’s something about holding a book in your hand and the visceral act of physically turning a page that, for me at least, can’t be matched with pixels on a screen” (para. 3). I agree with Caprone in that there is something sensory and personalised about holding a book, being able to see the cover with your own eyes, feel the paper as you flick through the pages that makes you feel personally connected with what you are reading. Armitstead (2017) explores how books can also communicate with readers through their smell and explains that “…it’s the smell that hits readers first” (para.7). It is true that every book holds a distinct smell which they have acquired from their travels, where they have been kept and the people they have met. A book is quite a communal thing, made to be read, enjoyed, passed around and sometimes down through generations. Each book has an individual life and contains its own stories about the places it has been, the people it has met, inspired and shared information with. While downloading electronic versions of books onto your iPad, Kindle, laptop etc. makes them more convenient and portable, I often wonder if people have the same experience, sense of connection and pleasure from reading as they do with a book? I believe that the physical qualities of a book can never be possessed by a digital version but it is possible for both version to complement each other.
References:
Armitstead, C. (2017, April 8). Can you judge a book by its
odour? The Guardian. Retrieved from
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/apr/07/the-smell-of-old-books-science-libraries
Caprone, J. (2013, January 17). Why printed books will never
die. Mashable Australia. Retrieved from
http://mashable.com/2013/01/16/e-books-vs-print/
A Scientific American article (Jabr, 2013) suggests that one of the attractions of paper books is their simplicity. Interestingly, it talks about a study of 3-4 year olds being read to by their parents. They followed the text just fine with a paper book but with an electronic version the parents were interrupted by needing to keep hands away from screens/buttons etc. I think we have a little way to go yet before we completely ditch our shelves full of books!
ReplyDeleteJabr, F. (2013). Why the brain prefers paper. Scientific American, 309(5), 48-53.
Thank you for forwarding me on to Ferris Jabr's article Michelle. It was a great read and accompanies the ideas in my blog post well. I agree and think there is a lot of strength in the simplicity of a book! Jabr (2013) also suggests in his article that people may understand and remember text on paper better than on a screen.
DeleteI see there are a lot of benefits to reading electronic versions of texts. It makes accessing texts easier and faster (I found and downloaded Jabr's text online and was reading it within seconds!) however I argue you cannot connect as well with an electronic version. I agree with you and think this come down to the device being more distracting than text on paper. Sven Birkets in his book The Gutenberg Elegies: The Fate of Reading in an electronic age (1994) explores how technology impacts the experience of reading. Birkerts (1994) argues that reading on a screen maybe affecting our ability to filter out distractions and engage in deep reading and thinking. Maybe making handwritten notes on paper while reading electronic texts will help improve our thinking and cognition.
Birkerts, S. (1994). The Gutenberg elegies: the fate of reading in an electronic age. Boston, Mass: Faber and Faber.
Jabr, F. (2013). Why the brain prefers paper. Scientific American, 309(5), 48-53.
Yes, there are certainly a lot of benefits to the internet age of text, especially in immediacy and variety - I sometimes think back to researching in high school with the old catalogs and am very thankful that I'm doing my current degree in the age of Google scholar and online learning!
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