Hard copy text and digital are changing reading habits. Unfortunately, using books may be a thing of the past. Studies indicate that as a person reads from a screen, the information is processed differently than from reading a book. Reading from a book or a written page provides greater comprehension than reading from a screen. Plus, books provide a mental image of where a person/student has been and where he or she is going.
Reading Habits – Hard Copy or Digital
Reading from a book automatically puts an image in a student’s mind. It enables students to identify objects faster because of the imagery in the book’s written word. Reading from a book creates an environment as if the student is present. In reading or actually experiencing a situation, the brain’s neurological regions act the same. As students read a novel for literary study, the brain is exercised more effectively than from reading for pleasure.
Some students enjoy reading from a hard copy rather from a screen.
• Students like turning the page of a book.
• Also, they feel a sense of accomplishment in seeing how much they’ve read.
• They like to be able to write on a page and make notations.
• And, it is easier to locate the spot where they stopped reading.
• There is less eye strain and headaches caused from tablet or computer reading.
• In addition, they claim it is easier to focus without the advertisements and pop-up distractions.
It is not a question of which is better for students, digital or hard copy. The concern is about the learning. However, students must learn to improve academically. They must learn in order to better today’s world. They must be able to comprehend and understand both digital and hard copy material. However, what a student must accomplish from a reading needs considered. As an assignment calls for a deep level of thinking, students must comprehend the reading. How students comprehend depends on hard copy or digital copy. Either way, reflection is an important part of reading. They must not read quickly. And, for a deep understanding in digital reading, students must take notes.
