Elementary Schools and Ebooks

Last summer, two professors from East Carolina University published a study called “Reading Engagement: A Comparison Between E-Books and Traditional Print Books in an Elementary Classroom.” According to the results of the study, third grade students indicated a “preference for e-books when given the option of a wide selection of titles and the freedom to choose their own e-book.”  E-books are more “interactive and allow for children to become actively engaged in the text.”  This is incredibly important for developing children’s interest in literature and affects their motivation to read later in life.

7 thoughts on “Elementary Schools and Ebooks

  1. rauc Post author

    Thats an interesting study. I’m in educational psychology right now and I can totally see how the interaction part of e-books can be good to grasp the attention of younger students and make reading more fun. However, it saddens me that children today need such constant interaction. To me a book should be a book- a connection between reader and the story on the pages. It shouldn’t be changed to something like an interactive game.

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  2. Daniel Mills Post author

    Though students may have favored ebooks over print ones, I am skeptical of just how interested the students became in the class. The interactive qualities of the ebook may have grabbed the students’ attention, but I do not believe this will lead to lasting interest in school or books on any platform.

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  3. cantorb Post author

    Students may have preferred ebooks because of how new they are. I don’t think reading on an ebook is anything special; I actually like reading in a regular book better. Students should learn to read paper books before they are given an ebook to read or books will become obsolete.

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  4. Brittany Kulcsar Post author

    I think it makes sense that such young students would prefer e-books over normal printed books, since e-books probably seem more like toys to them than books. I know that if I were a kid, I’d probably be more fascinated by the cool electronic book than the normal printed one.

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  5. filipekc Post author

    If ebooks motivate students to read then that is great. I only worry that as ebooks become more like tablets that they will provide more distraction than education.

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  6. mortatia Post author

    as long as students are reading, that is what is really important. i am not too surprised that many prefer ebooks because today, they are growing up with more rapid technological advancements.

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  7. ashnaulb Post author

    People in general for the most part would rather use new technology than doing it the old way. I remember when I was in elementary school there were these keyboard things that allowed us to type instead of write. All the students liked this a lot more than writing but once the novelty wears off so does the interest. This is a temporary solution and will not make students enjoy reading in the long run single handedly.

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