eBook News

Sir John Lavery's Miss Auras the red book (circa 1900)  reading a Kindle Paperwhite (waterproof)

  How students benefit from digital books Digital books are key resources for students, notes Alexandra Brown, educational technology specialist for National Heritage Academies. Brown writes that digital books offer 24/7 availability, greater choice and the ability for students to create curated collections. Full Story: SmartBrief/Education (11/9/21)   

  How digital books connect vulnerable students with reading Diana Thomas, 7th and 8th Grade Reading Teacher, Cleveland Metropolitan Schools October 1, 2021 Digital books connect all students with reading opportunities--but vulnerable populations, in particular, see huge benefits

Researchers surveyed over 2,400 mothers and found that children who routinely spent time on electronic devices, such as TVs, smartphones and tablets, were less likely to read print books with their parents at age 3. The findings in Pediatrics also showed that those who read less at age 3 spent even more time on electronic devices at age 5. Full Story:  HealthDay News  (5/24)  

Between March 2020 and February 2021, ebook usage at schools increased dramatically. "It's really quite stunning," says Angela Arnold, general manager of OverDrive Education. "We have seen a real paradigm shift in perceptions about digital books. Prior to the pandemic digital books were nice to have and seen as accessories, or digital resources with very specific utility. Where we are today in 2021, I think digital books are more perceived as a necessity." Full Story:  Tech & Learning  (5/21)   https://www.techlearning.com/news/student-ebook-reading-surges-during-the-pandemic?utm_source=SmartBrief&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=EDAE705D-DA25-4606-A952-76D10DFA2839&utm_content=BB04051B-A969-4448-9306-BB58B5542B90 

This map contains highly-rated books (selected by students) with stories set in Florida, use these books to boost interest in reading. FL Teen Book Map of Adolescent Literature

  Survey: Increased ebook usage & value amid COVID-19 With COVID-19 altering nearly all aspects of daily life, including the way students learn, this survey sought insight from those on the front lines of education, specifically regarding the use and impact of ebooks. As the pandemic has changed the way educators teach, we wanted to understand what adjustments were made, and how ebooks help educators ease the transition between classroom and at-home learning. The survey found that ebooks have become even more essential for learning during the current school year.

 When looking at books and ebooks it is often like comparing apples and oranges and pineapples. Somethings are just too different. Take this study that also used ebooks with lots of bells and whistles.  For reading comprehension we just need text, even adding pictures may change the effect.  There is a similar issue when they use digital text that you can't go back and look at which makes it very different than a paper test. Then too there is the practice effect. I always wonder in these studies if they would change if they only used children that had extensive digital reading experience.  Anytime you give people a new medium that they have to work with it changes the system (try driving with someone new to stick shifting - the driving is the same, that shift makes a huge difference). I'm sure that the data analysis is good, but it is also backward-looking situational.    Studies: Physical books aid reading comprehension Children perform better on reading comprehension tests af