We went to the iPad information evening at school last night. After getting over the heart palpitations at the cost (by the time you argue with yourself over 16gbs/32gbs and which protective case you are probably looking at $700), I was struck by the thought that the text books these kids use will be on their iPads.
Given the weight of the school bags this could only be a good thing for spinal injuries, but it made me consider how difficult I find it to read online. Kind of ironic given I write a blog that I hope others will read!
As bloggers we are constantly told to keep it short, use headlines and photos to break up the content, which is the exact opposite of what a text-book provides.
I’ve downloaded a few books to my iPad but I’m finding it difficult to read them. I miss the tactile, kinesthetic process of turning pages, flipping back and forth to items I’ve missed, marking my place, having the book with its enticing cover within reach.
Even when I research on the internet I find myself often printing out the information, just to see ink on paper, to be able to highlight relevant passages and make notes in the margins.
I think of the times at uni researching the driest of topics where I uncovered a nugget of information by scanning through pages before or after the relevant sections. Who knows what I learnt just by flipping through books and having a particular line or block paragraph leap out of the page into my subconscious?
Is this just me? Is it a generational thing? Will these millenium babies, who have been attached to various electronic devices their entire lives, find the notion of hard copies old-fashioned and unnecessary?
Are you an electronic or hard copy reader?
Yes, I know what you mean. And the yellow highlighters really do mess up the ipad screen!!!!! But I guess it is the way of the future. I watch author friends delight in the the release of their latest e-book. I hung out for traditional print contract. But I fear in the future those contracts will be fewer and I too will be drawn to the dark side if I want my novels published.
I do think there still remains a certain authenticity in a a book printed in the traditional format. E-books are easier to self-publish and some are great and others needed more work before being released. However, it certainly seems to be the way of the future that e-books will rule!
I’ve actually embraced my iPad for reading, I read way more than I did before I got it. But I also print out mountains of paper when I’m putting together stuff for scouts, and the floor around my desk is swimming with piles of paper because I haven’t reconciled how to store all the paper.
LOL – weren’t computers supposed to create the paperless office? Perhaps I just need to “train” myself to read books on the iPad. I do like the thought of just packing an iPad to go on holidays rather than heavy books and magazines.
hi janine – i like both. well, for reading a book, always a regular book, but we do have a kindle and my family uses it. but for classroom newsletters and things – both. as a teacher, i SEND both, too, because some parents need paper, and some just check their email and not the backpack. joy to you, n
Yes, all our newsletters have gone electronic, and I find I keep missing them now. The highschool ones go to the husbands email, which he doesn’t check regularly enough (I don’t know how that happened) and the primary school ones go to my email, where I might notice they are there but think I’ll read that later and then don’t get back to it. When they came home in the backpack I knew to check every Friday and I would sit down and read them as soon as I got home.
I think that using e-readers in place of text books will save money in the long run. In addition to saving money on the initial printing of the text books, updates can be made without the cost of reprinting and storage won’t be as much of an issue. Kids won’t be lugging around 40 lb. backpacks, books won’t be left at home…the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages.
I’m hoping the schools and universities here (USA) will begin using them.
Yes the big thing is lighter backpacks. With my eldest daughter sometimes her bag was so heavy she could barely lift it.
I know what you mean, Janine. I do a lot of reading on the computer too but you can’t beat (in my mind) curling up on the couch with a good book. It’s not the same with an iPad or laptop! I love the touch, feel and smell of paper books… I can’t see me ever getting tired of that.
In this day and age though, I reckon there’s room for both.
I agree I hope we can continue to have both.
Hard copy. No questions asked. I love how it feels. I love putting it on my shelf when I’m done with it. And I love folding corners.
Me too.