The important thing is to read. Advantages of digital reading
The use of digital media in education has been enhanced worldwide in the last two years due to the pandemic. Today, that many schools have returned to face-to-face mode, we realize that we cannot take steps back and deny the advantages that digital materials offer.
The use of digital media in education has been boosted worldwide in the last two years due to the pandemic. Today, when many schools have returned to the face-to-face modality, we realize that we cannot take steps back and deny the advantages that digital materials offer. Faced with the debate of what is better, physical books or digital books, we romantics advocate the sensation of entering a bookstore, smelling the pages of a book, being able to take your book wherever you go (without depending on batteries or connections to Internet) and even be able to have an edition signed by your favorite author as a souvenir.
However, most publishers already publish digital books and have understood that technology has changed the way people read. More and more schools are choosing to adopt a digital reading plan for their students. Additionally, and to make the digital reading experience more complete for students, there are platforms that offer reading preparation exercises; comprehension, after reading and in more robust cases such as iRead, even a record of the reader's progress to be able to follow up.
Among the advantages that we can find in digital reading, we can highlight the following:
- The reader can take his “book library” (not just a book) with him wherever he wants, and read at any time, without carrying weight and without taking up much space, since he can have his books saved on his mobile device, which, for It is generally small.
- E-books are much cheaper than paper books. In addition, the purchase and download of electronic books is immediate.
- In digital reading you can access enriched content such as: videos, images, references, links, audios; They give more information about what is being read.
- Digital reading can be interactive due to these additional contents, and to the resources that publishers offer as a complement to the readings.
- Many electronic books come with built-in lighting and the ability to enlarge the letters, change the font, look up a word in a dictionary or internal translator, and even have an audiobook version.
- The “environmental cost” of a digital book is much lower than that of a printed one
- For younger generations, it can make reading more interesting and easy or fun. This in particular can have a great impact on the development of the reading habit in children.
The digital world is reaching our children sooner and sooner. This reality is inevitable and we have to make the most of digital tools, for the benefit of our children. It is important to recognize that reading can be one of the best ways to introduce our little ones to the digital world and, in the process, reinforce the reading habit. As parents and educators, it is up to us to know more, learn more, evaluate the digital content that we present to children and find spaces to use it with them, as a family. Additionally, we must always promote adult-child interaction and not try to replace it with screen time. The important thing is to read, but it is better to read as a family. #RichmondSolutionCommunity #RSTeachers #iRead
