Marc Presnky

Birkerts provides three effects that will occur as a result of moving away from the printed word to the electronic media. The first effect is the language erosion. He explains the reader that transition from books will lead to the “complexity and distinctiveness of verbal and written communication, which are deeply bound to transaction of print literacy, will gradually be replaced by a more telegraphic sort of plainspeak” (9). In the future our language will start to become more simple and dumb. Whereas, by reading books and printed materials people are able to dig more depth and understand and imagine the contents. But, soon this will start to disappear as people will no longer be able to understand the complex language of the literature and intelligence level of people will start to decrease. The second effect of electronic media is the flattening of historical perspectives. This means that due to the electronic media the history will start to recede because the “printed page itself is a link” and when this link is broken the past will gradually diminish (10). Birkerts explains the audience that the past is best represented in the books and libraries. Therefore, moving away from the printed word means moving away from the past and its history. The last effect is the waning of the private self. Birkerts worries that in the future people will forget how to live because of the electronic

In the New Atlantis, Christine Rosen wrote an article, “People of the Screen.” The article talks about old books that are no longer being printed, that if the books are no longer printed, if we choose to replace the book-what will become of reading and the print culture it fostered? Rosen states, “We have already taken the first steps on our journey to a new form of literacy— “digital literacy.”

Many educators are embracing the use of electronic textbooks for a variety of reasons. Ken White, an instructor at Everett Community College, points out that some older students may have a hard time transitioning to e-textbooks but younger generations of students will be much more successful at making the conversion (Moving towards virtual textbooks). The trend seems to be that electronic devices of all sorts are becoming more and more popular. As these devices continue to permeate our culture, integrating them as soon and as frequently as possible into the classroom will help students adjust to using them now and in the future. White even uses the new textbook format because, “[Electronic textbooks] make me really look at my teaching” (Moving towards virtual textbooks). As a teacher, he is adopting the trend of going digital. By re-evaluating his teaching method, he will be able to approach his subject from a different angle that might be more

All the information stored in books supplement learning in class, and is an efficient way to bolster learning. They teach of society in the past and present, as well as the author’s perspectives on certain subjects during their time. We learn of Ray Bradbury’s society, where there was fear that books would die at the hands of technology. Books help us learn and understand through the real and the make-believe, in which this knowledge is crucial for success in school and life. Libraries at schools make for a convenient way to access information and boost learning.

As a new revolution rears its head due to rapidly evolving technology, many are becoming concerned with the potential problems that e-books could present. Ms. Elliot, a retired librarian, expresses her apprehension and concern for this electronic book form through a speech conducted at the “Reading: the future” forum. Directing her speech to mainly booklovers, she also reaches out to parents whose children will be most affected by the development of e-books.

With the rampant year over year releases and innovations in the consumer sector, computers and tablets are cheaper than ever. While one may argue that devices still remain more expensive than a simple notepad and pencil, students opting not to use a computer will accrue incrementally more costs for notebooks and/or paper, binders, the printing of class notes, and hard copy textbooks for each course. With PDF and online textbooks now available, at substantially lower costs, tech savvy students have additional cost and use advantages. Further, digital resources permit publishers to regularly update e-textbook forms. This is relevant for schools that utilize one text for multiple years and better ensures accuracy and currency. Beyond the economic benefits, computers have other practical advantages. They significantly reduce the amount of weight students carry in knapsacks, improve ergonomics, and ameliorate possible future absenteeism and medical costs due to back injury. Finally, reduced paper consumption and its footprint are more environmentally friendly and consistent with the University of Toronto’s sustainability

E-Books feel different from real books and that has a profound impact on how the text is read. To Klinkenborg the E-Book is an illusion, both are not the same and those who try to make them so are wasting their time. An E-Book isn’t printed on ink, you don’t actually turn pages, and you can’t feel the book as you’re reading it, which can be very un-captivating. Books are meant to be shared, admired, and collected. Sharing books is the cornerstone of collective knowledge and the inability to do so, in regards to E-Books, is bad for

We live in the age of technology; if one doesn’t know an answer to a question, they can simply pull up Google, type in their question, and pages of answers will appear. Most people would say that technology is their go-to when they are in need of an answer or a quick source of information. One might think, “Why do I need to continue learning when my phone already contains an endless source of information?” In response to such thinking, David McCullough emphasizes the importance of learning, especially through books, in his address to Boston College’s graduating class of 2008 called “The Love of Learning” (2008/2012).

In the article, “Textbooks Enter the Digital Era” A university student Jason Turgeon, realized there had to be a cheaper way to acquire textbooks. So in 2005 he started textbookrevolution.org., which links students with free digital textbooks on the Web. Turgeon then explains what the textbooks of the future may look

While Mark’s objection is right, acceptable and reasoned, it is important to recognize the burden of buying books every now and then. If the college urges students to stop buying textbooks and instead rely on school materials stored on the Moodle for their study and classwork, it is in the recognition that not all students can afford to buy new books. The idea that students will spend much more in buying printers and printing papers is not enough to out this idea. Students can share printers and or use the school printers to print the learning resources and materials they need. In addition, students will not have to print the whole book or material, but a section that they are learning. The burden of having to carry books everywhere

Marc Prensky is simply arguing that colleges and universities should ban nonelectronic books. He feels by banning all nonelectronic books, the way faculties teach and students learn would improve drastically. In his opinion, e-books, which are digital books, would liberate ideas way more then a normal textbook. Prensky provided us with a couple supporting reasons, making his argument unquestionable. His first supporting reason was, "faculty can expand e-text discussion to students outside the classroom, enriching the educational experience."(Prensky 1). Then he says, "Digital texts are also accessible anywhere, at any time, while printed books, once read, are often closed and shelved." (Prensky 1). Last but not least, "Electronic textbooks

Every day the world is changing and things are done differently. Technology has also affected the way students are taught and in which they learn. It has changed the classroom. Technology saves us time and allows us to access material in only minutes. “The Internet and online subscription databases, even as a supplement to the printed works in the library, allow students to see, and force them to consider or reject, points of view that they might never have encountered in decades past” (Gow 4).With all the time technology produces, it also has downsides and it also may have created a less intelligent society.

Electronic textbooks are more portable and convenient as they can be accessed by a tablet, downloaded onto a computer or accessed via the internet. The technological benefits available on an electronic textbook are endless. The audio and video capabilities will liven up learning and change the way students understand and retain the material. The emergence of three-dimensional technology may also play a role in the near future. In addition, digital textbooks are much more user friendly. Studying for tests will be more efficient as highlighted notes can be easily transferred into electronic note cards for memorization. The main downside to electronic textbooks is that students will have to purchase a reading device, tablet, laptop or smartphone in order to view digital textbooks away from home or on the go. Most college students have already made this investment prior to starting college.

To start off, schools need to realize the amount they can save in the long run by utilizing technology and lean away from traditional, old fashioned, hard cover books. When books become outdated and used, schools have to spend endless amounts to replace them. To avoid this, schools can take the initiate and work proactively and replace hard cover books with electronics to avoid unnecessary expenses. An example of this occurred at Empire High School which recently made a switch from textbooks even though, “it wasn’t because of a funding crisis.” (Source A) Empire High School shows just how well technology can work. Not only does technology help in saving necessary funding, it adds a sure convenience factor to the students and teachers by not having to drag around large and expensive textbooks.

During the development of technology, most people have shifted to use electronic books to read both academic and non-academic texts. However, despite the technological changes, there has been a wide debate about the benefits of paper books over the e-books. It is important to understand that various reasons are suggesting why people should shift back to using the traditional books rather than the electronic ones. Even though some think that e-books are better that traditional ones, I believe that readers should return to traditional books because of various reasons.