https://blogs.ubc.ca/etec540w2107/2017/10/15/story-time-and-the-late-age-of-prin/

Assignment 1/Post 2

Bolter (2001) remarks “As we look up from our computer keyboard to the books on our shelves, we may be tempted to ask whether “this will destroy that” and “Will digital media replace print?”  The discussion around the “Late Age of Print” always causes me anxiety – as a lover of traditional print books. The joy that these physical texts have brought, and continue to bring to me, my family, and my students is something that I value very much and hope that future generations will also get to experience. That being said, I am not naïve to the vastness of electronic resources, the multimodal opportunities, and the efficiency facilitated through electronic print. Perhaps it is these very abilities of e-books that ensure that traditional print books will remain in existence.

As a parent to two young children, I remain concerned about the impact of light emitted from electronic devices and the amount of time that is spent looking at a screen, especially before bedtime. This is a conversation shared by parents (among others) across countless digital platforms (irony noted) and one that has been the subject of numerous research studies and articles (Chang, Aeschbach, Duffy& Czeisler, 2015) around the effects on sleep and circadian rhythm. I would be surprised if the traditional (non e-reader) bedtime story is to be lost anytime soon. So while Bolter stated in 2001 that, “you cannot read your computer screen in bed, “ we know that in 2017 we definitely can – but do we want to?

Research has also found that reading with a traditional paper book can help parents bond with their children more than using an e-reader (Yuill & Martin, 2016). There are physical and emotional connections that can be made using a traditional print book that cannot be duplicated using a digital version. Dr. Yuill said that, “A paper book tends to have a single purpose, while an e-book is often only one app on a highly multi-functional device that can also be used to book tickets, play games, work on spreadsheets, and watch films.” Further, we know that physical books play an important role in the literacy development of many children. Perhaps, as Bolter says, “the properties of handwriting, of print, or of digital writing do each seem to favor certain kinds of expression and to prejudice others. The printed book favors linear writing.” Or is it the ability for parents to supportive of learning about story content and phrasing (De Jong & Bus, 2002) using traditional printed books that makes them an important tool for emerging literacy and literacy development.

There is also the financial cost associated with e-reading devices, whether in private homes or educational institutions. For many the expense of a digital reader is beyond the budget, especially when there is more than one individual involved. Think of the family vacation. While a digital format is convenient to house many titles in one location, it is not convenient or realistic to expect most families to have multiple e-readers for their children and themselves as they take the time to enjoy literature during travel, or sit and have shared quiet time.

So while, indeed, “the printed book has a rival; indeed if has a series of rivals…” (Bolter, 2001) in electronic media, I believe that there will continue to be a place for traditional print books, surely at classroom story time, family trips, and at bedtime in the homes of families.

 

References

Bolter, Jay David. (2001). Writing space: Computers, hypertext, and the remediation of print [2nd edition]. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

Bus, A. G., Takacs, Z. K., and Kegel, C. A. T. (2015). Affordances and limitations of electronic storybooks for young children’s emergent literacy. Dev. Rev. 35, 79–97.

Chang, A.M., Aeschbach, D., Duffy, J.F., & Czeisler, C.A. (2015). Evening use of light-emitting eReaders negatively affects sleep, circadian timing, and next-morning alertness. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America,112(4).

De Jong, M. T., and Bus, A. G. (2002). Quality of book-reading matters for emergent readers: an experiment with the same book in a regular or electronic format. J. Educ. Psychol.

Gallagher, J. (2014). E-Books ‘damage sleep and health’ doctors warn. Accessed http://www.bbc.com/news/health-30574260

Yuill, N. & Martin, A.F. (2016). Curling Up With a Good e-Book: Mother-Child Shared Story Reading on Screen or Paper Affects Embodied Interaction and Warmth. Frontiers in Psychology, 15.