As a book lover, the thought of electronic reading was
initially a huge turn-off. I love the smell of a new book and the feel of the
pages between my fingers, but after learning more and more about e-Reading, I
have to admit that I’m interested. Electronic books, or e-Books, are books that
can be read digitally on a computer or a device known as an e-Reader. A survey
done in 2010 found that 40% of 1,200 e-Reader buyers were spending more time
reading now than they had before with print books. At first, I was skeptical.
Other internet critics claim that reading printed books is the time-honored,
proven path to intellectual growth. Personally, I have trouble focusing on a
computer or phone screen for too long, but an e-Reading study found no
significant differences between comprehension when using an e-Reading device
and a print version of children’s fiction books. It’s also been found that web
surfing, social networking, information synthesis, and digital text reading
build frameworks that students can use for both online and print reading. As
with all technology, e-Reading technology makes our lives easier. We no longer
have to go from bookstore to bookstore searching for the next book in our
favorite series; we can have it at our fingertips with just a few clicks. The
truth is that times are changing and printed books are likely going to be left
behind. Publishes are making more and more books available in e-Book editions,
including college textbooks. Textbook companies are issuing texts in e-Book
formats. Textbooks and other course materials may soon be available with
pronunciation glossaries, animated flashcards, collaborative annotation, and
embedded videos. As a college student, I can definitely see the appeal of an
electronic textbook; information would be easier to find, simply by using Ctrl+F
to find whatever it is your looking for in the blink of an eye, and with the help
of advanced technological tools, I can still highlight, annotate, and take
notes, without having to damage a printed textbook. E-Books could be the best
thing that’s ever happened to avid readers everywhere.
As previously stated, I am a college student. I would say
that at least 30% of my time spent doing school work is taking notes. Note-taking
is a multistep process, especially if hand-written. Recording notes and writing
them down is time consuming. If notecards are lost or misplaced, the process of
redoing them is doubly time consuming. Searching through pieces of paper for
one little factoid is an inefficient use of time. I introduce to you,
electronic note-taking; the new and improved version of hand-written notes. Electronic
note-taking uses computer technologies to organize and expedite note-taking. It
transfers the work of writing, filing, and organizing to your computer, letting
you concentrate on the content and meaning of your notes. I am an admitted
technology skeptic, only just opening myself up to all the possibilities that
technology has to offer. Therefore, I just recently made the switch to
electronic note-taking. My notes are done in probably less than half the time
that it used to take me. It also helps that I am a pretty quick typist, coming
in at 72 words per minute. I believe that all students should take a
keyboarding class, especially with the recent technological boom. There are
many computer and online applications for electronic note-taking for students
including Evernote, NoteStar, and OneNote.
The last topic that I will be covering ties directly into
digital citizenship, a topic covered heavily in this chapter. Cyberbullying is
the willful and repeated harm through the use of computers, cell phones, and
other electronic equipment. It has emerged as a serious problem in schools and
society. Bullying in any form has a negative and lasting impact on academic
performance. The consequences for victims of bullying and cyberbullying are
vast. These can include depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, poor school
performance, and suicidal tendencies. Also, students who have been victims of
cyberbullying have been found to be twice as likely to smoke, drink, and use
marijuana. I have seen cyberbullying first hand while I was in high school, and
I can only imagine how much worse it will get with the coming digital age. As a
teacher, I vow to have a zero tolerance bullying policy in my classroom and
will do my best to educate students about diversity, empathy, and compassion in
order to prevent them from becoming bullies themselves.
Transitioning to eBooks is difficult for some and realize that it doesn't have to be for everything, but there are certainly good reasons to explore, especially for learning purposes. One of the most amazing assets is the natural inclusion of multimedia which is how so many of us learn. Like you, I miss the book sometimes and do indulge for pleasure reading, but for now at least it looks like the printed word is moving towards technology. You did a nice job on your Piktochart and you'll have a chance to explore the topic of cyberbullying in more depth in a future assignment.
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