Quote:
"Today's youths are situated in a complex information ecology within which video games are only one small, albeit important, part. From this view, video games could no more replace books than television could replace radio; rather, each digital medium settles into its own ecological niche and, as a part of that niche, its own complex relationship with every other medium." (Steinkuhler)
Response:
Youth are inundated with a variety of media sources. Technology is not some unknown, it is a part of their daily lives and many youth would be lost and uncomfortable without access to the various forms of technology such as games, phones, apps, etc. In a room of 15 year olds, if you ask what time it is there will be a rush to pull out cell phones to check the time, not look at their watches. They have become dependent upon technology, but a variety of technology.
Resource:
A blog by Isreal born, software engineer, Eli Bendersky speaks to a comparison between Kindle and real books. The arrival of the E-Reader seemed to signal the death of the book and libraries. This is not proving to be the case. Mr. Bendersky explores the reasoning behind the permanence of the print book and his followers have posted a variety of comments that give value to a print book over an E-book.
When I first became aware of E-readers I was, like many of my generation, put off. I like the feel of a book, the touch, the smell of the pages, and rereading worn books from my shelves is like visiting an old friend. I was not going to try, let alone buy an E-reader. Now, more than three years later I own a Kindle 2 and it is like an old friend. Just one more old friend that sits on my bookshelf. Sometimes I pull it out and charge it up, just to be sure that it is ready for a trip!
Many of the people I talk to who use Kindles (or other e-reader) have a large personal library and have no intention of replacing it with electronic resources. Many of us bibliophiles supplement our personal collections with e-books not reduce it. We are able to acquire books digitally that we have no hope of owning in print, due to the cost.
I know of a few few young people who use E-Readers, but they are not as common as one would think. Libraries now have E-readers available to checkout and offer books for download. A whole new market has evolved for digital texts, yet the print book still remains. Both industries are evolving to accomodate the change in technology, but both will remain.
Sources:
Bendersky, E. (2012, April 26). [Web log message]. Retrieved from http://eli.thegreenplace.net/2012/04/26/reading-on-a-kindle-vs-a-paper-book/
Steinhuekler, C. (2010). Video games and digital literacies.Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacies, 54(1), 61-63. doi: Proquest 750429343
I completely agree with your post about e-readers; I love to read and there is nothing like having the book to hold in your hands. I did buy a Nook a few years ago, and while I do like it, I definitely prefer to have the actual book. What I like about the Nook is the convenience of taking it on a plane or to somewhere like the beach. What always happens to me is that if I really love a book I bought on my e-reader, I'll buy the hard copy also, because I want to have the book. So I agree that e-readers could never replace books.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I love the feel and smell of a real book. The visual and mental accomplishment of finishing the words on one page, just to move to the next and start all over again. Also, I don't believe that a Kindle is better because you can read multiple books simultaneously. Sometimes as a society, we need to slow down and focus on one thing at a time. For instance, I miss those good ol' family dinners. At my house, we have dinner without TV, cell phones, and other electronic devices. I think this is healthy.
ReplyDeleteNow, on the other hand, I do have an e-reader and I use it occasionally, because books are usually cheaper as e-books than hardback. However, I still prefer regular hold-in-your-hands books.
I loved that blog post comparing e-readers with paper books. I really love that I can hear about a book, look it up on Amazon, and start reading it immediately. I used to write the title down on a piece of paper, lose the piece of paper and then rack my brain at the library about "what was that book I wanted to read..." The downside - libraries (at least the one I have access to) don't really have books available to download, so I spend a lot more on books than I used to. Which, is really interesting itself. Another addition to the benefit of an e-reader... I can read at night in bed with the overhead lights off. I might be in the minority because I actually prefer an electronic reader - I also find them easier to hold onto. Paper books always made my hands cramp because I had a hard time keeping them open the way I like them. I do like to peruse used book stores, and I appreciate the "nostalgia" of re-reading a beloved paperback I might own, but I don't really forsee myself buying a new paper book anytime soon.
ReplyDeleteI am the same way as you towards e-readers. I don't think they will ever replace books and I like to use books myself rather than read something electronic. I guess is this just the way that we were taught to read and I read much faster out of a book than off of a screen. Probably can chalk it up to total experiences using a book to read. I have learned that it helps to make the text larger so there is more action in scrolling through pages, and this helps me to keep my attention on the text.
ReplyDeleteGreat discussion about digital texts and print texts! I just bought my kids kindles! My son is dyslexic and you can change the fonts in books to a font that is more dyslexia friendly. Also it really helps that he can make the text size larger! There are advantages! However, I still love buying and reading novels! I liking looking at my book collection on my shelves! It makes me feel accomplished and like I'm among old friends!
ReplyDelete