There are so many ways to learn new things! Have you ever thought about that? About how you could pick up a book to read about farming, or you could find a mentor, or you could take an online class, or a local class. The many options can be overwhelming, but they are a great reminder to us all that we all learn differently. Some of us prefer to go at our own pace in a text, while others like to receive guidance and wisdom from another person. Sometimes that person pushes us and makes us uncomfortable, but we trust that they know more then we do. The plethora of options is a testimony to God's creativity, because we are all different.
Reason Number ONE : Research shows high retention with books!
Regardless of whether you learn best with your hands or by listening to a text, research reveals that when it comes to reading material : Books are King!
According to an article at Scientific American* :
"When we read, we construct a mental representation of the text in which meaning is anchored to structure."
This visual roadmap is created from a physical book and aids in our comprehension and retention skills.
Reason Number TWO : Books Help us Review Material
What do you do when you need to review what you've been reading in your math class? Do you pull up a digital video? Look for a youtube video? For me nothing is quicker than grabbing my book and rereading and studying the previously' studied material. It is much faster to review with text than to have to wait for a teacher to finish speaking or get to the part of the lesson that I need a review on. The power of books as future reference resources is immeasurable!
Reason Number THREE : Multiple child discount!
Do you know what's great about a book? You can pass them down! When we purchase a video streaming course, we know that we are purchasing material for a set amount of time. Most likely, not all of your children are ready to study algebra or chemistry at the same time. With a book, when your oldest son is finished, then your oldest daughter can start it.
Do you remember looking in your high school texts to see which students had used it previously? For some reason, recording and seeing who used which book is often fun for our students.
Screen glare and digital issues aside, when I give a list of summer books to consider reading in your hammocks, should you purchase or borrow the ebook or the print edition? How do you decide?
The research is clear, reviewing is necessary, and having multiple children results in me always choosing a physical book over an electronic edition. This is especially true for educational purposes, which is why we advocate using a print text with our math membership. Simply put, our students remember the material and are better equipped to learn with a printed source.
Go visit your local library, peruse the physical books, choose one, and enjoy your glare-free hammock reading!
*Scientific American article: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/reading-paper-screens/
* More research links and references: https://natlib.govt.nz/blog/posts/reading-on-screen-vs-reading-in-print-whats-the-difference-for-learning