Matthew Walters

Jessica Morton
UWRT 1103-066
18 April 2016
Physical Textbooks: The Tried and True Educator VS. Electronic Textbooks: A Disastrous
Convenience
It seems education has become to the key to unlock any hope of prosperity in the United
States and the world as a whole. Within the past few decades college has become less and less of
a hope for graduated high school students but rather an expectation. Such emphasis has been
placed on attending a university and without higher learning, a person chance of landing a decent
job and being able to provide a life for not only themselves, but there family as well, diminishes
significantly. Nationwide, a large amount of effort and a multitude of resources have been
allocated towards making college a possibility for everyone who wishes to attend. This education
movement has received enough backing that entire organizations have been founded and school
departments structured with the sole purpose of assisting prospective students in planning and
financing their college careers.
Simultaneously, the world of education has been working to make stride in improving
education and making education resources more readily available. A direction that educators
have taken is turning to technology to aid in spreading education. Seeing as how technology is a
growing industry, to employ its usage in schools seemed to be a natural step. In addition,
children as young as five can demonstrate their understanding of how to use technology, such as

computers, so its compatibility among students, young and old, is without question. With such
knowledge educators have become incorporating technology of all forms in schools throughout
the country. In elementary schools, television and projects are implemented to show films. In
some middle schools, computer labs are put in place and basic computer classes are taught. In
high schools, teachers have their own pages on school websites and devices, such as tablets and
laptops, are used in classes to complete assigned projects. In some instances, entire classes can
be taught online, specifically college level courses.
As technology has grown and evolved in school systems, some have gone as far as to
digitize reading pieces. A simple example being that high school teachers assign students to read
and reflect on online articles. Of course, in college, reading is done in every class, the most
obvious reading material being textbooks. Though physical textbooks are still relevant, many
students and professors have converted to using electronic textbooks as an alternative. As with
any change, critics follow suit. A question is posed whether or not this transition is truly
beneficial to students. Critics argue that in this case, technology is a detriment to a students
learning opportunities and electronic textbooks arent worth using due to the issues that
accompany. Is this where the nation needs to put a halt on technology usage in a school setting?
Seeing as how such importance is placed on going to school and earning a degree, it is easy to
conceive how a student wouldnt want their efforts or money to go to waste. Despite electronic
textbooks providing easily accessible study resources, the dependability, financial reprieve and
convenience brought by physical textbooks prove they are far more beneficial.
Proponents of physical textbooks push the point that textbooks are far more convenient.
Textbooks can be taken anywhere and require no electronic or Wi-Fi in order to operate.
Professors embrace the idea that no student can make the excuse it ran out of battery or it

froze and crashed ("Tablets vs. Textbooks - ProCon.org."). Physical books as a whole can be
found in a wide range of places from doctors offices to libraries demonstrating a high level of
convenience. Drawing on the mention of libraries, physical textbooks give way to an additional
possibility. Physical books can be rented, borrowed and returned, a benefit not offered by
electronic books. (Phelps). Many parents and teens continue the point by acknowledging that by
keeping textbooks so readily available, a student develops a special connection with the text and
their ability to focus on the subject matter is increased (Deam). By offering a physical connection
with what a person is studying, textbooks provide the reader the chance to develop a certain
attachment. A number of studies and observations suggest that this attachment assists in the
development of a fondness for reading and readers tend to see a boost in memory retention which
is essential in a school environment (Kraft). These results stem from students being able to
highlight passages and make annotations to their personal preference (Kraft). Outcomes have
shown that parents and kids alike prefer physical books to electronic textbooks according to a
study done by Digital Book World and literacy nonprofit Seasame Workshop (Crum).
Furthering the previously mentioned benefit of being able to rent and return physical
textbooks, an added benefit that accompany is the financial reprieve offered by physical
textbooks. The common belief is that electronic textbooks are easier on a students wallet.
Thought the statement holds true if the student were to purchase all of his textbooks, physical
textbooks offer opportunities counter the high costs. Students who seek a physical textbook are
open to the option of renting at a fraction of the cost of purchasing, or even borrowing a
textbook. In some universities and even some book stores, booksellers will buy back a book
provided it is in an acceptable condition (Phelps). Going on the premise a student is looking at a
physical textbook that is $150.49 brand new, the electronic version is $93.96 (Phelps). Granted

the electronic version is in fact cheaper, however the cost of the reading device with which the
book will be view on must be taken into account. Though prices may waver, a low ball estimate
for a regular screen eReader is roughly $70("Traditional Textbooks vs. ETextbooks - Pros and
Cons."). This brings the grand total cost for an electronic textbook to $163.96, which is in fact a
higher cost compared to that of physical textbooks. Furthermore, for the same book a student can
buy new for $150.49, he or she can rent it for between $49.49 and $88.10, still significantly less
than that of an electronic version (Phelps). A student also holds the opportunity to purchase a
used book, an option that still offers some financial relief if he or she does not wish to rent.
Finally, though it may be rare, if a potential textbook buyer is fortunate enough, he or she can
borrow the book from an acquaintance for free, completely eliminating any costs.
Just as traditional textbooks users have their reasons; electronic textbooks users have
their own. Proponents of electric textbooks argue that they prove to be a healthier and far more
effective study resource. Perhaps the most prominent argument used is the idea that electronic
textbooks will eliminate the heavy book bag that plagues students by having a device that holds a
multitude of reading materials ("Traditional Textbooks vs. ETextbooks - Pros and Cons."). By
removing this excessive amount of weight, it is believed that students will have a better posture.
While taking the weight off of a students back, the electronic textbook comes with the added
benefit of being able to cater to each students needs and learning style (Deam). Online textbooks
provide tools that allow the user to highlight their favorite passages, take small practice quizzes
and translate and define unknown terms ("Traditional Textbooks vs. ETextbooks - Pros and
Cons.").
A common need many readers run into, specifically those who are elderly, is finding a
large print book to accompany their poor vision. E-readers and electronic textbooks have

methods of assisting the visually impaired. Font sizes and spacing can be altered to be larger and
spaced farther apart which in turn has shown to improve reading comprehension in students with
poor eyesight and disorders such as dyslexia (Kraft). Finally, proponents of online textbooks
argue that they are far more environmentally friendly due to the fact acres of trees must be
clearly in order to produce traditional textbooks ("Traditional Textbooks vs. ETextbooks - Pros
and Cons."). As valid points as these may be, the reasoning behind them is flawed.
Though electronic textbooks offer substantial benefits to readers, most if not all, can be
found in traditional textbooks. To start, studies have shown that while a heavy back pack does
impede proper posture, the use of electronic textbooks on E-Readers plagues readers with its
own medial issues as well. Its pretty well known that reading text on a screen can strain a
readers eyes and damage their vision in the process (Kraft). Medically known as visual fatigue,
this damage to a readers eyes is marked by tired, itching and burning eyes (Kraft). Additionally,
a recent study out of Harvard has found that reading an e-book, including electronic textbooks,
before bed disrupts a persons sleep cycle (Bushak). It found that this reading altered a persons
melatonin production and resulted in an overall decrease (Bushak). This disruption stems from a
humans exposure to artificial light (Kraft). Charles Czeisler, the lead author of the study, pointed
out that it is important to keep in mind that overtime sleep deprivation will eventually set in and
can lead to further complications such as cardiovascular issues, obesity and diabetes (Bushak).
Touching on the point made in reference to assisting the visually impaired, there are
physical textbook options available as well. You can, with the proper research, locate and
purchase larger print textbooks and special editions made to assist those with a reading disorder.
Furthermore, just as electronic textbooks offer tools to highlight and define terms and passages,
traditional books offer the same. It may not be at a click of a button, but rather it incorporates a

hands-on attachment through physically flipping through a dictionary or highlighting a text.

Through the West Australian Study, it was found that students prefer the tactile sensation of
holding a book and as a result, develop a far deeper connection and understanding of their
readings (Kraft). Drawing from the idea that all traditional textbook usage should cease due to
un-environmentally friendly they are, it can be found that the statement is not entirely true.
Though the production of said resource may come at the expense of a natural resource, trees are
renewable. The production only poses a threat if the consumption is higher than the
replenishment. Rather than place emphasis on ending the cutting down of trees, the focus should
be turned towards ensure that trees are being planted as other are being cut down. By turning the
focus in unnecessary directions, resources are diverted away from solving the primary issue at
the expense of the nations education.
Whether is it a parent looking out for their child or a student working to study in the most
effective manner, it is a natural desire to aspire to improve ones reading experience. For
students, specifically those attending college, reading is an unavoidable task. Seeing as how
textbook usage is a staple in college life, finding and using the best resources available is
essential. Though electronic textbooks offer some upside potential such as eliminating the weight
of bulky textbooks and offering a level of accessibility to a select group of individuals, in the true
scheme of things there is not a benefit offered by electronic textbooks that is not shared by
physical textbooks. In fact, traditional textbooks have stood the test of time and show their true
effectiveness. Traditional textbooks are the side with which unique benefits reside. This is not to
say there arent resources that are more preferable and advantageous, electronic textbooks are
just not one of them.

Works Citied
Bushak, Lecia. "E-Books Are Damaging Your Health: Why We Should All Start Reading Paper
Books Again. Medical Daily. N.p., 11 Jan. 2015. Web. 29 Mar. 2016.
<http://www.medicaldaily.com/e-books-are -damaging-your-health-why-we-should-allstart-reading-paper-books-again-317212>.
Crum, Maddie. "Sorry, Ebooks. These 9 Studies Show Why Print Is Better." The Huffington
Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 27 Feb. 2015. Web. 29 Mar. 2016.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/02/27/print-ebooks-studies_n_6762674.html
Deam, Jenny. "E-Books vs. Print: What Parents Need to Know.Scholastic.com. Scholastic, n.d.
Web. 29 Mar. 2016. <http://www.scholastic.com/parents/resources/article/developingreading-skills/e-books-vs-print-what-parents-need-to-know>.
Kraft, Amy. "Books vs. E-books: The Science behind the Best Way to Read." CBSNews. CBS
Interactive, 14 Dec. 2015. Web. 29 Mar. 2016. <http://www.cbsnews.com/news/kindlenook-e-reader-books-the-best-way-to-read/>.
Phelps, Rachel. "Cost of E-Textbooks Vs. Paper Textbooks | The Classroom | Synonym." Cost of
E-Textbooks Vs. Paper Textbooks | The Classroom | Synonym. Demand Media, n.d.
Web. 17 Apr. 2016. <http://classroom.synonym.com/cost-etextbooks-vs-paper-textbooks6474.html>.
"Tablets vs. Textbooks - ProCon.org." ProCon.org Headlines. N.p., 9 Apr. 2014. Web. 01 Apr.
2016. <http://tablets-textbooks.procon.org/>.

"Traditional Textbooks vs. ETextbooks - Pros and Cons." Canvas. Instructure, n.d. Web. 29 Mar.
2016. <https://richland.instructure.com/courses/1406392/pages/traditional-textbooks-vsetextbooks-pros-and-cons>.