The educational sector has changed a lot over the past decades. This industry was developing rapidly along with technological progress, making students’ lives easier, more productive, and better.
Today, students already seem to have everything they need to succeed. They have reliable online paper writing service to delegate their assignments to professionals and keep their grades up. They also have access to a variety of software, tools, and apps that make different aspects of studying simple and effort-free. There is everything you need to perform to the best ability. And more is yet to come.
Among the innovations that have not been completely adopted yet, there are digital textbooks. This technology has been around for a while, and many students are already using it. Yet, there is still a large part of students who prefer traditional textbooks instead. So does this innovation have the potential to change the education sector further? Let’s find the answer!
Pros of Using Digital Textbooks
In the past few years, e-books have been gaining momentum, and there are quite a few reasons for that. Let’s look at the biggest advantages of switching to such textbooks.
One Device for Everything You Need
Probably every student finds it overwhelming and even irritating to have to carry around loads of heavy books. Virtual study materials solve this problem completely. After buying an e-reader or a tablet, students can download all their materials there and have them with them wherever they go. This way, students also can save plenty of space in their bags and their dorm rooms too.
Read Anywhere
Another big benefit is that you can always have them with you and read them on the go. Many devices even allow offline access. This basically means that you will have the opportunity to review your study materials anywhere and at any time, regardless of whether you are connected to the internet or not.
It’s Cost-Effective
On the one hand, switching to such materials is quite expensive. For most students, this would mean the necessity to purchase a tablet or an e-reader first. Such gadgets can be pretty expensive. But, when it gets to purchasing the books themselves, you will see that they are incredibly cheap compared to printed materials.
The primary reason why digital materials are cheap is that they don’t require any added delivery or shipping costs. Also, they don’t require any paper or printing expenses. Thus, by switching to them, you can save tons of money annually.
Shareable Content
Have you ever been in a situation where you needed to share the content with a friend who forgot his or wanted to share in-text notes that you’ve made? Traditional textbooks make this rather hard to do unless you are in the same room with your friend. Digital materials, on the contrary, are shareable. That is, you can share the whole thing or a specific chapter/page with as many users as you need.
More Interactivity
Finally, one more benefit of digital textbooks is that they offer an enhanced reading experience. They often come with a variety of interactive features to make the learning process more engaging and fun. As a result, switching to them can help you become a better student in the long run!
Cons of Using Digital Textbooks
Now that you know about the primary benefits, we have to say that a digital alternative to traditional textbooks also has a number of cons. Read on to learn about some of the biggest drawbacks.
Additional Eye Strain
There is no secret that modern people are incredibly reliant on technology. Clearly, spending many hours per day staring at a screen can’t help but hamper your vision. According to statistics, today, nearly 2 out of every 3 people in the US are facing the symptoms of digital eye strain. Another study reveals that nearly 80% of teens are experiencing the same.
By adding e-readers to the arsenal of gadgets that young people use daily, we can significantly increase eye strain. As a result, this can cause significant damage to young people’s vision.
Reliance on Access to Technology and the Internet
Although technology seems to be everywhere today, especially among young people, there is still a big problem called the Digital Divide. According to surveys and studies, even in 2022, there still will be a large number of students who don’t have access to technology and the internet at home.
Switching to digital textbooks requires using the internet and additional gadgets. Since not all students can afford to access them, this switch can cause an even larger digital divide in education.
More Distractions
Technology and the internet are the two biggest distracting factors that hold students back from achieving academic success. In the 21st century, it can be incredibly hard to stay focused on your academic assignments when there is plenty of entertainment on the web.
Using digital textbooks can mean adding more distractions during your study sessions. When you are reading another chapter for a class but have a social media icon within a short reach, it’s sure tempering to click on it. Not always will students be able to withstand this temptation. So, as a result, this can hinder your academic performance in the long run.
No Chance to Resell
Though not everyone talks about this, the majority of students prefer to resell their old textbooks at the end of the year. First of all, it’s an opportunity to get rid of unnecessary stuff. But, most importantly, it’s a chance to make extra bucks. Unfortunately, digital materials can’t be resold like that.
The Bottom Line
So can digital textbooks become the bright future for students? After reading this article, you can see that switching to digital study materials has both pros and cons. All in all, the benefits seem to outweigh the drawbacks. Thus, eventually, we can expect all schools and colleges to make this transition for the sake of a better, more effective, and more engaging learning process.
