Physical vs Digital

What do CB staff and students think of the new digital texts?

Christian Brothers’ first year integrating technology into the classroom has gone smoother than some would expect. Despite some minor issues with distracting games, apps, and some Wi-Fi bugs early on, the iPads seem to be functioning properly and assisting CB students with their studies.

The rise of tablets has also led to a decline in the use of physical, paper books. Students are now able to get all their books, for most classes, downloaded to their iPads through either the Kindle or iBooks apps.

Although physical books are still available and used in many classes around campus. Each form of text has it’s advantages and disadvantages. The Talon asked students and teachers around campus what they thought of the new digital texts.

Mr. Danny Delgado says that the digital books are helpful in some instances, but generally make work harder for students.

” I don’t like them,” he claims. “They have value for homework but I think kids like to have physical books and the writing is sometimes to small or hard to read”

While other teachers believe digital books are easier for students to carry around, but may be inconvenient for doing some assignments.

“I prefer to read physical books, but the digital books are easier for students to carry around, instead of carrying big, heavy textbooks,” says history teacher Ms. Cheryl Flaherty “But they may cause problems for students if they have to do a digital worksheet and get answers from a digital book, they would have to go back and forth between the two on the same device.”

Students, who are in charge of carrying and purchasing these books, also have varying opinions on the virtual text.

“I prefer virtual, it’s more organized, you cant lose a virtual book,you don’t have to carry them and they take up less space,” says Kyle Aparece (’15).

All the books downloaded from iBooks and Kindle are not only saved to your iPad, but also to a cloud system that saves your purchase in case you lose your iPad or get a new one you wouldn’t have to repurchase a book. Another advantage of virtual text is how easy it is to find quotes and navigate through them and general.

“I like virtual because you can search the text and their easier to carry, but physical books are more convienient for referencing,” Joshua Abulencia (’15).

Again the point of convince for referencing comes up as an advantage of using physical text. Many students also said they preferred the physical text because they enjoyed the feel of the paper and it was easier for them to read.

Everyone on campus has a different opinion on whether they like virtual of physical text more. Overall it seems it is a matter of what someone feels more comfortable with, be it a tablet or a hard cover book.