 Dear reader:
Before I became addicted to my own smartphone, I spent a lot of time admonishing my teenagers to get off theirs. “Read a book,” I would say. “But we are reading,” they insisted, and now, a few years later, I believe them.
Like many of us, I read newspapers on my phone and computer, and devour novels digitally on my Kindle. That adds up to an awful lot of screens – one reason I found the research uncovered by our Proof Points columnist Jill Barshay this week so intriguing.
Does it really matter if reading takes place via paper or screen? Recent studies are showing that “that students of all ages, from elementary school to college, tend to absorb more when they’re reading on paper than on screens, particularly when it comes to nonfiction material,” Barshay found. The benefit was relatively small, but consistent after averaging results from 33 high-quality studies since 2008.
As an avid reader growing up, I had no cell phone or Kindle, and no choice. I still love books and newspapers, though, and will take consume words in any form I can find them. No matter what your preference, it’s fascinating to contemplate the latest studies – and to ponder how teachers and professors might blend the best of both worlds, print and digital, into their classrooms.
-- Liz Willen, Editor
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 Main Idea |
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The studies showed that students of all ages, from elementary school to college, tend to absorb more when they’re reading on paper than on screens, particularly when it comes to nonfiction material.
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Reading List
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Alec Resnick and Shaunalynn Duffy stood in Somerville City Hall at about 6:30 on March 18, a night they hoped would launch the next chapter of their lives. The two had spent nearly seven years designing a new kind of high school meant to address the needs of students who didn’t thrive in a traditional setting.
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Goyco is one of the more than 600 public schools in Puerto Rico that have closed in the past decade. The activists here are part of a growing group of residents mobilizing to turn the empty schools littered across the island into community centers. (Hechinger en Español)
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Like many indigenous residents of remote towns in the state of Oaxaca, Miguel Hernandez grew up speaking a Zapotecan dialect rather than Spanish. That meant he had to overcome even more obstacles than other Mexican immigrants, unable to communicate with most of his classmates and teachers at North Hollywood High School. (Hechinger en Español)
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The cost of child care made Lynette Stewart’s return to work even more difficult. Although she didn’t know it, Stewart would have qualified for subsidized child care under California law. But even if she had applied, her chances of landing a spot would have been slim. Only 1 in 9 children eligible for subsidized care in California receive full-time, full-year care.
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The odds tend to be stacked against students like Josiah Hardy, not for lack of qualifications or ambition but because they’re black, Hispanic, Asian or Native American. In many instances, they are the first in their families to go to college, can’t afford expensive graduate educations and have little help navigating the route to an advanced degree.
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I have had the privilege and pleasure of teaching Toni Morrison’s work to high schoolers, college students and adult learners on three continents over the past 15 years. What I’ve discovered is that Morrison’s novels — as intricate and incredible as spider webs — resonate with readers everywhere, and with good reason: She is our Shakespeare.
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Solutions
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“Lego releases Braille bricks to teach blind and visually impaired children,” via CNN
“Barber pays kids to read a book during haircut to boost literacy, confidence,” via KUSA
This week’s solutions section came from SolutionsU powered by Solutions Journalism Network and their database of solutions journalism. Search for more solutions.
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Contact Nichole Dobo at [email protected] if you want to chat about story ideas or give feedback on any of The Hechinger Report’s newsletters. Did you know we produce four other newsletters with exclusive stories and analysis? Sign up for free today!
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We cover inequality and innovation in education with in-depth journalism that uses research, data and stories from classrooms and campuses to show the public how education can be improved and why it matters.
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