Hindi lang ginagamit ang e-book o computer tablet para maglaro o maglibang sa panahon ngayon.
These gadgets are also used to educate. In schools in several countries, including the Philippines, they are used as alternatives to books.
Bukod sa pagiging practical, lightweight ang mga ito kaya easy-to-carry ang tablet for smaller kids. At dahil marami sa younger generation ang addict dito, expected na mas magiging interesado sila sa mga lessons sa school kung interactive ang presentation.
Mommy as techie
Several schools are already telling parents that tablets will soon be used in the classroom.
Matapos marinig ito, kaagad bumili si Cristy ng kilalang brand na iPad para masanay ang kanyang panganay na si AJ. Syempre, nag-practice rin si Mommy kung paano gamitin ito to better guide him.
May kamahalan ito pero may mga murang options naman ngayon sa market. And compared to other gadgets, it’s cheaper than a laptop or the latest mobile phone.
Dr. Jocelyn Eusebio, a child developmental pediatrician, says that using technology for education has its benefits.
“Kaya niya matapos ang dapat gawin dahil at any time, pwede niya kunin yun para magbasa,” sabi niya.
Pero posibleng mabawasan ang social interaction between parent and child. There will be less bonding moments kung hindi na sila sabay mag-read-out-loud o magtutulungan sa homework.
Isa pang problema ang Internet access ng ordinaryong Pinoy. Kung wala nito, baka limitado rin ang online reading materials na pwedeng magamit.
What studies say
Based on research sa United States, kahit mas marami at popular na ang mga e-readers at tablets, mas mainam pa rin daw magbasa ng actual books.
Image taken from http://booksforthebarrios.org/
According to evidence from laboratory experiments, polls and consumer reports, iba ang physical experience from reading a printed book na likas pa rin sa karamihan sa atin. Dahil dito, hindi daw full ang understanding sa text na binasa sa screen.
Mas nakakapagod pa ang pagbabasa sa screen kumpara sa papel kaya’t baka mas mahirap matandaan kung ano ang nabasa.
One of these studies is a 2005 survey in northern California, which noted more shortcuts in reading from a screen. Ilang examples nito ang browsing, scanning, at pag-search ng keywords.
“There is physicality in reading,” ayon sa developmental psychologist at cognitive scientist na si Maryanne Wolf ng Tufts University. Kailangan daw muna mag-reflect kung alin ang mas effective, and while doing this, we shouldn’t quickly change our reading habit just to try what’s new and trendy.
Sa article na “The Reading Brain in the Digital Age: The Science of Paper versus Screens”, nabalita na maraming mga engineers, designers, at user-interface experts ang nagpupursige para mas maging pareho ang e-reading sa pagbabasa sa papel.
Ginaya pa nga daw ng e-ink ang chemical ink, at ang layout naman ng screen ng isang Kindle ay parang page. Pati ang isang product ng Apple, ang iBooks, humiram ng design sa tunay na libro at sinubukang ma-simulate ang act of turning the page.
Prepare for the future
Bilang moderator ng Loyola Book Club, isang reading advocacy group ng mga estudyante sa kanilang paaralan, naniniwala rin si Joel Falgui, English teacher ng Ateneo High School, na dapat manatili ang campaign for traditional reading.
“I think that there will always be value in reading printed books,” sabi niya.
Aminado siya na iba ang pagbabasa ng estudyante sa printed at e-books.
So parents and teachers like him should still prepare for the future to keep updated with the kids, especially the future generations who may be more used to e-reading.
Image taken from www.mb.com.ph/when-learning-meets-technology/
“I think we have to recognize that and be ready to help our students be able to navigate the different media (print and electronic), provide them with the necessary reading skills to effectively access the different media, and finally help them to know which reading skills and tools to improve their reading comprehension,” sabi ni Falgui.
Kailangan pa rin turuan ang mga estudyante to maximize e-reading and Internet use for knowledge and information.
“The technology is basically a tool, an incredible tool which is already changing the way people read and view information. There is a need, however, to help students use these tools more effectively,” dagdag niya.
