"Electronic textbook": why readers schoolchildren
In Western schools, there are many projects that bring interactivity to the process of learning: from switching to personal computers to implementing cloud technologies .
However, new technologies are being introduced in our educational institutions. Schools are gradually moving to electronic textbooks, and students are beginning to use tablets and “reading rooms” not only for entertainment. Today we will tell how digital textbooks affect health and academic performance and where readers are already used in Russia for training.
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According to a study by the National Center for Biotechnology Information USA, a heavy portfolio leads to compression of the intervertebral discs, which causes back pain and curvature of the spine. Therefore, doctors note that the curb weight of the backpack should not exceed 10% of the weight of the student.
In Russia, supervisory organizations also form such recommendations. For example, by September 1, 2017, Rospotrebnadzor published standards for the “fullness” of a schoolboy knapsack. It says that the weight of a set of textbooks for pupils of the first and second classes should not exceed 1.5 kg.
However, these requirements in modern realities are not always possible. The site "KP" note that the preponderance of backpacks for schoolchildren reaches two kilograms. Because children carry heavy paper books, removable shoes, sports uniforms, drawing albums, etc., behind their backs.
Tablets and electronic readers can help in solving the problem. The mass of an electronic device is 500-700 grams, while it replaces a stack of textbooks. Schoolboy's portfolio becomes easier - posture and health do not suffer.
The transition to the "figure" has a positive effect not only on the posture, but also on the performance of schoolchildren. According to the head of the information technology department of Moscow, Maria Kosse, children working with electronic books have higher academic performance. Therefore, for example, in September, schoolchildren of a part of the schools of the Middle Urals received tablets with two screens: one is regular, the other is on electronic ink.
Even with readers and tablets it is more convenient to work with visually impaired students. Margarita Rusetskaya, the rector of the Pushkin Institute, says that the information in most textbooks is not convenient enough: the fine print that fills the page thickly. Electronic devices can change the font size to be comfortable for the eyes.
Paper textbooks are yesterday, and the transition to “digital” literature in schools has a positive effect on the health and performance of students. As a replacement for books, you can select the reader and tablets, which have their own advantages and disadvantages.
Among the advantages of tablets can be noted that they are often bought by children for "extracurricular" activities. Therefore, parents can only put the necessary software for reading digital textbooks, and the child can begin to engage.
In this case, the tablets have color screens, which opens up more multimedia capabilities. Students can view instructional videos and build charts or graphs right in the classroom. Tablets also give access to interactive applications that can change the approach to learning. For example, there are services that teach solving equations or help to learn a foreign language. Additionally, we note the possibility of simple access to the Internet, which simplifies the work on school projects and the search for information.
Readers compared to tablets have a narrower functionality, but this is also a plus - the child begins to perceive the gadget as a “serious” tool for learning. At the same time, the screen of the readers, since it is made by electronic ink technology, does not tire the eyes (we will discuss this in more detail later).
Another advantage of the readers is reduced power consumption. E Ink screens consume battery power more slowly than LCD displays, because it is consumed only at the time of redrawing the image. The operating time of individual devices depends on the screen size, battery capacity and conditions of use, however, on average, electronic paper allows you not to charge the device for a week.
For example, Amazon says the Kindle Paperwhite reader holds a charge of 8 weeks. And the ONYX BOOX Chronos reader with a 3000 mAh battery will “ live ” much longer than any tablet.
And although tablets are still a popular tool when switching to electronic textbooks, in recent years schools have increasingly begun to turn their attention to readers. It is expected that by 2019, the value of the e-paper market in the education sector will reach $ 1.5 billion, with an average annual growth of 17%.
Pictured : ONYX BOOX Chronos
We also note that since 2015, an amendment to the law “On Education” has been working in Russia, according to which all school textbooks must have a digital version that repeats a paper equivalent (including illustrations). And the digital copy is an exact copy of the print edition, presented in PDF format.
Therefore, regardless of what the parent or school chooses - a tablet or a reader - the device was large enough (with a screen of 9.7 inches). With such a working surface it is more convenient to read PDF documents. This is important because PDF files do not adjust the content to fit the screen and it becomes inconvenient to look at formulas, pictures and graphics on small gadgets.
For example, ONYX BOOX has several variants of readers with a diagonal of 9.7 inches. One of the latest models is Chronos . It is convenient to read educational and technical literature in PDF and DjVu formats due to the large and comfortable for the eyes backlit display and SNOW Field technology. Optimum work with documents provides a dual-core processor in combination with 512 MB of RAM.
There is also a line of MAX readers, which are even bigger - they have a 13.3-inch screen. For example, the ONYX BOOX MAX Carta reader is a full-fledged virtual space of A4 format.
Pictured : ONYX BOOX MAX Carta
School classes are designed with the focus on the use of paper books - large windows along the wall, through which a lot of light enters. And when direct sunlight hits the screen of the tablet, the content becomes difficult to distinguish.
The brightness of the built-in backlight is not enough to "overcome" the sun. The reader's screen is similar in its properties to paper, so the light here plays into the hand - the font, on the contrary, acquires contrast.
Joe Croft, co-founder of Research Design and Development, notes that the E Ink screen's matte surface and the absence of reflections (as is the case with glass tablets) are less tiring on the eyes.
In a room with decent lighting, the tablet screen becomes clearly visible. However, its brightness is significantly different from the brightness of the background, and the backlight of the tablet flickers. A person may not notice this, but his eyes get tired faster.
This is confirmed by a study conducted by scientists from the University of Paris 8. During the ten-day experiment, they measured the blink rate of the subjects and recorded their personal sensations. As a result, it was found that when working with E Ink displays, the "fatigue" of vision occurs more slowly.
“Over the years of evolution, man has become accustomed to look at objects illuminated by the sun. Looking directly at the sun, as well as at the fire, lightning, and all kinds of LEDs, the eye is not used and therefore gets tired quickly, ” says Evgeny Suvorov, head of the development department at MakTsentr.
Another problem is that the devices that emit light, do not allow the body to relax. Doctors from the United States and Germany conducted a study and found that working with LCD screens before bedtime leads to disruptions of circadian rhythms and lack of sleep. This affects the health and performance of students.
Electronic readers as electronic textbooks do have a certain range of advantages, but the question arises, where do they really apply?
One example is the Kenyan Kibera Girls Soccer Academy (KGSA) school. The management of the institution decided to turn to e-readers because it is difficult for students to carry heavy books with them. They have to travel several kilometers on foot to reach the school. And lightweight e-readers are portable and provide access to thousands of books, including literature from African publishers.
Readers are also used at Sharon Elementary School in Robbinsville, USA to make the lessons more interactive and attractive to schoolchildren. In particular, gadgets allow you to prepare personalized educational programs for children who have difficulty in learning the material.
As an example of the introduction of readers in the Russian educational institutions can result in a naval school. P.S. Nakhimov. The manual purchased ONYX BOOX C67ML Darwin readers for the convenience and comfort of cadets and teachers. And the company "MakTsentr" developed a special firmware for devices. In the Black Sea School made a choice in favor of electronic paper, not only with the aim of improving the educational process, but also to preserve the health of students.
“We thoroughly approached this project, studied the domestic market of devices for reading electronic books,” commented Dmitry Feklistov, head of the IT-Laboratory of CWVMU. “As a result, we decided to dwell on the ONYX BOOX C67ML Darwin model, which, in our opinion, best meets the requirements for an individual cadet mobile tool (compactness, overall reliability, ergonomics and speed of the device, a backlit E Ink touch screen, case, custom Android based firmware, capacious battery and reasonable price) ”.
Another educational institution that purchased electronic textbooks based on E Ink was the Trinity Orthodox School. The company “MakTsentr” also acted as a supplier of equipment. The project was started from the BOOX 60 model, and the management buys modern readers annually.
In January 2015, the LightSail Education platform conducted a survey among 475 teachers around the world. 94% of respondents said they expect the growing popularity of e-books in schools. And 52% of teachers said that they would like to “translate” students into digital literature. At the same time, according to the report of the Kids and Family Reading Report 2015, the number of children who read at least one book in the electronic version also increased.
This is partly due to the fact that scientists and engineers are trying to bring the sensations of using electronic readers to impressions of reading a paper book, in parallel expanding the functionality of devices. For example, E Ink is developing a portable reader with a bendable ten-inch Carta Mobius display.
E Ink is also planning to launch the production of electronic notebooks in collaboration with Sony. Perhaps in the future, E Ink screens will “go beyond the limits” of reading and will be used in schools as universal systems for writing notes and drawing.
PS We offer several reviews for those who are interested in ONYX BOOX readers:
However, new technologies are being introduced in our educational institutions. Schools are gradually moving to electronic textbooks, and students are beginning to use tablets and “reading rooms” not only for entertainment. Today we will tell how digital textbooks affect health and academic performance and where readers are already used in Russia for training.
')
Advantages of electronic literature
According to a study by the National Center for Biotechnology Information USA, a heavy portfolio leads to compression of the intervertebral discs, which causes back pain and curvature of the spine. Therefore, doctors note that the curb weight of the backpack should not exceed 10% of the weight of the student.
In Russia, supervisory organizations also form such recommendations. For example, by September 1, 2017, Rospotrebnadzor published standards for the “fullness” of a schoolboy knapsack. It says that the weight of a set of textbooks for pupils of the first and second classes should not exceed 1.5 kg.
However, these requirements in modern realities are not always possible. The site "KP" note that the preponderance of backpacks for schoolchildren reaches two kilograms. Because children carry heavy paper books, removable shoes, sports uniforms, drawing albums, etc., behind their backs.
Tablets and electronic readers can help in solving the problem. The mass of an electronic device is 500-700 grams, while it replaces a stack of textbooks. Schoolboy's portfolio becomes easier - posture and health do not suffer.
The transition to the "figure" has a positive effect not only on the posture, but also on the performance of schoolchildren. According to the head of the information technology department of Moscow, Maria Kosse, children working with electronic books have higher academic performance. Therefore, for example, in September, schoolchildren of a part of the schools of the Middle Urals received tablets with two screens: one is regular, the other is on electronic ink.
Even with readers and tablets it is more convenient to work with visually impaired students. Margarita Rusetskaya, the rector of the Pushkin Institute, says that the information in most textbooks is not convenient enough: the fine print that fills the page thickly. Electronic devices can change the font size to be comfortable for the eyes.
How to replace books
Paper textbooks are yesterday, and the transition to “digital” literature in schools has a positive effect on the health and performance of students. As a replacement for books, you can select the reader and tablets, which have their own advantages and disadvantages.
Among the advantages of tablets can be noted that they are often bought by children for "extracurricular" activities. Therefore, parents can only put the necessary software for reading digital textbooks, and the child can begin to engage.
In this case, the tablets have color screens, which opens up more multimedia capabilities. Students can view instructional videos and build charts or graphs right in the classroom. Tablets also give access to interactive applications that can change the approach to learning. For example, there are services that teach solving equations or help to learn a foreign language. Additionally, we note the possibility of simple access to the Internet, which simplifies the work on school projects and the search for information.
Readers compared to tablets have a narrower functionality, but this is also a plus - the child begins to perceive the gadget as a “serious” tool for learning. At the same time, the screen of the readers, since it is made by electronic ink technology, does not tire the eyes (we will discuss this in more detail later).
Another advantage of the readers is reduced power consumption. E Ink screens consume battery power more slowly than LCD displays, because it is consumed only at the time of redrawing the image. The operating time of individual devices depends on the screen size, battery capacity and conditions of use, however, on average, electronic paper allows you not to charge the device for a week.
For example, Amazon says the Kindle Paperwhite reader holds a charge of 8 weeks. And the ONYX BOOX Chronos reader with a 3000 mAh battery will “ live ” much longer than any tablet.
And although tablets are still a popular tool when switching to electronic textbooks, in recent years schools have increasingly begun to turn their attention to readers. It is expected that by 2019, the value of the e-paper market in the education sector will reach $ 1.5 billion, with an average annual growth of 17%.
Pictured : ONYX BOOX Chronos
We also note that since 2015, an amendment to the law “On Education” has been working in Russia, according to which all school textbooks must have a digital version that repeats a paper equivalent (including illustrations). And the digital copy is an exact copy of the print edition, presented in PDF format.
Therefore, regardless of what the parent or school chooses - a tablet or a reader - the device was large enough (with a screen of 9.7 inches). With such a working surface it is more convenient to read PDF documents. This is important because PDF files do not adjust the content to fit the screen and it becomes inconvenient to look at formulas, pictures and graphics on small gadgets.
For example, ONYX BOOX has several variants of readers with a diagonal of 9.7 inches. One of the latest models is Chronos . It is convenient to read educational and technical literature in PDF and DjVu formats due to the large and comfortable for the eyes backlit display and SNOW Field technology. Optimum work with documents provides a dual-core processor in combination with 512 MB of RAM.
There is also a line of MAX readers, which are even bigger - they have a 13.3-inch screen. For example, the ONYX BOOX MAX Carta reader is a full-fledged virtual space of A4 format.
Pictured : ONYX BOOX MAX Carta
The effect of readers and tablets on vision
School classes are designed with the focus on the use of paper books - large windows along the wall, through which a lot of light enters. And when direct sunlight hits the screen of the tablet, the content becomes difficult to distinguish.
The brightness of the built-in backlight is not enough to "overcome" the sun. The reader's screen is similar in its properties to paper, so the light here plays into the hand - the font, on the contrary, acquires contrast.
Joe Croft, co-founder of Research Design and Development, notes that the E Ink screen's matte surface and the absence of reflections (as is the case with glass tablets) are less tiring on the eyes.
In a room with decent lighting, the tablet screen becomes clearly visible. However, its brightness is significantly different from the brightness of the background, and the backlight of the tablet flickers. A person may not notice this, but his eyes get tired faster.
This is confirmed by a study conducted by scientists from the University of Paris 8. During the ten-day experiment, they measured the blink rate of the subjects and recorded their personal sensations. As a result, it was found that when working with E Ink displays, the "fatigue" of vision occurs more slowly.
“Over the years of evolution, man has become accustomed to look at objects illuminated by the sun. Looking directly at the sun, as well as at the fire, lightning, and all kinds of LEDs, the eye is not used and therefore gets tired quickly, ” says Evgeny Suvorov, head of the development department at MakTsentr.
Another problem is that the devices that emit light, do not allow the body to relax. Doctors from the United States and Germany conducted a study and found that working with LCD screens before bedtime leads to disruptions of circadian rhythms and lack of sleep. This affects the health and performance of students.
Who uses the reader
Electronic readers as electronic textbooks do have a certain range of advantages, but the question arises, where do they really apply?
One example is the Kenyan Kibera Girls Soccer Academy (KGSA) school. The management of the institution decided to turn to e-readers because it is difficult for students to carry heavy books with them. They have to travel several kilometers on foot to reach the school. And lightweight e-readers are portable and provide access to thousands of books, including literature from African publishers.
Readers are also used at Sharon Elementary School in Robbinsville, USA to make the lessons more interactive and attractive to schoolchildren. In particular, gadgets allow you to prepare personalized educational programs for children who have difficulty in learning the material.
As an example of the introduction of readers in the Russian educational institutions can result in a naval school. P.S. Nakhimov. The manual purchased ONYX BOOX C67ML Darwin readers for the convenience and comfort of cadets and teachers. And the company "MakTsentr" developed a special firmware for devices. In the Black Sea School made a choice in favor of electronic paper, not only with the aim of improving the educational process, but also to preserve the health of students.
“We thoroughly approached this project, studied the domestic market of devices for reading electronic books,” commented Dmitry Feklistov, head of the IT-Laboratory of CWVMU. “As a result, we decided to dwell on the ONYX BOOX C67ML Darwin model, which, in our opinion, best meets the requirements for an individual cadet mobile tool (compactness, overall reliability, ergonomics and speed of the device, a backlit E Ink touch screen, case, custom Android based firmware, capacious battery and reasonable price) ”.
Another educational institution that purchased electronic textbooks based on E Ink was the Trinity Orthodox School. The company “MakTsentr” also acted as a supplier of equipment. The project was started from the BOOX 60 model, and the management buys modern readers annually.
In January 2015, the LightSail Education platform conducted a survey among 475 teachers around the world. 94% of respondents said they expect the growing popularity of e-books in schools. And 52% of teachers said that they would like to “translate” students into digital literature. At the same time, according to the report of the Kids and Family Reading Report 2015, the number of children who read at least one book in the electronic version also increased.
This is partly due to the fact that scientists and engineers are trying to bring the sensations of using electronic readers to impressions of reading a paper book, in parallel expanding the functionality of devices. For example, E Ink is developing a portable reader with a bendable ten-inch Carta Mobius display.
E Ink is also planning to launch the production of electronic notebooks in collaboration with Sony. Perhaps in the future, E Ink screens will “go beyond the limits” of reading and will be used in schools as universal systems for writing notes and drawing.
PS We offer several reviews for those who are interested in ONYX BOOX readers:
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/374089/
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