Recently, a family member published a book. My sister downloaded the Kindle app to her phone but when she tried to read the e-book, she found she was not remembering what she had read from one day to the next.

I enjoy reading my e-reader. I love the convenience of reading in bed without needing a bed lamp. One small device can store weeks of holiday reading. But I prefer paper books for reading non-fiction and educational works. Part of the reason is that I seem to remember what I have read better when I have the actual book in my hands. I also find it less cumbersome to find particular parts of the text in a paper book than in an electronic version.

What does this observation have to do with online learning? Some studies have shown that students generally have better comprehension when reading physical books rather than screens. Why would this be so?

Physical Books Versus Screens

According to an article in Business Insider, many students prefer reading screens over books. They thought they were comprehending more when reading the screens. However, they actually performed better in comprehension tests after reading the printed books. Several possible reasons were offered for this finding:

• Length of text. Longer articles seem to be better read in print. Is this because it’s so easy to glance up and down the page or even flip over a page or two? Research on memory tells us that we learn by connecting new information to previous knowledge. Flipping back and forth to connect sections to each other may help us make those connections in the brain more quickly and easily. While e-books have bookmarks and search facilities, it’s so much simpler to keep your finger in a page while flipping back to quickly check something read a few pages ago. With an e-book, you have to first create a bookmark, then go to the search feature, type in your words and (often) select the right passage from a list. When you’re finished, you have to re-select your bookmark to return to the original passage.
• Reading speed. Apparently, many people read more quickly on the screen than when reading a physical book. Maybe all you need to do to increase your comprehension is to slow down your reading speed. Taking notes as you go also increases comprehension and retention.
• When reading on a device that has notifications enabled, it’s too easy to click on an email or social media alert. If you’re reading a book, you have to turn away and possibly unlock your device if notifications appear.
• When you need to focus, turn off notifications and close unnecessary apps or windows. Remember to use a Pomodoro while studying to help stay focussed.

Online Courses

Despite my difficulties retaining on-screen texts, I have found that the online course format suits me very well. Watching videos involves both seeing and hearing. If I take notes while watching the video, I can remember more of the material, even if I never re-read those notes. I may also take notes while reading course materials. Quiz questions and exercises incorporated in many online courses improve the learning process even more.

While not a direct discussion of online learning, here is an interesting article from The Learning Scientists on the pros and cons of Technology in the Classroom.

To get back to my sister and her difficulties reading the e-book, she decided to consciously summarize each chapter after reading it. Even though it was a novel and not a study text, she trained her brain to remember it as she went, and enjoyed it. In her own words, “I managed to adjust my brain settings.” She also enjoyed the convenience of having the book on her phone.

By the way, the book (Butch and Moondance: The Official Biography) is available through Amazon worldwide in paperback and Kindle versions.

A Final Thought

While many people may find it more difficult to remember things read on a screen than in a physical book, there are ways to increase your comprehension and memory so you can learn the material more quickly.

By Pat Bowden, published December 11, 2018.