Ever since ebooks became a mainstream form of media, there’s been an ongoing debate between staunch defenders of printed books and those who have acquiesced more to the digital format. This discourse goes beyond simple preference, raising questions about learning and literacy. Educators, neuroscientists, and other experts in learning continue to espouse the importance of learning to read—and, by extension, how we read—yet because using screens as a substitute for printed books is a much newer occurrence, the research and data on the long-term effects of this format on children’s growing minds and comprehension have much room to expand. And, research can also consider how the effects might stem past purely educational, into basic socialization and communication skills.
A 2023 Study
For a parent or educator used to traditional books, it’s easy to see how they’d be skeptical of the newer medium. They might view digital devices like tablets more as distractions or toys than potential tools. In fact, a 2023 study exploring the link between screen usage in children and cognitive development found that engaging with screens at a young age is associated with adverse executive functioning (e.g., goal-orienting, planning skills). This could manifest in lower academic achievement during grade school, as these skills are considered foundational.. However, the focus of this study was on particularly young children—12 months and under—and it’s important to note that it isn’t concluding a causal relationship between early screen usage and future learning difficulties. Also, the sample group was limited to East Asia, further limiting the ability to extrapolate the findings and apply them universally. Still, the collaboration between Singapore and Harvard researchers leaves the door open to future exploration, especially when, as the authors note, screen usage continues to become a common activity for young kids.
Divided Attention & Skimming
When a child reads with a printed book, that physical object does a better job of confining their focus, insofar as the kid cannot simply click a few buttons to end up somewhere within that text, a different book, or even a completely different application. The honing of a young learner’s attention is important because neuroplasticity—the brain’s natural ability to adapt and grow—is influenced by our environment (we have a relatively limited window of opportunity to develop language skills from infancy to around kindergarten-age). It’s certainly easier to direct a child to a specific task of reading via a printed book versus handing them a tablet.
Older kids and adults are also guilty of dividing their attention between numerous different sources provided by a phone, tablet, or other screen. This behavior, ‘skimming,’ prevents even our developed brains from having adequate time to process the information. In other words, the rapid nature of digital delivery fosters this unfocused dedication of attention. This seems to align with other research which has found that screen reading is associated with trouble processing information and remembering details.
Digital Advantages
Still, digital media does have its advantages. Digital books are more accessible than physical books and can present a cost-benefit, given the array of material that is available through apps and digital storefronts. Interactive ebooks can have neat features like built-in dictionaries, which can greatly supplement the child’s learning while reading. Moreover, ebooks with read-aloud functionality can help children with vision impairments and offer a two-pronged approach to absorbing the information, via reading the text and hearing the words spoken to them. The strongest proponents of ebooks generally understand that the best way to balance the less understood nature of digital media is for parents and guardians to not leave kids to their own devices (pun intended) unsupervised for long periods.
Bottom Line
As we all continue to understand more about how digital reading differs from traditional print media, it makes sense to err on the side of caution. While it may be less practical in some households, it can be beneficial to strike a balance with some time dedicated to interacting with printed books.