It’s a new school year, which means parents are gearing up to help their children have a successful year, despite challenges from the ongoing Covid-19 lockdown measures and mandates. While there are many challenges to face, a recent study offers some insight into one way parents can help their school-going and varsity-attending children get the upper hand. This year, giving students the edge in the classroom could be as easy as investing in a printer.
The study found a significant difference in reading performance between those reading text from a screen and those reading from paper, with learners reading from a book or printed sheet absorbing more information than their peers who only read from screens. Learners who read from printed words generally had a better understanding of the material and performed better on tests.
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So, while many new approaches such as learning via tablets and other electronic devices have changed education for the better, it can be said that they still haven’t changed the importance of printed learning material in the classroom or at home.
Further studies show that reading on screens, when compared to reading on paper, is associated with lower reading proficiency among secondary and primary school-aged children, which the findings describe as the “paper advantage” and “screen inferiority”.
Printed material, therefore, creates an opportunity for learners to improve their comprehension skills, in a shorter timeframe, without putting as much strain on their eyes as screens do – making it an essential tool that can ensure learners don’t fall behind during this period.
Paper-based learning is also less likely to allow for distractions during screen-based lessons, where it’s just too easy to open another app and be distracted from the content at hand, without the teacher realising.
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While using tablets for learning has its advantages, it is expensive to implement compared to using colourful printed material that is an easy, affordable, and versatile teaching method suitable for learners of all ages. eBooks are also not the answer to high textbook costs, with some academic texts costing as much as 500% more than printed versions.
Learning isn’t just about facts either: printed material, such as arts and craft projects, is also beneficial for children’s development in early childhood, helping to improve their fine and gross motor skills, stimulate creative confidence, and aid in language development.
This all means that it’s essential that classroom-based and online learning are complemented with printed material which allows for deeper engagement with the subject at hand, as well as stimulating the development of a range of important life skills.
For parents looking to help children who may have fallen behind in their studies, printing educational content could be an integral part of their learning process – whether it’s in a technology-led classroom run on tablet computers and screens, or whether learners are at home.
Choosing a printer for your home
Of course, choosing the right printer for your home and needs can be just as important. Before selecting a printer, it’s important to consider costs; including ink and paper costs for the printer and what other tasks you may be using the printer for.
Something like the Epson Ecotank printers is a great choice for budget-conscious households. With this printer, Espon promises up to 90% lower cost per page than many other printers on the market, which means learners and students can cost-effectively access the myriad benefits that printed documents offer, whether they are in the classroom or lecture hall, or at home learning online.
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