FEATURE| Readers’ Choice: Readers’ Choice: BOOKS VS E-BOOKS

FEATURE| Readers’ Choice: Readers’ Choice: BOOKS VS E-BOOKS

by: Christian Hulipas

To read books or to read e-books, that is the question. Reading is described as a cognitive process that requires decoding symbols to arrive at meaning and is a current process of constructing definitions of words. Two of the best materials for reading are books and today's E-books.

PHINMA University of Pangasinan students are well acquainted with reading books related to their course and chosen professions.

However, because of the pandemic, the school didn't require students to avail themselves of some physical books. The teachers ensured that students maintained decent reading when it came to reading. They provided them with E-books because it is also free compared to availing physical books.

For Ereca, a CMA student preferred physical books over e-books because physical books can be highlighted whenever students review for an upcoming quiz or exam.

For Recel and Jannel, both fourth-year students from CSS and CHS, physical books make them feel confident and focused and provide personalized learning.

They view physical books as "friends" because when they scribble their knowledge on the pages, it felt like they were conversing with the book as a friend or companion for expertise.

Nevertheless, Kate from the CHS Department preferred the knowledge provided by E-books because they view physical books as limited knowledge.

Simply searching for a free website that offers E-books can provide vast knowledge than physical books.

For Kate, e-books are more convenient to bring rather than carrying five to six books every day. Still, for Chyl and John, a CEA and CITE student, E-books can be tampered with by random people, and that the battery life of their devices would not last long, unlike physical books.

E-books can also ruin students' eyes at a very young age unless they wear anti-radiation glasses.

Physical books and e-books are both relevant in students' learning process.

It all depends on how students use these two learning materials to gather the necessary knowledge for their life-long learning.

In the end, it's not a matter of majority; what matters is the comfort that knowledge can be obtained either through physical books or e-books.

Graphics by: Jasmine Bernadette Bembo

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