Which is better: e-books or hard copy books? Even in today’s digital age, many university professors still prefer print books over e-books. An article from Inside Higher Ed analyzes this issue based on a large-scale survey of American faculty members. According to the article, a survey conducted in April 2024 with approximately 34,000 U.S. college professors found that 41% of professors believed print books are more effective for learning, while 45% responded that they see no significant difference between print and digital formats. Only a small percentage considered e-books to be superior. On the other hand, 81% of professors agreed that e-books offer greater flexibility and accessibility for students.
These findings indicate that, while the convenience and cost-saving aspects of e-books are widely recognized, a significant number of professors still consider print books to be superior in terms of educational effectiveness. The article explains that many professors believe print books enhance students’ learning outcomes, concentration, and understanding. In particular, professors argue that print books are better for reviewing, note-taking, and memory retention compared to e-books, and that despite the advantages of e-books—such as accessibility and affordability—it remains difficult for e-books to fully replace print books in terms of educational quality.
According to Bay View Analytics, the proportion of courses that require only print textbooks has dropped from 20% in 2022 to 12% in 2023 and 8% in 2024. Nevertheless, many professors still emphasize the effectiveness of print books, especially in certain subjects such as the humanities. In addition, there are concerns that e-books can cause eye strain, reduced concentration, and a decline in deep reading, all of which may negatively impact the quality of learning.
Despite the rapid advancement of digital technologies, the traditional educational value of print books is still strongly recognized in academic settings. Professors continue to highlight the advantages of print books for student focus, deeper understanding, and active learning. While e-books clearly provide benefits in convenience, accessibility, and cost, it is widely agreed among faculty that print books cannot be completely replaced when considering the quality of learning.
Ultimately, no matter how digital our era becomes, the educational value of print books is unlikely to disappear anytime soon. In fact, combining the strengths of both media is likely to be the direction of higher education in the future.
Junhee Han
- South Korea
- Male
- 11th Grade, Williston Northampton School (Massachusetts, USA)
- Intended Major: International Politics / International Policy
- Role: Editor-in-Chief
- Introduction:I am passionate about global affairs and diplomacy, always eager to connect diverse perspectives into one cohesive vision. As Editor-in-Chief, I hope to make Lumen Review a truly international platform where youth voices inspire change. My dream is to study international politics and shape policy for a better world.