Are Children Still Learning When Reading Ebooks?

A recent study by the Joan Ganz Cooney Center looked at a sample group of young children reading both traditional print books and ebooks for children. They wanted to see how the experiences of these children differed when reading the different book types. What they found was very interesting.

Overall, there were not major differences between reading comprehension between traditional print books and basic ebooks for kids. The differences came when ebooks had enhanced features such as sounds and moving images. In the case of the advanced ebooks, children actually comprehended less of the story and were less likely to be able to answer questions about what happened. The study suggested that this was because, in part, parents were less likely to engage with their children while reading an enhanced ebook (i.e. ask questions, point out key ideas), because they assumed the ebook was doing that for them.

The lesson from this study is that while all types of books certainly have their place, parents and caregivers shouldn't forget that one of the most important parts of reading is their engagement with their children. They should continue to ask questions, stimulate further discussion on the topics and make sure that their children are understanding what they are reading.