Demand for electronic books (e-books) has surged during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic as students have had to take online classes. Since both teachers and students are now used to e-book platforms, they are increasingly used in schools, leading students to use them even after they graduate. However, I believe that printed books should not be replaced by e-books in schools. The number of students getting distracted while reading the content, depending on the format, reveals that paper books are irreplaceable.

It seems that the mainstream trend is to use digital content as much as possible. According to Tagari, most schools in the United States (U.S.) use e-books or digital textbooks, and one-third of the instructional materials budget is spent on digital content. The Korean Ministry of Education (MOE) also announced on June 8 that they would introduce artificial intelligence (AI) digital textbooks in 2025; first in several subjects, then gradually expand their use to most subjects by 2028. University students also use digital textbooks very often, because digital textbooks are viewed as much more convenient and lightweight. Students also prefer using them because they can also use the search tools which enable readers to easily find specific parts they want to read, and this makes using digital textbooks very convenient when it comes to studying.

However, reading on screens is not the same as reading on paper; printed material helps readers dive deep down into the contents compared to digital devices. According to an article in The New York Times, people get easily distracted while reading books on digital devices because they are bothered by various notifications that pop up on the screen. However, others such as Maja Thomas, director at Hachette Livre, claim that those who get distracted using e-books are those who simply do not have a habit of reading, which makes the same reader equally distracted even when they read a physical book. This may seem like a valid point, but habitual readers are also inevitably more distracted reading on screen than reading physical copies.

Also, readers tend to better understand content when it is on paper. Numerous studies have proven paper book readers have better comprehension outcomes than e-book readers. The reason readers have lower comprehension when reading on screen is because of how human brains work. According to Maryanne Wolf, a neuroscientist at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) who specializes in how the brain reads, the brain uses different sets of connections between cells. This results in a higher tendency to skim when one is reading on screen, while reading in print enables the brain to switch to deep-reading mode. The negative effects of skimming are also noted in the study; skimming does not allow the brain to have enough time to grasp complexity, empathize, or feel the beauty of the text.

Students are often not able to realize that they have more difficulties understanding content on screen. This is critical as they easily get attracted to digital content. Since reading is one of the most important ways of obtaining information, it is crucial that they fully understand long texts that contain complex logic. Hence, choosing the appropriate media for reading is the key to these core abilities and providing better education. Bringing children to libraries to expose them to physical books might be more appropriate than merely handing them electronic devices; students using printed materials are more likely to be better learners than those who use electronic copies. Certainly, printed books should not be replaced by e-books.