Thank you to all who replied. I have great ideas to make my case for print
encyclopedias. Here's the hit:
It doesn't matter if the computers are down or if the internet
connection isn't working; you have the encyclopedias.
Sometimes it's just easier to spread some books out and compare what they
say,
rather than bookmarking pages and going back and forth in a browser. Plus
print is easier on the eyes, and - depending on screen/printer resolution -
images and graphs may actually be easier to read from a print set than an
electronic version.
The thinking process is different and in many ways clearer for small children
and even teens in the print resources.
My teen wandered around on the internet unsuccessfully last night looking for
Verona Italy on a map.He chose to ignore everything I had ever taught him.
Finally, indesperation, he asked me for the I volume and had the
answer in 30 seconds.
Take a child to the zoo because the child asked about a particular animal.
Ask him/her to remember the trip. Now imagine that when the child asked about
the animal, the child is
blindfolded and earplugs put in. Put the child in the car, drive to the zoo,
lead the child to the animal in question, remove blindfold and earplugs. When
the child has seen enough of that one animal (make sure no other animals are
seen) put the blindfold and earplugs back on and go home.The online version is
quick, and gets you the information you want at that moment, but you miss all
the other articles that are in the print version. You really need both print
and online versions to adequately serve your students.
On on-line encyclopedia can be used by one person at a computer. A set of 26
volumes in a print encyclopedia means 26 people can use that one set of
encyclopedias in a class setting.
An online encyclopedia is no use when the power goes out or the network is
down. A print encyclopedia can be used anywhere, anytime.
An online encyclopedia gives you exactly what you ask for (so if you can't
spell you won't find the information). A print encyclopedia allows you to browse
and if you've spelled a word slightly wrong you can still find the
information a page or two before or after where you think you ought to be.
An online encyclopedia stifles the serendipity- the ah ha moment of research
because you only see what you asked for. The print encyclopedia allows you to
scan a page and see other information that you hadn't thought of looking for.
An online encyclopedia can't be borrowed and taken home for a report (unless
you're spending huge amounts of money for off site access and you might as
well buy several print sets for that kind of dough because not every student will
have a computer with internet access). A print set can be borrowed by 26
students for home use.
I like on-line encyclopedias but I always had a current set of print for the
above reasons. Children need to learn to scan, search alphabeticaly and think
critically. The only way to do that is through practice- the set of print
encyclopedias gives them the chance to practice.
Havinga range of reading level, authority, detail in articles, lack of
supporting
graphics and text features, distracting ads, printing out issues, make them
all too expensive in terms of student learning.
22 volumes vs 1 keyboard for a class of 25 students learning guide words and
notetaking
In a race for three pieces of information, encyclopedias will always win!
Start in the middle of the library and meet back there with the facts. You know
who will win.
Some students have great difficulty reading from screens. It's something to
do with the flicker.
Students who have forgotten their passwords or been cut off the Internet for
cause can still use an encyclopedia.
You may have more volumes of encyclopedias than computers in the library.
Having both resources appeals to different learning styles.
Having both resources allows you to serve more patrons simultaneously.
Nancy Hagler
Queens Valley School
nkh13@aol.com
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