E-Textbooks vs. Print textbooks: A neuroscientific study on reading and completing exercises in primary school students

Abstract

The textbook is the most widely used teaching material in schools and, for some years now, its digital format has been trying to find a place in the classroom, as children and young people are increasingly receptive to technological developments. With them, they live attractive and stimulating experiences that they come to share with others in a natural and active way, so it is normal that they find the traditional didactic resources they use in their schools little motivating. In order to find out if the textbooks are attractive to the participants of this study and what emotional effects they caused, We have carried out a case study in which five neuromarketing devices were placed on the participants during the reading and exercise process in both paper and digital textbooks. The data obtained showed different reactions, physical and emotional, with high scores in the case of the paper textbook, both in frontal asymmetry, electrodermal activity and pupillary dilation. Regarding the emotional parameters, there were participants with very high levels of stress and rejection, especially with the digital textbook, while others obtained high enjoyment scores, specifically with the book in paper format. both in frontal asymmetry, electrodermal activity and pupillary dilation. Regarding the emotional parameters, there were participants with very high levels of stress and rejection, especially with the digital textbook, while others obtained high enjoyment scores, specifically with the book in paper format. both in frontal asymmetry, electrodermal activity and pupillary dilation. Regarding the emotional parameters, there were participants with very high levels of stress and rejection, especially with the digital textbook, while others obtained high enjoyment scores, specifically with the book in paper format.

El libro de texto es el material didáctico más utilizado en las escuelas y, desde hace algunos años, su formato digital está tratando de hacerse un hueco en las aulas, ya que los niños y jóvenes se muestran cada vez más receptivos ante las novedades tecnológicas. Con ellas, viven experiencias atractivas y estimulantes que llegan a compartir con otros de forma natural y activa, por lo que es normal que encuentren poco motivadores los recursos didácticos tradicionales que usan en sus escuelas. Con el objetivo de conocer si los libros de texto son atractivos para los participantes de este estudio y qué efectos emocionales les provocaban, hemos realizado un estudio de casos en el que se colocaron a los participantes cinco dispositivos de neuromarketing durante el proceso de lectura y realización de ejercicios tanto en libros de texto en formato papel como digital. Los datos obtenidos mostraron diferentes reacciones, físicas y emocionales con altas puntuaciones en el caso del libro de texto en papel, tanto en la asimetría frontal, la actividad electrodermal y la dilatación pupilar. En cuanto a los parámetros emocionales, hubo participantes con niveles de estrés y rechazo muy altos, sobre todo con el libro de texto digital, mientras que otros obtenían puntuaciones de disfrute altas, concretamente con el libro en formato papel.