Power of Printed Word

In the age of fast paced classes and dynamic online training, it is important not to forget the value of old fashioned printed training material. It provides a self-paced format that is familiar and easily used as a resource. It is still considered easier to read than the screen and some learners simply prefer it.

The basic printed textbook fell out of favor and was largely replaced with online versions to provide a cheaper, faster, and more easily updated and distributed format. Since then, developers have put their energy into the improvement and development of them. Even printed classroom books are often limited in details, relying on the facilitator to fill in the blanks and the learners to document them in their notes.

Printed materials are often:

Forgotten as a reference, even when readily available
Impractical to distribute to a wide, diverse audience
Complicated to update existing material
Costly to produce
Printed materials that are used should include the details. The use of appendices or accompanying materials can provide a non-intrusive addition to classroom texts. The learner can follow the facilitator, but feel assured that much of the material is still available to refer to during the class or later. The student that prefers printed material is more at ease and more attentive. In the future, technology may be able to combine the benefits of electronic media with the benefits of printed.

Printed materials provide:

Good reference material
A format the reading learner can relate to
Details not covered in the online version or missed during a lecture
The development of an automatically updating newspaper began a few years ago. Instead of delivering it every morning, the existing paper-like format would update to the current news automatically through the use of special polarized inks (called E ink) and wireless technology. It was seen as an alternative to online access while continuing to provide the in hand presence people prefer. At some point, technology may offer text books the same flexibility.
(Read E ink news: http://www.eink.com/news/ )