Digital vs. Paper

    About a week ago, a survey was circulated at GSB in order to gather information about preferences for the delivery of information.  The basic question was simple: Do you prefer information in digital form or paper form?  The survey asked a variety of questions designed to tease out more specific information about preferences.  All employees were given an opportunity to complete the survey.  About 100 did so. Respondents self-reported as one of four affiliations: lower school, middle school, upper school and all-school employees.

    The first set of questions surveyed respondents about the distribution of information at school.  This set of questions was designed to allow respondents to differentiate between different types of documents in terms of length. Results were separated by division, with an additional category for respondents that identified themselves as primarily associated with the whole school, as opposed to a single division.  It’s very clear that in the aggregate, there is consensus around the idea that a sole reliance on paper delivery is not a preference.  Paper delivery gains some traction when the document is larger, but the data suggests that we’d be fine with digital communications on campus in most situations. 

    There was also an opportunity to comment on the question of digital vs. paper delivery of information.  A number of comments do a nice job of articulating specific concerns.  Here are just a few:

At times I feel I am under a pile of information sent digitally. I think people send information that they wouldn't normally send along to others because it is easy to click. 

I think that we could better utilize the resources that we have. For instance, we should use our outlook calendar for setting up meetings so that individuals need to RSVP and get the meeting on the calendar. I also think that our online resources could also be used more effectively.

I frequently like digital material because it cuts down on paper use. On the other hand, if something needs t/b handed out to students (or kept in a folder etc) it makes more sense to use Xerox copies than to have everyone print out copies on a printer (Xerox more efficient than ink-jet or laser).

Paper copies going home seem more likely to be read by parents. Not many keep up with KnightSite, unless an email is also sent out. 

    A question asked about etexts for class use.  Etexts are being used in some middle school classes but have not gained real traction in any division.  I wondered what the interest was in etexts. They are talked about as "the next big thing" in curriculum delivery. The responses across all divisions indicated interest (though not overwhelming interest) in etexts.  In terms of saying they were "very interested," only 7% of lower school respondents agreed. But 50% of middle school faculty were very interested and 28% of upper school faculty were also very interested. Add in numbers for "not sure at this time" and the interest is significant. We certainly want to keep up with etext information and look for appropriate opportunities to expand our program.  

    A number of questions asked about at-home reading habits.  These questions were designed to gather additional information about varying comfort levels with digital vs. paper delivery of reading materials. Roughly one third of all respondent s owned a dedicated eReader. The Kindle was the preferred device, with the Nook a somewhat distant second.  People also are in the habit of reading at home on other devices (i.e.: tablets, phones, laptops), and for those using these devices, the iPad was a clear favorite. Finally, a question solicited information about home subscriptions.  Here, paper delivery was a clear favorite.  When newspapers or magazines are delivered, most people right now favor paper delivery. However, roughly 30% of all respondents stated their subscriptions include a mix of delivery modes.

    Again, respondents were given an opportunity to comment.  And again, they were thoughtful, insightful. Here's a sampling:

I like real books.


I find that I'm using my iPad more and more. Books are becoming cumbersome to hold and carry, but I can't pass the digital books along to share with others. 


I like to be able to write notes on paper as I am reading it. I'm not in the habit of doing that on my kindle.


I prefer paper form because it reduces my time staring at screens, either on phone or computer.   


I prefer to read longer email attachments from paper. Reading articles or schedules from the computer is, for some reason difficult for me, so I print them out.
I do like reading books from an ereader but only with the e-ink that looks like a book, not the glow of an ipad or computer.


I like digital copies, because I can file them on my computer, making them easy to find later. However, if a document is several pages, and I need to read it in its entirety, I print it out to read. So, my preference is to have digital copies, and then I make the choice to print or not. 


I don't like the electronic of the GSB monthly news. I find it too hard to read. I would prefer a paper version, or even a simpler PDF. It is the type of publication I would like to read when I am relaxing, not sitting at my computer.

    Interested? Want to know more? Feel free to email me and I'll send you a more ccomprehensive report.