To the Editor,
As a sophomore that will soon be driving to school on my own, I think the article “Juniors race for scarce parking spots” was really helpful. Knowing when to show up to get a parking space is going to be extremely helpful when I start to drive. Honestly, this was one of the biggest concerns I had for next year; I swear I had a mini panic attack when I learned that I would have to fight my fellow classmates for a parking spot. I don’t want to have to fight them because I like my class! I am, however, pleased to see that the carnage is easily avoided if I get to the school early enough.
This is great news for me, and I look forward to having a place to park. I’m also excited to see the ensuing blood bath that will no doubt take place over finding a decent parking space.
Archer C. Michaels
Carmel, Calif.
To the News Editor:
Regarding “Digital history textbooks prompt varied response,” it seems that the ever-increasing tendency toward digitalization inevitably produces one of two outcomes within the academic context: a marked increase or marked decrease in student productivity.
There is not a great deal of middle ground, and a resource, once digitalized, is usually met with either widespread acceptance or utter rejection in accordance with the level of productivity it lends itself to. I feel this outcome is dependent upon user interface design; environments centered on seamless yet familiar functionality are accepted readily by students because they act as an enhancement of the original resource, whereas those that take on a new format entirely run the risk of losing all that made the resource useful to begin with. Productivity is maximized when designers strike a balance between functionality and aesthetics, providing the user (or the student, in this case) with an environment that not only encourages interaction but moreover serves its purpose. These considerations need to be taken into account as digital resources become the majority, a development evidenced by the latest in APUSH history textbooks.
Skylar Thomas
Carmel, Calif.