Textbooks are an integral part of curriculum in schools. They “provide detailed development of topics, comprehensive coverage of content, high-quality graphics and photos, selected data conveniently tabulated, many exercises and problems to solve, and sundry other features useful to students” (Moore, 2003, p. 359). Since educators use textbooks as a main resource to provide information to their students, there is a lot to consider when choosing a good textbook to use in the classroom.
Electronic textbooks provide an alternative to traditional print textbooks. Lee et al. (2013) suggested that digitized forms of textbooks, “will potentially replace existing paper-based textbooks in the school curriculum” (p. 32). This is a common notion, especially since technology has become increasingly popular. Electronic textbooks are also known by a handful of other terms such as e-textbooks, e-books, e-texts, and digital textbooks. E-textbooks integrate familiar features of textbooks into a digital format that can be accessed through the internet or an app; a wide spectrum of e-textbooks are available when looking at their different features (Dobler, 2015)
Electronic textbooks provide an alternative to traditional print textbooks. Lee et al. (2013) suggested that digitized forms of textbooks, “will potentially replace existing paper-based textbooks in the school curriculum” (p. 32). This is a common notion, especially since technology has become increasingly popular. Electronic textbooks are also known by a handful of other terms such as e-textbooks, e-books, e-texts, and digital textbooks. E-textbooks integrate familiar features of textbooks into a digital format that can be accessed through the internet or an app; a wide spectrum of e-textbooks are available when looking at their different features (Dobler, 2015)
While the reasons for opting for digital textbooks may be personal or organizational, here are the most commonly cited justifications for choosing digital textbooks over traditional print textbooks.
DevicesDigital textbooks are available on computers, tablets and mobile devices, and operate across various platforms so that whatever device you or your students own you can harness the power of information where you are - whenever you need it!
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InteractivityA major selling point of digital textbooks is the ability for students to access multimedia content, such as embedded videos, interactive presentations and hyperlinks. Tests and other assessments can be included in the textbook, classmates can work together, and student progress can be tracked. Digitization also promises to offer improved access to textbooks for student with disabilities, for example, high-contrast displays, or text-to-speech programs can help visually impaired students use the same textbooks their classmates use.
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EnvironmentDigital textbooks are good for the environment as well, as they eliminate the need for massive paper consumption as well as the ink and energy that is used in print publication.
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Page created by: Scott Lillis
References
- Bohn, Dieter. (2012, January 20). "Sorry iBooks, paper books still win on specs". The Verge. https://www.theverge.com/2012/1/20/2720158/sorry-ibooks-paper-books-still-win-on-specs
- Clark, Tim. (2018, June 13). "20 Benefits Of Using Online Textbooks And Resources In A Classroom". Classoos. https://www.classoos.com/what-are-the-benefits-of-using-the-classoos/
- Dobler, E. (2015). E-textbooks. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 58(6), 482-491. doi:10.1002/jaal.391
- Engbrecht, Jamie R. (2018). "Digital Textbooks Versus Print Textbooks". Culminating Projects in Teacher Development. 35. http://repository.stcloudstate.edu/ed_etds/35
- Keeping Students One Click Ahead: 4 Ways eTextbooks Contribute to Student Success. VitalSource. https://get.vitalsource.com/hubfs/Content/VitalSource/Infographics/Keeping%20Students%20One%20Click%20Ahead%20-%20Infographic.pdf
- Journal of Chemical Education. (2003, April). "Editorial: Are Textbooks Dispensible?" Volume 80, Issue 4. https://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdf/10.1021/ed080p359
- Lynch, Matthew. (2017, August 3). "What are the benefits of Digital Textbooks?" The Tech Edvocate. https://www.thetechedvocate.org/benefits-digital-textbooks/
- Moore, J. W. (2003). Are textbooks dispensable? Journal of Chemical Education, (4), 359. https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/ed080p359
- Header Image. https://www.theverge.com/2012/1/20/2720158/sorry-ibooks-paper-books-still-win-on-specs
- Benefits of Digital & Traditional Textbooks infographic created by Scott Lillis using Adobe InDesign, background image by Freepik.com
- Digital Textbooks vs. Traditional Textbooks infographic created by Scott Lillis using Adobe InDesign, background image by jcomp (Freepik)