Digital EBooks
We are considering supplying the students with electronic devices (IE. Tablets) and going to EBooks, does anyone have any advice on doing this, pro's and con's?
The following is a "knee-jerk reaction" that has not been fully researched, but it seems to me...
The use of E-books is a great idea for many reasons. However, I wonder about the effectiveness of a student searching for an answer with a keyboard vs. finding an answer with thier own eyes amidst a pile (book or chapter) of dispersed information. In other words, are we removing a large portion of "discrimination" and discovery in learning that occurs through reading/highlighting/outlining by enabling students to simply search for key term, and quickly scan for the answer (and then simply copy/paste or regurgitate it)?
If we are to promote long-term learning and critical thinking, I think we need to devise ways to overcome the habit of "search & repeat" that is so much quicker with an ebook and search bar than it was when we had to read ALL the words to weed out and discover the important ones.
With ebooks, I suggest that we may need to ensure that students are not missing out on other critical or "just fun" information in the process of clicking Search on a term.
DT
You may also want to budget loaner units for times when students forget or damage their equipment. Making them miss a day of education may not be the best option.
While I think if you are supplying students with the Tablets, EBooks are nice. They can provide audio and video as well as photos and graphics. I like that you can find specific passages and that they have hyperlinks for additional information.
Emily,
Many ebooks now incorporate video and audio clips, which are a fantastic resource for learners!
Theresa Schmitt
Is there any information on publishing your own e-book as something for the students?
Something that may not be textbook traditional length, but easier formats for sharing thought leadership or innovation articles?
Best,
Mark
Mark,
You can create your own using one of the many online resources out there such such as PapyrusEditor.com.
Here is a link with additional information: http://oedb.org/ilibrarian/5-ways-to-create-and-publish-your-own-ebook/
Theresa Schmitt
