E-books, they have the potential to change the way our students read and consume information because of their interactivity and convenience (Schugar, Smith, & Schugar 2013), as well as the adaptability and flexibility of digital content. While there is a great value as using E-Book technology to expose students to new information, it is also a powerful tool that allows students to create their own E-Books, as evidence of learning. This approach is twofold for students, whose self published e-books assess their understanding and acquisition of knowledge, through a medium that can benefit their peers. Just as research demonstrates the positive impact of using animation, illustration, video, and embedded elements in E-books to teach students (Schugar, Smith, & Schugar 2013), students can use these very tools to create their own learning artifacts that can allow students to demonstrate their understanding in a more engaging and meaningful way than traditional assessment tools.
Digital Storytelling, is one method that uses digital book creation as a foundational tool for students to demonstrate understanding through an engaging medium. Students are able to harness the power of both audio and video to share an experience that is meant to make an impact on its viewers. The unique quality of ebooks versus other mediums, is in their ability to allow the viewer to interact with the material. Challenging students to create such an experience not only pushes them to share what they know, but also help students develop critical thinking, problem solving, and organizational skills through the experience of creating their ebook.
Schugar, H. R., Smith, C. A., & Schugar, J. T. (2013). Teaching With Interactive Picture E‐Books in Grades K–6. The Reading Teacher, 66(8), 615-624.
Examples of Student Created E-Books 3rd Grade
3rd Grade
8th Grade
Increasing Engagement Through a More Interactive Reading Experience with Ebooks
by: Erin Forrest
This video takes a look at how teachers have found ebooks to be engaging their students on a deeper level then print books.
Introducing ebooks to students is a way to meet students where they already are. They are on these devices at home, on the bus, in the car, and on summer break. Incorporating ebooks engages reluctant readers and busy students who are looking for an exciting way to access reading material 24/7, no matter where they are and no matter what device they own. With some programs, students are able to highlight, define and/or take notes within the ebook itself. This fosters a learning environment and creates a more interactive reading experience for the students.
Reading comprehension can be improved by utilizing ebooks. Prior knowledge and experiences are activated as the words and visuals are read and new information is assimilated. When comparing conventional books with interactive books, Larson (2010) found children reading interactive storybooks were better able to retell the story and did better on comprehension questions. Lewin (2000) found that interactive storybooks improved sight recognition of words in beginning readers. Sounds effects, interactive features, and animation may contribute to comprehension. In addition, narration matched to listener's reading rate also contributed to learning.
There are 5 ways that ebooks enhance and engage students reading:
Navigation- Possible reading options learners might control include forward and backward buttons, interrupting, restarting, read text parts, and overview screen that students might control. In addition, dictionary access, print options, and illustration activation were other elements that could be controlled by the reader.Reader control is an important advantage of interactive reading environments. This is particularly important with students who have special needs.Larson (2010) found that digital reading devices promote new literacy practices and provide readers control over how they engage the text.
Audio- Many ebooks provide three or more options such as read the book aloud, read the book individual, play with the book. These may be available in separate sections or overlap. It is has been found that the use of talking ebooks with struggling first grade readers significantly increased sight word recognition and reading levels. Readers are able to hear and see the word in context. These audio aids remove the burden of decoding and free cognitive energy to focus on story comprehension. Music, sounds, and other audio effects can "aid comprehension by signaling the mood of the story and by cueing readers when an important event is going to occur" (Lefever-Davis and Pearman, 2005). For instance, scary or happy music help children anticipate the mood of the story.
Graphics/Motion- Graphic and animation elements can support the storyline. For instance, a visual might clarify a word's meaning or provide a deeper understanding of a character. Multiple panel may convey movement and a sequence of actions. Detailed graphics may extend understanding of character, plot, and setting. Colors may convey emotions. Images in borders or hidden in larger panels may convey clues.
Interactives-Activities that contribute to the story should reinforce key story elements. Games that involve retelling the story, exploring characters, or revisiting exciting story elements can contribute to reading comprehension and encourage a sense of discovery. Labbo and Kuhn (2000) found that when audio, graphic, and activity elements are integral to and supportive of the story they contributed to student reading comprehension.
Tools- In many ebooks, readers have control over screen resolution, text color and background, font-size, and other display aspects. Larson (2010) found that young people used new literacy skills to personalize devices to meet their individual needs and preferences. For instance, some students prefer smaller text while others like larger font sizes. The option to hear words pronounced aloud, read definitions, explore glossaries, see labels on illustrations, and experience other types of support is useful for readers of all ages. However it's particularly important for beginning readers. Many systems facilitate notetaking with tools such as highlighters and annotation tools. Users may be able to insert or remove text, markup pages, add comments, insert notes, attach files, or record audio. Larson (2010) also noted the seamless nature of notetaking on an e-book reader. She noted that it provided new opportunities for individual engagement with the text.
Recent studies have even shown that the ability to adjust font size on-screen helps students with dyslexia and visual impairments to read more easily. In one study,students did state a preference for ebooks when given the option of a wide selection of titles and the freedom to choose their own e-book. Students further indicated a preference for the amenities associated with e-book reading such as pop-up definitions and pronunciations of words, automatic page turning, and the option of read-aloud narration (Jones & Brown, 2011).
Jones,T. & Brown, C. (2011). Reading Engagement: A Comparison between E-Books and Traditional Print Books in an Elementary Classroom. International Journal of Instruction, 4(2), 5-20. Labbo, L. & Kuhn, M. (2000). Weaving chains of affect and cognition: a young child's understanding of CD-ROM talking books. Journal of Literacy Research, 32(2), 187–210. Larson, Lotta C. (September 2010). Digital readers: The next chapter in e-book reading and response. Reading Teacher, 64(1), 15-22. Lefever-Davis, S., & Pearman, C. (2005). Early readers and electronic texts: Factors that influence reading behaviors. The Reading Teacher, 58(5), 446-454.
Tools within E-books/Application & Resources
The 21st century student lives in a very technological age where digital resources are ever flowing. Children of the ages three to eight, may use eBooks that include multimedia, interactive effects: written text, oral reading, oral discourse, music, sound effects, and animations (Shamir, 2009). Through the results of a study conducted by Underwood, it is assumed that the eBook's characteristics can support acquisition of written and spoken literacy by allowing young readers to follow written text while the storybook's narrator declaims the text (Shamir 2009). According to De Jong and Bus (2004), low-SES kindergartners tended to use dictionary applications within an eBooks. These dictionary applications featured written words, pronunciation and pictures. Overall, the future looks positive for the use of eBooks and low-SES and ELLs as eBooks and phonological awareness have been found to have correlations between increased learning.
"Instead of carrying around a bunch of books, you have one device with everything on it," said the 23-year-old student. He also uses the digital textbook's added tools like flash cards and an online journal that keeps track of the material he's highlighted. "It's just much more efficient."
Compare the Top 10 eReaders to decipher which is right for you when viewing an eBook
Tools
Social Highlighting- Being able to highlight quotes and passages and easily find them again is a key feature that eBooks have over paper books. This activity can also be social, Amazon Kindle page featuring the most highlighted passages of all time.
Note Taking- The ability to create and then easily display archived notes is a big plus for eBooks. Instead of scribbling in small writing in the margins of a paper book, you can type a clear note in your eReader. The iPad features built-in support for note-taking and highlighting while reading e-book. Additionally, you can share your notes and highlighted content with your contacts, and can even create study cards from the content you read on your device. Finally, highlighted book sections can interact with the included Notes application on your iPad for easy switching from source to note.
Look-up of words- This feature allows the reader to simply tap the word and the definition will be displayed below.
Search- You can search for topics or keywords inside your eBook, or out on the Web. Similar to the word look-up feature, this is something that augments the reading experience.
Ability to Tweet & Facebook quotes
Keep Track of Characters With Kindle's X-Ray- This feature allows you to read up on characters, ideas, or notable items so you don't get lost. Just mind the spoilers. Frustratingly, the Android app lacks the feature, but it's available on Kindle and iOS devices.
Translate Text Into Your Preferred Language in Google Play- A perfect universal translator might not exist yet, but Google's works pretty well to help you get the gist of things. It also happens to be built-in to Play Books. Select a length of text and tap the globe icon on the Action Bar. Here, you can choose any language to translate the text into without leaving the app.
Animated Book Elements- The iPad supports a number of implementations of animation and interactivity in e-book design. For example, instead of static images, you can have slideshows or 3-D models of the applicable subject matter that you can then rotate and explore with the touch of your finger. For children’s books, book designers can include simple animations of characters or other elements on the page. Images can also be loaded with interactive notes or details on which you can zoom in.
Integrated Web Features- By integrating Web links and streaming videos from sites like YouTube or Vimeo, e-book designers can make their iPad content more informative or entertaining. Links from the e-book to valuable online sources or historical documents provide an excellent way to deepen the experience of learning by reading.
Quizzes and Games- The end-of-chapter quiz is something of a staple when it comes to textbooks, but e-books on the iPad can take this feature a step further. Instead of a static quiz, designers can implement knowledge checks that require direct interaction from the reader and provide immediate feedback on how well the reader has understood the content presented. Games such as crossword puzzles or word finds can also be included to further increase the entertainment or educational value.
Example Apps
If you are unable to view the glogster on recommended apps for ebooks, please click on the link below.
Subtext - __http://www.subtext.com/support__ this is an app where teachers can program reading comprehension questions within an e-book. It allows for the teacher to monitor their progress and give feedback. Students can also collaborate with each other. Here is a link to a video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dOxSUphOkM
Storia-__http://www.scholastic.com/storia-school/__is an app that give access to eReading for every teacher and every student—at school and at home.Teachers can use the School Edition’s easy search and filter system to create the digital library that works best for their classroom. The webpage has a video on the main website link.
Textbook Central is a centralized textbook distribution center for public and private schools in Nassau County, New York. This center has begun to address the challenges faced by distribution of e-textbooks in the K-12 system. Unlike the vibrant personal e-book and college e-textbook market, e-textbook purchases for K-12 are not for a single individual on a single digital platform. A few challenges facing districts include the lack of publisher standardization regarding:
single vs. multi-user licenses
supported formats
multiple device policy
updates
teacher training and curriculum resources.
The Federal Communications Commission established in 2011, a one-year, $10 million dollar pilot program designated "E-Rate Deployed Ubiquitously 2011" or "EDU2011" to support student off campus support access to wireless Internet. Utilizing this initiative to frame a conversation with e-textbook publishers, Textbook Central seeks to establish school-friendly licensing terms such as
Term of purchase
Standard license periods - e.g., 1, 2, 3, 5 years or longer
Alignment of license terms with school years, regardless of actual date of purchase - e.g., July - June (or perhaps July-Sept. to include summer remedial studies)
Ability to align the terms of subsequent purchases with initial term
Pricing
Volume discounts
Multi-year discounts
Update
Free or subscription-based pricing of additional online resources
Password/access control
School reset capability
Multi-device flexibility
Teacher resourcesStandard or specially-designated ISBNs
Special teacher additions
Availability of professional development material and/or training
While the educational community at large debates the efficacy of moving to digital content, many states and districts are not waiting for definitive answers before moving ahead with a digital transition. Florida, Alabama, California, Ohio, Indiana, Utah, and Washington State all have passed legislation supporting the transition to digital content. The following table is drawn from information in an Education Week article by Jason Tomassini (2012) describing the commitments to digital textbooks made by various school districts around the country.
District
Enrollment
Textbook Initiative Started
Expenditures
Funding Sources
Devices Purchased
Digital Textbooks
Notes
McAllen Independent School District, McAllen Texas
27,000 students(67% eligible for free or reduced meals, 92% Hispanic)
Fall 2011
$20 million total over 5 years. $6.5 million on infrastructure, including broadband and equipment; $12.1 million for devices, cases, apps; $1.2 million for professional development
E-rate; American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, private donations, technology budget, special education budget, Title I funding
27,000 iPad 2s
80% PDF, 15% interactive, 5% teacher created
Encouraged local businesses to offer free WiFi so students could use devices outside school.
Pinellas County Schools, Pinellas, FL
104,000 students; students with internet access – 50%
March 2010
See device column
Voter referendum, advance on school technology funds
2,350 Kindles w/WiFi ($177 ea, four year shelf life); 1,000 Kindle Fires ($199 ea.), 3,100 Kindle readers, 7,500 iPads
HMH has joined the transition to e-textbooks. The company website showcases the curriculum series for English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, and World Languages. Choice of digital formats are also available ranging from iOS to Kindle to Google Play and more.
Google Play for Education Offers Thousands of K-12 Books
Google has joined the e-textbooks distributors list. Through Google Play for Education, schools will have access to e-textbooks as well as literature e-books. The formats supported are Chromebooks and Android devices utilizing the Play Books Reader. The article states that other formats are supported by no other platforms are specifically named. The books will be available for periods of 60, 180, and 360 days to allow teachers to change books as needed. Teachers will also have the ability to re-assign apps to different students to account for student transitions throughout the year. The company is also adding the feature to uninstall school owned apps from students' devices remotely.
Apple has also joined the e-Textbook for education transition. They have partnered with the top three educational publishers- Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, McGraw Hill, and Pearson to bring interactive digital textbook content to the popular student friendly tablet iPad. In their own words "It’s time to turn a new page on learning. On iPad, textbooks invite Multi‑Touch interaction — flick through photo galleries, rotate 3D objects, tap to pop up sidebars, or play video and audio. With iBooks, reading is beyond fundamental. And more engaging than ever."
Cleveland, Ohio-based OverDrive, perhaps best known for its widespread distribution of e-books to 7,500 public libraries worldwide, maintains an online library of about 600 core books geared toward K-12 students, from abstract algebra workbooks to classic works of literature. It provides 24/7 access to audiobooks and e-books for online and offline use. It may provide a way for schools to experiment with e-content through their own school libraries.
Headed up by the Wikimedia Foundation (the people who brought you Wikipedia), Wikibooks was created in 2003 as an online repository of educational textbooks that anyone can add to or edit. As with Wikipedia, the content is monitored by thousands of editors around the world. So far, more than 31,000 textbook pages have been added.
State Educational Technology Directors Association (SETDA)
A comprehensive report by Fletcher, Schaffhauser, and Levin (2012) addresses the curricular transformation from print textbooks to e-book technology with recommendations for successful transition. With shrinking district budgets, the transition to digital formats would make economic common sense as students would not require new textbook adoptions but publisher updates to existing e-book material. The primary benefit of a digital format is flexibility. Flexibility paired with Open Education Resources (OER) provide customized solutions to district and state curriculum. The State Educational Technology Directors Association made the following recommendations:
Complete the shift from print materials adoptions to digital formats in the next 5 years.
Develop a roadmap and vision to complete the transition including
eliminating unnecessary regulations and enact supportive policies
invest in infrastructure and devices to support the shift
ensure effective implementation of digital policies
Ensure a vibrant marketplace for digital and open content.
Fletcher, G., Schaffhauser, D., & Levin, D. (2012). Out of print: Reimagining the k-12 textbook in a digital age. Glen Burnie, MD: State Educational Technology Directors Association.
Utah's Open Textbook Project
Utah has decided to support their core content through self-created curriculum. The Utah State Office of Education (USOE) has enlisted content specialists, teachers, university professors, district and school specialists to design Utah's e-textbooks for K-12 education. The textbook content will be housed on the CK-12 platform. The CK-12 foundation is a nonprofit organization established to create and support open source K-12 curriculum aligned to state standards. All materials available through CK-12 are free, online, and customizable. This is a link to their curriculum page with content, lesson plans, and other resources. http://www.uen.org/oer/
Open Educational Resources K-12 Bill Passes in Washington State
The adoption of the Common Core standards paved the way to transform the Washington State curriculum. Lawmakers did not see the logic in spending $130 million dollars per year for printed materials that were often 7-11 years out of date. The opening section of the bill reads:
“The legislature finds the state’s recent adoption of common core K-12 standards provides an opportunity to develop high-quality, openly licensed K-12 courseware that is aligned with these standards. By developing this library of openly licensed courseware and making it available to school districts free of charge, the state and school districts will be able to provide students with curricula and texts while substantially reducing the expenses that districts would otherwise incur in purchasing these materials. In addition, this library of openly licensed courseware will provide districts and students with a broader selection of materials, and materials that are more up-to-date.”
North Carolina Lawmakers Pushing for Digital Devices to Replace Textbooks in Schools.
In 2013, Governor Pat McCrory signed legislation to begin the transition to digital devices and digital textbooks in K-12 schools. School districts have until 2017 to align curriculum in the digital medium and transition to digital material. This post only highlights the legislation as it is signed into law.
President Obama has a goal: an e-textbook in every student's hand by 2017. The federal government, with the support of the Department of Education, encouraging a modification to textbook adoption rules and regulation to allow funds once reserved for print textbooks only, to be utilized towards e-textbook purchases and digital format platforms such as iPads and Kindles. Toppo, G., USA Today. (2012). Obama wants schools to speed digital transition. Retrieved from http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/story/2012-01-31/schools-e-textbooks/52907492/1.
FCC Digital Playbook
In 2012, during the first annual Digital Learning Day, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan along with Federal Communications chief Julius Genachowski, unveiled a guidebook for how schools could transform instructions, improved achievement and save money. This guidebook incorporates recommendations for how districts can begin the transition to digital textbooks or etextbooks to better serve 21st century student needs.
E-Books and Student Learning
Assessment Through Student Generated Digital Content
Table of Contents
By: Michael CohenE-books, they have the potential to change the way our students read and consume information because of their interactivity and convenience (Schugar, Smith, & Schugar 2013), as well as the adaptability and flexibility of digital content. While there is a great value as using E-Book technology to expose students to new information, it is also a powerful tool that allows students to create their own E-Books, as evidence of learning. This approach is twofold for students, whose self published e-books assess their understanding and acquisition of knowledge, through a medium that can benefit their peers. Just as research demonstrates the positive impact of using animation, illustration, video, and embedded elements in E-books to teach students (Schugar, Smith, & Schugar 2013), students can use these very tools to create their own learning artifacts that can allow students to demonstrate their understanding in a more engaging and meaningful way than traditional assessment tools.
Digital Storytelling, is one method that uses digital book creation as a foundational tool for students to demonstrate understanding through an engaging medium. Students are able to harness the power of both audio and video to share an experience that is meant to make an impact on its viewers. The unique quality of ebooks versus other mediums, is in their ability to allow the viewer to interact with the material. Challenging students to create such an experience not only pushes them to share what they know, but also help students develop critical thinking, problem solving, and organizational skills through the experience of creating their ebook.
Schugar, H. R., Smith, C. A., & Schugar, J. T. (2013). Teaching With Interactive Picture E‐Books in Grades K–6. The Reading Teacher, 66(8), 615-624.
Examples of Student Created E-Books
3rd Grade
3rd Grade
8th Grade
Increasing Engagement Through a More Interactive Reading Experience with Ebooks
by: Erin ForrestThis video takes a look at how teachers have found ebooks to be engaging their students on a deeper level then print books.
Here is a fantastic example of how a real teacher has used ebooks to enhance her instruction.
__https://www.apple.com/education/real-stories/kristi-meeuwse/#video-kristi-meeuwse__
Introducing ebooks to students is a way to meet students where they already are. They are on these devices at home, on the bus, in the car, and on summer break. Incorporating ebooks engages reluctant readers and busy students who are looking for an exciting way to access reading material 24/7, no matter where they are and no matter what device they own. With some programs, students are able to highlight, define and/or take notes within the ebook itself. This fosters a learning environment and creates a more interactive reading experience for the students.
Reading comprehension can be improved by utilizing ebooks. Prior knowledge and experiences are activated as the words and visuals are read and new information is assimilated. When comparing conventional books with interactive books, Larson (2010) found children reading interactive storybooks were better able to retell the story and did better on comprehension questions. Lewin (2000) found that interactive storybooks improved sight recognition of words in beginning readers. Sounds effects, interactive features, and animation may contribute to comprehension. In addition, narration matched to listener's reading rate also contributed to learning.
There are 5 ways that ebooks enhance and engage students reading:
Recent studies have even shown that the ability to adjust font size on-screen helps students with dyslexia and visual impairments to read more easily. In one study,students did state a preference for ebooks when given the option of a wide selection of titles and the freedom to choose their own e-book. Students further indicated a preference for the amenities associated with e-book reading such as pop-up definitions and pronunciations of words, automatic page turning, and the option of read-aloud narration (Jones & Brown, 2011).
Jones,T. & Brown, C. (2011). Reading Engagement: A Comparison between E-Books and Traditional Print Books in an Elementary Classroom.
International Journal of Instruction, 4(2), 5-20.
Labbo, L. & Kuhn, M. (2000). Weaving chains of affect and cognition: a young child's understanding of CD-ROM talking books. Journal of Literacy Research, 32(2), 187–210.
Larson, Lotta C. (September 2010). Digital readers: The next chapter in e-book reading and response. Reading Teacher, 64(1), 15-22.
Lefever-Davis, S., & Pearman, C. (2005). Early readers and electronic texts: Factors that influence reading behaviors. The Reading Teacher, 58(5), 446-454.
Tools within E-books/Application & Resources
The 21st century student lives in a very technological age where digital resources are ever flowing. Children of the ages three to eight, may use eBooks that include multimedia, interactive effects: written text, oral reading, oral discourse, music, sound effects, and animations (Shamir, 2009). Through the results of a study conducted by Underwood, it is assumed that the eBook's characteristics can support acquisition of written and spoken literacy by allowing young readers to follow written text while the storybook's narrator declaims the text (Shamir 2009). According to De Jong and Bus (2004), low-SES kindergartners tended to use dictionary applications within an eBooks. These dictionary applications featured written words, pronunciation and pictures. Overall, the future looks positive for the use of eBooks and low-SES and ELLs as eBooks and phonological awareness have been found to have correlations between increased learning.
Top 15 eBook Creator Tools
"E-Books And Cost Pressures Push College Students Away From Textbooks"
"Instead of carrying around a bunch of books, you have one device with everything on it," said the 23-year-old student. He also uses the digital textbook's added tools like flash cards and an online journal that keeps track of the material he's highlighted. "It's just much more efficient."Compare the Top 10 eReaders to decipher which is right for you when viewing an eBook
Tools
Example Apps
If you are unable to view the glogster on recommended apps for ebooks, please click on the link below.
http://codyjbarrett.edu.glogster.com/recommended-apps-for-ebooks/Implications for the Educational Community
by Caren BautistaSchools
e-Bookroom Initiative
Textbook Central is a centralized textbook distribution center for public and private schools in Nassau County, New York. This center has begun to address the challenges faced by distribution of e-textbooks in the K-12 system. Unlike the vibrant personal e-book and college e-textbook market, e-textbook purchases for K-12 are not for a single individual on a single digital platform. A few challenges facing districts include the lack of publisher standardization regarding:The Federal Communications Commission established in 2011, a one-year, $10 million dollar pilot program designated "E-Rate Deployed Ubiquitously 2011" or "EDU2011" to support student off campus support access to wireless Internet. Utilizing this initiative to frame a conversation with e-textbook publishers, Textbook Central seeks to establish school-friendly licensing terms such as
Textbook Central.(2011). E-bookroom initiative. Retrieved from http://www.textbookcentral.com/index.php/e-books/e-bookroom-initiative
Educators Weigh E-Textbook Cost Comparisons
While the educational community at large debates the efficacy of moving to digital content, many states and districts are not waiting for definitive answers before moving ahead with a digital transition. Florida, Alabama, California, Ohio, Indiana, Utah, and Washington State all have passed legislation supporting the transition to digital content. The following table is drawn from information in an Education Week article by Jason Tomassini (2012) describing the commitments to digital textbooks made by various school districts around the country.Publishers
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt eTextbooks
HMH has joined the transition to e-textbooks. The company website showcases the curriculum series for English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, and World Languages. Choice of digital formats are also available ranging from iOS to Kindle to Google Play and more.Google Play for Education Offers Thousands of K-12 Books
Google has joined the e-textbooks distributors list. Through Google Play for Education, schools will have access to e-textbooks as well as literaturee-books. The formats supported are Chromebooks and Android devices utilizing the Play Books Reader. The article states that other formats are
supported by no other platforms are specifically named. The books will be available for periods of 60, 180, and 360 days to allow teachers to change books as needed. Teachers will also have the ability to re-assign apps to different students to account for student transitions throughout the year. The company is also adding the feature to uninstall school owned apps from students' devices remotely.
Apple iBooks Textbooks for the iPad
Apple has also joined the e-Textbook for education transition. They have partnered with the top three educational publishers- Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, McGraw Hill, and Pearson to bring interactive digital textbook content to the popular student friendly tablet iPad. In their own words "It’s time to turn a new page on learning. On iPad, textbooks invite Multi‑Touch interaction — flick through photo galleries, rotate 3D objects, tap to pop up sidebars, or play video and audio. With iBooks, reading is beyond fundamental. And more engaging than ever."OverDrive School Download Library
Cleveland, Ohio-based OverDrive, perhaps best known for its widespread distribution of e-books to 7,500 public libraries worldwide, maintains an online library of about 600 core books geared toward K-12 students, from abstract algebra workbooks to classic works of literature. It provides 24/7 access to audiobooks and e-books for online and offline use. It may provide a way for schools to experiment with e-content through their own school libraries.Wikibooks
Headed up by the Wikimedia Foundation (the people who brought you Wikipedia), Wikibooks was created in 2003 as an online repository of educational textbooks that anyone can add to or edit. As with Wikipedia, the content is monitored by thousands of editors around the world. So far, more than 31,000 textbook pages have been added.http://www.wikibooks.org/
State Legislation
State Educational Technology Directors Association (SETDA)
A comprehensive report by Fletcher, Schaffhauser, and Levin (2012) addresses the curricular transformation from print textbooks to e-book technology with recommendations for successful transition. With shrinking district budgets, the transition to digital formats would make economic common sense as students would not require new textbook adoptions but publisher updates to existing e-book material. The primary benefit of a digital format is flexibility. Flexibility paired with Open Education Resources (OER) provide customized solutions to district and state curriculum. The State Educational Technology Directors Association made the following recommendations:Fletcher, G., Schaffhauser, D., & Levin, D. (2012). Out of print: Reimagining the k-12 textbook in a digital age. Glen Burnie, MD: State Educational Technology Directors Association.
Utah's Open Textbook Project
Utah has decided to support their core content through self-created curriculum. The Utah State Office of Education (USOE) has enlisted content specialists, teachers, university professors, district and school specialists to design Utah's e-textbooks for K-12 education. The textbook content will be housed on the CK-12 platform. The CK-12 foundation is a nonprofit organization established to create and support open source K-12 curriculum aligned to state standards. All materials available through CK-12 are free, online, and customizable. This is a link to their curriculum page with content, lesson plans, and other resources.http://www.uen.org/oer/
Open Educational Resources K-12 Bill Passes in Washington State
The adoption of the Common Core standards paved the way to transform the Washington State curriculum. Lawmakers did not see the logic in spending $130 million dollars per year for printed materials that were often 7-11 years out of date. The opening section of the bill reads:(Note:This video is 26 minutes in length)
http://creativecommons.org/weblog/entry/31756
North Carolina Lawmakers Pushing for Digital Devices to Replace Textbooks in Schools.
In 2013, Governor Pat McCrory signed legislation to begin the transition to digital devices and digital textbooks in K-12 schools. School districts have until 2017 to align curriculum in the digital medium and transition to digital material. This post only highlights the legislation as it is signed into law.Ed Tech Times. (2013). North Carolina lawmakers pushing for digital devices to replace textbooks in schools. Retrieved from http://edtechtimes.com/2013/03/29/north-carolinalawmakers-pushing-for-digital-devices-to-replace-textbooks-in-schools/.
Federal Legislation
Obama Wants Schools to Speed Digital Transition
President Obama has a goal: an e-textbook in every student's hand by 2017. The federal government, with the support of the Department of Education, encouraging a modification to textbook adoption rules and regulation to allow funds once reserved for print textbooks only, to be utilized towards e-textbook purchases and digital format platforms such as iPads and Kindles.Toppo, G., USA Today. (2012). Obama wants schools to speed digital transition. Retrieved from http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/story/2012-01-31/schools-e-textbooks/52907492/1.
FCC Digital Playbook
In 2012, during the first annual Digital Learning Day, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan along with Federal Communications chief Julius Genachowski, unveiled a guidebook for how schools could transform instructions, improved achievement and save money. This guidebook incorporates recommendations for how districts can begin the transition to digital textbooks or etextbooks to better serve 21st century student needs.Digital Textbook Playbook