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What policies need to be in place for you to move to digital content rather than textbooks?
Thu, 2009-06-25 17:23
Textbooks have been the vehicle used over the years to link content to standards and subsequently to assessments. But the cost of textbooks has soared. With the rising costs and rapid obsolescence of textbooks in today’s information age, the move to digital content is beginning to be recognized by policy makers.
Current policies address textbooks, adoptions, and purchasing cycles. However, many new policies are being put in place to allow schools to purchase digital content instead, especially in the areas of science and social studies where content is rapidly changing. In the United States, states like Indiana and California have already adopted such new policies, and the Texas legislature is currently in the process of doing the same.
What is the policy situation in your region? What changes need to be made, if any? How do educators in your region view this development?
Mon, 2010-04-19 17:31
#2
We are a large private K-12 college prep school; our families in grades 6-12 spend $400-$600 per year on textbooks. Books also weigh a ton; we would mandate ebook readers in a heartbeat if the titles were available. What will pressure the major publishers to offer ebooks on their most expensive (and largest margin) titles? It does not do us any good if just the English Lit paperbacks are available in e format.
Fri, 2010-04-16 06:34
#3
I am not sure that 'digital textbooks' quite chimes for me with the Education 3.0 concept?
Surely this would be better thought of as Education 1.5? If the '2.0' world includes concepts such as crowd-sourcing, co-construction, consumers as producers, the read-write web etc, anything 3.0 should be further on in thinking.... not something as routine as putting 'text books' on screen?
At the very least shouldn't 3.0 imply and allow customisation, personalisation, etc? Making it MORE than merely a 'textbook' onscreen? As exemplified by the excellent BBC Bite-size Book Notes http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/booknotes/ (though I am not sure if these are viewable outside the UK - apologies if they are not?). These allow you to highlight, scribble in the margin and many other ways that personalise and raise ithe resource above the mere textbook online model.
Fri, 2010-04-16 05:15
#4
The policies in this area do not restrict the use of digital textbooks. I believe the inhibitors reside in the financial ability to cover the cost of the digital texts and supplements and the equipment necessary as well as the staff development required to move to use of digital resources. The future of the educational resource bank definitely includes digital textbooks. We are experiencing a gradual transition to textbook supplements offered via websites. Digital textbooks are slowly emerging as each time we adopt a new textbook, there are more on-line resources available. The transition is important as teachers explore new ways to access the electronic information available, as teachers and students develop skills for the evaluation and assessment of information, as the equipment and systems are refined and as access to content via the hand held and mobile devices increases. Not all students have access to the technology other than at school and, as a result, we must find a way to address the equipment issue. Perhaps the new opportunities offered through the electronic books (Kindle and iPad) will increase availability. An interesting article published in the April edition of Fast Company addresses the ease with which students learn using the small devices (http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/144/a-is-for-app.html).
Fri, 2010-01-15 23:47
#5
undoubtedly, digital books have been helpful but i dont think they will substitute textbooks. in our region its difficult to introduce digital books, because people are less familiar with these sort of tech
Agree current policies address textbooks, adoptions, and purchasing cycles. However, many new policies are being put in place to allow schools to purchase digital content instead, especially in the areas of science and social studies where content is rapidly changing. In the United States, states like Indiana and California have already adopted such new policies, and the Texas legislature is currently in the process of doing the same.