The document discusses research on the use of e-textbooks versus printed textbooks. It provides an overview of the history of e-textbooks and their increasing use. Several studies have found that student performance and comprehension do not differ significantly between e-textbooks and printed textbooks. However, some research indicates that people understand and remember better when reading printed texts rather than screens. Both e-textbooks and printed textbooks have advantages and disadvantages for student learning. The document explores these challenges and affordances in more detail.

1. e-­‐Textbooks
as
Learning
Tools:
Challenges
and
Affordances
Elizabeth Dobler, Ph.D.
Emporia State University
edobler@emporia.edu

4. Continuum of Digital Interactivity
Walling, 2014

5. Kids & Family Reading Report™
5th
Edition
Out of Print:
Reimagining the K-12
Textbook in a Digital Age
www.setda.org

6. A BIT OF HISTORY
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7. ❖ Student performance does not vary between print and
e-textbook (Sheppard, Grace, & Koch, 2008; Woody, Daniel, & Baker, 2010).
❖ Various presentation modes do not affect
comprehension(Margolin, Driscoll, Toland, & Kegler, 2013).
❖ Annotation features of an e-textbook enhances student
performance (Dennis, 2011).
❖ People understand and remember better when reading
paper (Liu, 2005; Mangen, Walgermo, & Bronnick, 2013).

8. Challenges and Affordances
❖ Lack of comfort with
screen reading (Carlson, 2005).
❖ Requirement to access
Internet when reading
(Sheppard, Grace, & Koch, 2008).
❖ New types of engagement
are facilitated
(Dorn, 2007; Ravid, Kalman & Rafaeli, 2008).
❖ Promotes principles of
universal design to meet
diverse learning needs
(Scott, McGuire & Foley, 2003).

9. ❖ I could read Charlotte’s Web without any of my football
teammates knowing it.

10. ❖ I prefer to use printed books if I am reading for information.
Even as I have gone through the courses for my master’s, I
have opted for the more expensive paper copy of the book
rather than the e-book. While I know that it’s possible to
highlight, jot notes in the margins, use sticky notes to mark
pages I found most useful, I want that book to place on a shelf
so that I can reference the material again. With e-books I don’t
focus as well on the material and find myself having to reread
more than if I had the printed copy. Also, with the e-versions
of texts, I am more likely to forget about the text if it’s in a
compilation of other collected digital texts since I cannot see
the book sitting there in the open to be used again. Therefore, I
avoid digital copies of informational texts.

12. Scholastic, 2015
61% OF CHILDREN
HAVE READ
AN E-BOOK
65% of children will
always want to
paper books even
though e-books are
available
Hewlett Packard, 2014

13. Reynolds, R. 2013

14. Interactive
Customizable

15. OPEN EDUCATIONAL
RESOURCES
Resources available in the public
domain or shared under an
intellectual property license,
permitting their free use or re-
purposing by others

16. ProjectTomorrow, 2011
Students are empowered to “take responsibility for
their own educational destinies and to explore
knowledge with unfettered curiosity thus creating a
new generation of lifelong learners”.

17. QUALITY E-TEXTBOOKS

18. Comprehension
❖ activating prior knowledge
❖ pronouncing words
❖ identifying important ideas
❖ predicting
❖ making inferences
❖ clarifying
❖ monitoring
❖ synthesizing
❖ connecting
❖ scrolling
❖ tapping
❖ clicking
❖ reading
❖ viewing
❖ listening
❖ hyperlinking
❖ interacting

19. Utilize Features
❖ searching
❖ highlighting
❖ note taking
❖ sharing
❖ bookmarking

20. ❖ What are the e-textbook preferences of undergraduate
teacher education students?
❖ What are the perceptions of undergraduate teacher
education students towards reading an e-textbook?
❖ How do undergraduate teacher education students
view the role of an e-textbook in their learning
process?

21. e-Textbook Purchase Factors
❖ cost
❖ ease of use
❖ ease of purchase
❖ match to learning style
❖ Chulkov & VanAlstine, 2013

22. Self-Regulated
Learning
Schunk & Zimmerman, 1998
Zimmerman, 2002

23. Participants, Methods, Analysis
❖ 56 preservice teachers (8 males, 48 females)
❖ language arts methods course
❖ e-textbook/paper bundle, read on iPad or website
❖ Features:
note sharing
highlighting
keyword search
video, audio and web links
linked definitions
text bookmark

25. e-Textbook
Preferences
Pre-Reading Post-Reading
22% preferred e-textbook 50% preferred e-textbook
58% preferred print textbook 42% preferred print textbook
20% no preference 8% no preference

26. ❖ I did not like to read the e-textbook at first because I did not
believe that it would be better than a paper textbook. When I
started to read this book, I found that it was one of my most
wonderful reading moments — I could access the different
resources by clicking the websites. I could record notes very
easily. I could use highlighters to mark the important ideas. It
was useful and convenient. Now, I have begun reading digital
articles online.

27. Digital Note Sharing
a social network becomes a learning
network

28. Reasons for e-Textbook
Preference
Reasons for Print Textbook
Preference
available search features familiarity with the format
digital notes features eyestrain with screen reading
lower cost distractions when reading online
light weight
connection to physical movement of
page turning

29. An
e-­‐textbook
can
often
lead
me
to
distraction
(Facebook,
Pinterest,
etc.).
Also
there
is
something
about
print
textbooks
that
puts
me
in
the
mindset
of
‘study’.
I
like
highlighting
and
putting
sticky
notes
in
my
[print]
books.
When
done
electronically,
the
physical
movement
is
absent
so
I
sometimes
feel
like
it
doesn’t
help
me.
When
recalling
information,
it
is
easier
for
me
to
remember
when
it’s
tied
to
a
physical
movement.

30. Being Present in the
Reading Moment

31. My
own
reading
habits
worsened
while
reading
this
e-­‐
textbook.
I
am
used
to
skimming
on
the
computer.
I
carried
this
same
habit
to
the
e-­‐textbook.
It
was
more
difHicult
to
get
absorbed
in
reading.
I
noticed
I
was
more
intrigued
about
reading
the
text.
It
wasn’t
like
I
was
just
sitting
with
a
book
in
my
hand.

32. I
was
more
relaxed
with
the
e-­‐textbook.
Sometimes
I
forgot
I
was
reading
a
textbook.
I
had
to
train
my
brain
to
think
critically
when
reading
because
usually
when
I’m
on
a
device
it’s
for
recreation.
The
linked
deHinitions
are
extremely
helpful.
This
allows
for
reading
Hluency
as
I
don’t
have
to
access
another
source
or
turn
a
page
to
Hind
a
deHinition.
I
really
liked
the
search
function
because
it
took
you
right
to
where
you
needed
to
go.

33. Applying Reading
Strategies to Digital Text

34. Opening
a
new
chapter
in
this
online
text
is
a
bit
more
intimidating
for
me
because
it
shows
the
list
of
sections
to
the
side,
and
there
are
sometimes
many.
I’ve
started
previewing
and
picture
walking
before
I
read
this
text
in
response.
I
believe
my
reading
habits
improved
because
the
text
was
spread
out.
I
read
the
text
normally
but
I
went
back
and
looked
at
the
text
again
to
make
sure
I
didn’t
miss
something.

35. I
tended
to
open
up
links
so
I
was
easily
distracted.
As
a
reader,
next
time
I
would
be
stricter
on
myself
and
not
allow
myself
to
browse
on
other
sites
while
reading.

36. ❖ avoid making assumptions
❖ teaching and modeling
❖ sharing personal experiences
❖ offering students choice
Teachers can promote e-textbook reading by . . .

37. Presentation References
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Chulkov, D.V., & VanAlstine, J. (2013). College student choice among electronic and printed textbook options. Journal of Education for Business, 88,
216–222.
Dennis, A. (2011). E-Textbooks at Indiana University: A summary of two years of research. Indiana University Working Paper. Retrieved from http://
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