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 Electronic Resources: The Problems and Benefits

3/11/2013

4 Comments

 
 There is a debate going that computers and delivery technologies do not necessarily help with student achievement and engagement but it is merely another way of presenting the information and if it happens to engage the students then it will help. I can see both sides of this argument and through some readings I am now aware of more opinions on the matter. We are now in the 21st century and in being in this century, we as teachers need to realize that our students are now utilizing technology more so than in years past, and as technology grows and more delivery systems become available, students may continue to shift toward online learning and e-textbooks and away from brick and mortar learning and print. As a university student, why would you pay upwards of one hundred dollars for a textbook that you may be able to get for half price on an e-reader or even for free on your computer? Through this, I also see how copyright is also becoming more and more of an issue and in the electronic world it will be interesting to see how it changes in the coming years.

 With brick and mortar schools (well all schools for that matter) I have learned that the budget is one of the biggest concerns. With the introduction of e-textbooks for a fraction of the cost of print, it allows for students to have a copy of the book that they are able to access from school and at home while saving money in the budget that could go towards something else. I have most of my students choosing to go for the online e-text versions of as many books as possible because not only are they saving money (they have a certain amount they are able to spend on texts and resources each year) but they are also reusable just like print versions and are not going to have the same amount of “wear and tear” as a print book.  This is also helpful for the online
learning student who has more than one sibling as the family is able to purchase the copy of the book once and use it for all of their children (in the case of one of my families, that is eight children) before giving it away or selling it.

 As a teacher a big benefit of having e-texts is the opportunity to copy a page and send it in an email or post it on a program such as Blackboard to walk a student through a problem they might be having, which eliminates the problem of having to have a scanner to scan and then attach a page and creates more work for all involved. Obviously this would not work to do for the entire textbook but when a student does not live in driving distance to get help, it would eliminate some frustration. I have also found it helpful at the beginning of the school year when resources and texts do not get to my students in a timely manner, I am able to change my personal password for my copy to a student password and give them access to my copy until they receive  theirs.

 The big downside that I can see with purchasing a book and then using it for many years is the fact that I find a lot of publishers change one or two things in a textbook and then reprint the textbook as a new edition.  Although this means that you may have students working from two different editions, the changes I have found to be very minimal so it is more possible to work with. As a teacher this is where having e-versions of texts is nice because you are not having to purchase a full price text and find room for it, but instead you are just having to buy a code or CD that costs less and takes up less space.  
 
There will always be shifts in online learning and the resources and tools we use and I am interested in seeing where that takes us and how it helps support us as teachers in the online learning community as well as our  students.

4 Comments
Jane Jacek
3/13/2013 07:05:14 am

Hi Breanne,

In relation to your first point about the use of computers and delivery technologies, and the debate over whether or not they increase student engagement and success, or it is just another format through which the material is presented. Whether we are talking about learning through DL or in a bricks and mortar school, what is of utmost importance is course design. A course that is well designed to meet all students learning needs will keep students engaged and lead to success. What we want to see is teachers using online tools and management systems effectively to engage and enhance the students learning experience. Most students of today see technology as an extension of who they are and as such we need to integrate its use in our schools.

You make some interesting points in relation to the use of e-textbooks vs print based texts. As a student I have appreciated the opportunity to access free e-texts, although at times I have found reading text online difficult and have occasionally printed off the materials. I think reading online is a skill one needs to develop. As a teacher I am looking forward to more publishers offering e-texts and in relation to new editions, being able to purchase just the updated chapters.

I am curious about your comment “(they have a certain amount they are able to spend on texts and resources each year)”. How does this work at your school?

Thanks Breanne for an engaging post.

Jane J.

Reply
Breanne
3/13/2013 01:14:22 pm

Hi Jane,
Each student at my school gets an alloted amount (I believe it is $1060.00 for the year) that they can spend on textbooks, sports fees, music lessons, etc...

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Marieke Holtkamp link
3/15/2013 03:25:39 am

Thanks for the great read, Breanne. Our school has a mix of courses using print and e-texts. Recently we asked our secondary leadership group (our full-time grade 10-12 students who attend f2f one day/week) which they preferred. With the exception of one student, they all prefer the print version - this completely surprised me. They felt that the print version was more portable and found it easier to flip back and forth through a print resource. The student who preferred the e-text had his own iPad and the consensus was that having an e-reader of some sort would definitely make the e-text preferable.

Reply
Breanne
3/15/2013 07:33:01 am

That surprises me as well that they would choose print over eTextbooks.. I would think that other than math, eTexts would be the clear choice for the majority but this apparently proves me wrong.. I am now wondering how much my students are deciding on eTexts or if it is the parents who are making the decision.

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    Breanne Quist is a student completing the Online Learning and Teaching program at Vancouver Island University.

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