Anecdotal evidence among educators and the 76 million American students alike
shows a resounding "yes" to the question of whether education should transition
from traditional textbooks to those in e-reader formats. This technology is also
clearly shifting economics of media. [snip]. Book bags weighted down with heavy textbooks seem costly, cumbersome, antiquated
and perhaps even a barrier to learning in the style in which this generation of
laptop and smartphone users have come to pioneer. While the e-reader concept
seems automatic to many, the logistics have posed some questions. While not all
of those answers have been trouble shot, the promise of the technology will
likely make investing in an e-reader both personally and in the market a
potential win-win.
The New College Try
…
College is an ideal environment for e-reader implementation. The
independence, technology and responsibility factor lessen the issues concerning
adopting this tool educationally at younger ages. Tangible college textbooks can
cost upwards of $1100 per academic year according to a recent CollegeBoard
study. Unlike K-12 education, textbook costs are footed by the student.
[snip]
Today's K-12 Textbook Market
Publishers, e-readers and educators see the writing on the wall and want to
be positioned for the transition to digital textbooks. Unlike some emerging
technologies, this revolution will not necessarily increase market demand for
the product. The high cost of the academic development of the published product
will remain, but the physical production costs of paper, binding and shipping
will all but disappear. The fight for market share will be fierce. Publishers
will strategize to partner directly with one e-reader exclusively or offer its
product across a range of e-readers for download.
Like the college market, the e-reader competitors must establish themselves.
With the controlled market of K-12 education, students do not have the choice
factor of course materials or formats necessarily. Will the future see e-reader
manufactures courting school systems with partnered textbooks offered on only
their product? [snip].
Who Wins, Who Loses in an E-Textbook Atmosphere?
Non-affiliated online textbook stores offering an array of digital and
tangible texts may see a boost from the big e-reader manufacturers' competition.
Already in the digital game are competitors including bookrenter.com and
CourseSmart, launched in 2007, which has 90% of textbooks used in core courses
which can be read on a variety of e-readers.
[snip]
The question remains if the K-12 educational system and student will win. Can
e-readers save budget restricted school systems much needed money? Averaging
over $460 in texts per student per grade-level in a system could be replaced by
an e-reader and book rights at a fraction of the cost. But can young students be
trusted with expensive technology? Does having this technology pose threats of
theft or misuse? Will offering technology in the classroom actually improve
education and spark motivation? These are all interesting questions that will be
met with many different answers over the coming years.[snip]
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