Education has embraced the electronic age and has successfully integrated technology with academics. First came the dynamic concept of bringing education to the virtual classroom in the form of distance learning programs, and now digital textbooks have begun to enter both traditional classrooms and the online environment as well. E-books are increasingly becoming a standard in higher education.
Many people wonder if digitized textbooks are an improvement over traditional course books or if they damper the learning experience. The usefulness of a digital text depends on how you look at it. There are many advantages and disadvantages to using e-books. Students accustomed to traditional textbooks typically have to work hard to adjust to this new format, but there is also certain attraction to being able to instantly obtain your textbook with a quick download.
Let's take a look at some of the other pros and cons associated with using digital textbooks:
ADVANTAGES
*Compact. E-books are efficient because you aren't bogged down with heavy backpacks and limited shelf space. All you need to do is download your e-book to your hard drive and you're good to go.
*Lower in cost. Since the overhead expenses in producing traditional textbooks are eliminated, e-textbooks are typically cheaper to buy. I recently took a course where the hardcover text was $175 and the e-textbook was $80; a significant savings, especially if you are a struggling student trying to make ends meet.
*On-demand learning. Purchasing your e-textbook couldn't be easier because it's a simple download and you have instant access to your reading assignments. There is no standing on line at the bookstore or waiting days (sometimes weeks!) for your book to arrive in the mail. Society has increasingly moved to an on-demand platform, and education is no exception. Many students relish in the fact they can instantly receive their textbook, saving both time and money.
*Easy to customize. The digital format makes it easy to highlight and bookmark pages without altering or defacing the book like you would with a traditional text. Once you are finished, it's easy to remove your highlights and other digital markings you may have made throughout the semester.
*Search features. The rapid speed of computer search features makes it convenient to quickly find a passage or phrase you need to find. All you need to do is plug in a few keywords and you can instantly retrieve the information you need.
DISADVANTAGES
*Portability. While the compact nature of the e-textbook is convenient, it can also be a disadvantage. Many students prefer to carry their books to read in between classes, on the bus or while eating lunch. Unless you have a laptop or are willing to print out dozens of pages, you lose the portability a traditional textbook possesses.
*Electronic format may be hard on the eyes. Reading textbooks in the form of an electronic document are usually pretty readable, but after a while the digital format can get a little tough on the eyes. Many students find they begin to experience difficultly reading the e-textbook if chapters are tedious or long.
*Digital textbooks keep you reliant upon a computer. Unless you are willing to print out all the pages in your e-textbook, you're going to be chained to your computer 100% to do your assignments. This may cause some inconvenience and if you're traveling or have limited access to a computer at home, e-textbooks cause an additional hardship. This is one aspect where digital textbooks are far less useful.
*Assignments and open-book tests. In my degree program, the class is structured in such a way the text is necessary for assignments and tests. I've often encountered frustration because it's hard to bounce back and forth between screens to access information and then complete the question.
*Vulnerability. Digital files are more prone to corruption and/or incompatibility. If you've ever had a computer crash, you can relate to the dismay of losing all of your important documents. Additionally, if you are going to be using e-textbooks, you'll likely be doing constant upgrades on your software programs to support current editions and your older textbooks after a period of time may not be accessible to use as future references.
*Digital Rights Management (DRM). This is yet to be fully determined, but the music and movie industries have already established ways to protect their intellectual property by limiting how many times a person can access a product or install a product. What happens if you upgrade your computer? Will you effectively be able to move your e-textbooks to another hard drive with ease or will protective digital rights management technologies interfere? If DRM prevents you from having the ability to move your e-texts, it's not very useful.
Digital textbooks are likely to rise in popularity due to society's tendency to gravitate towards digital environments. Many universities are also beginning to move towards integrating more technology into the classroom. There are many good reasons why digital textbooks are useful, but there are an equal number of reasons why they are ineffectual.
For most it's simply a matter of personal preference.