An article by Nick DeSantis (@njdesantis) on The Chronicle of Higher Education’s (@chronicle) technology blog Wired Campus (@wiredcampus) says, “Despite the promise that digital textbooks can lead to huge cost savings for students, a new study at Daytona State College has found that many who tried e-textbooks saved only 1 dollar, compared with their counterparts who purchased traditional printed material.”
The study, conducted over 4 semesters, compared 4 different means of textbook distribution: traditional print purchase, print rental, e-textbook rental, and e-textbook rental with an e-reader device. It found that e-textbooks still face several hurdles as universities mull the switch to a digital textbook distribution model.
Read this in full. Also see “A Study of Four Textbook Distribution Models” reported by Educause Quarterly (@educause).
Another article you’ll want to read is USA TODAY’s (@USATODAY & @USATODAYtech) “Technology, costs, lack of appeal slow e-textbook adoption” by tech reporter Roger Yu (@RogerYu_USAT).
With their promise of ubiquity, convenience, and perhaps affordability, e-textbooks have arrived in fits and starts throughout college campuses. And publishers and book resellers are spending millions wooing students to their online stores and e-reader platforms as mobile technology improves the readability of the material on devices such as tablet computers. Silicon Valley start-ups, such as Inkling (@inkling) and Kno (@GoodtoKNO), are also aggressively reinventing textbooks with interactive graphics, videos and social-media features.
Despite emerging attempts at innovation, the industry has been slowed by clunky technology, the lasting appeal of print books, skeptical students who scour online for cheaper alternatives, and customer confusion stemming from too many me-too e-textbook platforms that have failed to stand out.
Contact Somersault (@smrsault) to help you develop your ebook strategy.
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