Current Successes with eReaders
When I was working with an NGO that trains military and police for UN peace operations, we seriously considered an eBook format for a number of reasons:
- There is a capability to update the information and keep it relevant
- It can be linked to live websites throughout the text
- As we were producing the content, the IP was not an issue, therefore keeping the cost low
- Many of our participants travel extensively, therefore the ability to have a library in your pocket is very enticing, especially when the participants would go without internet for periods of time.
We ultimately decided against it for a combination of cost of the reader itself, based on the challenges of the One Laptop per Child program (http://one.laptop.org/), and because of our own internal limitations in terms of capability. It was interesting how close we came to proceeding with this medium.
There is definitely something to be said for the eBook potential in adult learning. Being able to provide the newest version to students is a surefire benefit without having to worry about the financial/environmental cost of a wasted print run (as a side note, I am not sure that environmental arguments are effective for the eBook– paper takes considerably less time to regenerate than complicated plastics and metals that are used to build eReaders). Also being able to tailor the content to a specific audience is very enticing; adapting a modular approach that allows for variations on provincial legislation, teacher preference, audience level, is excellent.
In the past couple of years, there have been a number of schools (mainly private) that have added to their book list (ironically) an eBook reader, or even more, an iPad (a quick search revealed this article: http://www.technologybitsbytesnibbles.info/archives/3218). This is interesting with the debates over rising costs associated with schooling and tuition, that a substantial increase could be seen as more benefit than cost.
The potential is there, the question is now of financial and roll-out logistics.
Kristopher
Posted in: Week 06: eBooks
mcquaid 7:09 am on October 13, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply
“There is definitely something to be said for the eBook potential in adult learning.”
For whatever reason, this sparked some thoughts for me, or they just happened to come up as I read your entry. Either way… it had me thinking of a government’s possible link to electronic texts and readers. Perhaps adults looking to upgrade their schooling, particularly those with low incomes, could have gov’t subsidize/give them the texts they need to learn more / complete courses. Perhaps even in some case like retraining workers when their workplace closes (a fish plant, lumber yard, etc.). I wonder how much savings a “cheap” investment like this would give to gov’t / society? What social costs would it save down the road?
“Also being able to tailor the content to a specific audience is very enticing; adapting a modular approach that allows for variations on provincial legislation, teacher preference, audience level, is excellent.”
I was also thinking about texts for parents of kids in school – or “homework notes”. Although many texts come with an online version now, I wonder if companies would gather more business if they offered things like free homework help / “instructions” (“So, You’re Kid’s In Algebra…”) . Perhaps schools or public libraries could even have eReaders to loan out for such uses.