Abstract
One of the most underutilized technologies available to the school systems of this nation is the e-book. Although the technology has been available for five years or more, school boards overwhelmingly choose paper-bound sources for their textbook needs over electronic texts. In today’s technically savvy world where BlackBerries, iPods, and laptops are commonplace, even given to students as in the case of Quaker Valley School District, electronic textbooks should be considered as a valid alternative to traditional learning media.
Key Terms in this Chapter
E-Book: Electronic, digital version of a traditional paper bound book. Can be accessed from a computer or downloaded to an e-book reader.
Blackberry: Wireless handheld device with phone, e-mail, fax, text messaging, and Web browsing capabilities.
Electronic Reading Media: Hardware used to view a digital version of a book. Also known as an e-book reader.
Electronic Textbooks: Electronic, digital version of a textbook downloadable to an e-book reader or a computer.
Hypertextual Reference: Clickable links between text and reference material presented in current documents, other documents, or Internet resources.
PDF (Portable Document Format): A file format created by Adobe and used for desktop publishing.
EbscoHost: Provides database and bibliographic content services. Widely used by libraries and schools.