Senior Project Proposal
Valarie Varanese
November 26, 2014
- Title of Project:
Post Digital textbooks: Redesigning digital textbooks
- Statement of Purpose:
In today’s world, technology is becoming increasingly important in everyday life, especially in the classroom. With smart boards now installed in over 3 million classrooms around the world, reaching more than 60 million students, it is impossible to escape this era of technology in the classroom (smarttech). Along with the smarbords, textbooks are evolving into online editions to be used on tablets, computers, and other electronic devices. This allows for a myriad of textbooks all in one place, and without all the heavy lifting to move them from one place to another. In my research project I will answer the following question: What are the obstacles in implementing the use of digital textbooks in the classroom? Additionally, I will look at the cost efficiency of using digital textbooks and the potential problems that arise due to a lack of internet or bandwidth in certain locations.
- Background:
As of today, most of the digital textbooks in circulation are direct translations of their paper counterparts . The digital textbook is more easily searchable, cheaper, and offer more multimedia than physical textbooks. Digital textbooks are becoming more popular, but still remain secondary to physical textbooks because of lack of comfortability with them in the populations. Most of the digital textbook producers focus on annotations, searchability, multimedia in digital textbooks (Wyile 2013).
Textbooks are a fundamental part of education in the classroom. A seemingly passive task leads to discussion and discourse in the classroom between students and teachers (Wyile 2013). The textbook supports community and an collective understanding of specific material. But how could this be improved?The digital textbooks could incorporate material from online learning tools (e.g. flashcards, notes, research) to facilitate the learning process and provide students with a better, more whole understanding of the topic. Another way they can be improved is creating more of a community inside the classroom, with teachers and students being allowed to see what each other is doing on the textbook.
- Prior Research:
Since the introduction of digital textbooks is relatively new, only a comparatively small amount of research has been done, some of which is only conjecturing at what consequences, positive or negative, of implementing digital copies of textbooks into the classroom .
An article written by Jonathan Band explains the changing textbook industry, related to cost of books paid by the school, and how this affects the companies that produce the textbooks. In his article, he cites the Bureau of labor Statistics for the 800% price increase in the textbook industry, which is greater than the housing, medical, and consumer price index (2013). he then goes on to say the internet is changing this increase in price by sites allowing for rental of books and selling the digital version of the textbooks. This increase in demand for the digital copies lessens the profit for the companies that published the physical copy of the textbook . He cites an example of the change in profit from a school buying physical copies versus buying digital copies of textbooks. A publisher could charge a school district $75 for physical copies of textbooks, but only $12.50 for a subscription for E-books This hurts the publisher companies, and thus, as alter stated by Band, publisher companies are now starting to leave the publishing textbook industry and enter into a student service industry. This change in industries could lead to less competition in the publishing industry.
A recent Bowker study performed showed that undergraduate college students are not receptive to the change from physical textbooks to digital textbooks. The reasons behind preferring physical textbooks include “‘the look and feel of print’....[they] like to highlight and take notes in the textbooks, …. and they can’t resell digital textbooks” (Greenfield, 2013). On the other side of the spectrum, of the 31% of students who have tried digital textbooks, a quarter said they prefer the digital textbooks because they are cheaper than the physical copies, are easier to carry around, and it is easier to search for things (Greenfield, 2013).
A study performed by a researcher at Indiana State University concluded that there is no test taking advantage whether a student studies from a physical textbook or a digital one. Johnson conducted a survey of 200 college students, half of which read a chapter from a digital textbook, and half read from a physical copy. There was no significant difference in the final test scores of reading comprehension between the two groups (Sicking 2013). Johnson did cite a student who could not finish the study because of the nausea she felt while reading a digital textbook. Johnson mentioned concerns with battery power, price of digital textbooks, and reliable technology all being a factor in whether students decided to use digital or physical copies of textbooks. (Sicking). Johnson suggests that in the future professors can select specific chapters from different digital textbooks and combine them into one digital textbook, so students only have to purchase one textbook (Sicking).
- Significance:
This research question is worth considering because of the growing field of digital textbooks inside and outside the classroom. In a survey done by Person in which it polled 2,400 students, it found only 1% of students do not use any electronics for studying purposes (Nagel 2013). 71% of students use laptops, half are using smartphones and only about a quarter use tablets (Nagel 2013). With this many students owning technology, it is important to reach students where they are going, which is electronics. The use of digital textbooks brings education to students in a way they know and are comfortable with. I hope to learn what the obstacles are in implementing this new technology, but also what the consequences are.
- Description:
For my project, I will begin by learning about the process behind conducting research projects at ASU’s Center for Design and Imagination. While on site, I will also participate in other, smaller research projects. For my main focus on digital textbooks, I will work closely with my on site mentors Ruth and Joey. I will be focusing on post digital textbook research about how how they are beneficial in the classroom, the cost effectiveness of them, and the productivity of students and teachers while using these new, innovative textbooks.
- Methodology:
In this project, I will work with Ruth and Joey on finding starting points on productive student behavior in the classroom and affordances in the classroom. I will find these by: synthesis of the literature, user-centered design, participatory design, and expert consultation. I will specifically look at a high school environmental science class because of its wide range of different learning tools used in the classroom.
By looking at at understanding what are the best learning techniques, the best design of a digital textbook can be reached. Combining multiple theories to see how each of them complement each other will lead to a better design.
- Problems:
There are a few problems I will encounter during my research project. First, digital textbooks are a new field of research, because of this, there is a lack of prior research already conducted. There is not a lot of data to compare my results to. Second, because I will be interviewing some schools and asking about how they spend money on textbooks, this will lead to confidentiality problems and keeping the school anonymous. To overcome this, each school will be given a number and I will present the results accordingly. Third, there may also be a problem in determining what is for a fact a problem. There are so many unknowns within this field, it will be difficult to pick out what variables are directly affecting the results.
- Bibliography:
Band, J. (2013, November 13). The Changing Textbook Industry - Disruptive Competition Project. Retrieved November 26, 2014, from http://www.project-disco.org/competition/112113-the-changing-textbook-industry/
Greenfield, J. (2013, June 11). Students, Professors Still Not Yet Ready for Digital Textbooks. Retrieved November 26, 2014, from http://www.digitalbookworld.com/2013/students-professors-still-not-yet-ready-for-digital-textbooks/
Nagel, D. (2013, May 8). Report: Students Use Smart Phones and Tablets for School, Want More -- THE Journal. Retrieved November 26, 2014, from http://thejournal.com/articles/2013/05/08/report-students-use-smart-phones-and-tablets-for-school-want-more.aspx
Sicking, J. (2013, May 6). Indiana State University Newsroom. Retrieved November 26, 2014, from http://www.indstate.edu/news/news.php?newsid=3564
(n.d.). Retrieved November 26, 2014, from https://smarttech.com/us/About SMART/About SMART/Newsroom/Quick facts and stats
Wyile, Ruth Retrieved December 9, 2014. Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona
Department of Psychology. (n.d.). Retrieved December 10, 2014, from http://www.psyc.jmu.edu/ug/features/etextbooks.html
Schaffhauser, D. (2010, April 22). U Cincinnati and OhioLINK Research Digital Textbook Adoption -- Campus Technology. Retrieved December 10, 2014, from http://campustechnology.com/articles/2010/04/22/u-cincinnati-and-ohiolink-research-digital-textbook-adoption.aspx
Courduff, J. (n.d.). Teaching History.org, home of the National History Education Clearinghouse. Retrieved December 10, 2014, from http://teachinghistory.org/issues-and-research/roundtable-response/25092
Students to e-textbooks: No thanks. (2013, February 20). Retrieved December 10, 2014, from http://www.roughtype.com/?p=2922
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