Which appeals most to you? Why?

• traditional textbook
• course pack
• electronic textbook

eTextbooks have the potential to embed discussion and interactivity. They can be searched and spoken. The professor (and students) could annotate the text, adding comments and questions and personal examples. Some online courses today require students to purchase an eTextbook.

When considering an eTextbook, you might ask yourself some of the following questions:

• How would you feel about paying for electronic access to an online book, rather than buying a printed copy?
• How do you feel about reading online compared to reading print?
• In print, do you prefer to read a textbook or a course pack?

One research study found that undergraduate students would prefer a printed textbook, but graduate students find the ability to search compelling enough to want eTextbooks.

Electronic text books provide benefits to faculty such as the following:

• royalty income for faculty
• flexible and editable, can edit and update at any time
• faculty holds copyright
  
• provides cutting edge information - while the information in even a new hardcover textbook can be two or more years old, an electronic text can be up-to-the-minute
• provides students with the latest findings in the field
• can be distributed anywhere
• colleagues around the world can use your electronic text in their classes - there is no special software or downloads needed, all you need is a browser
• adapt your teaching materials to match your current course
• the fastest turnaround for publication
• can be media rich: content may include color graphic, hyperlinks, multimedia objects, interactive content

Electronic texts offer benefits to students such as the following:

• no shipping or printing costs makes electronic text less expensive for students
• no more toting heavy books around campus or back home during the breaks
• no more standing in line at the campus bookstore with instant online purchasing
• students can view the electronic version on any computer linked to the internet, even when visiting home during the breaks
• for students who prefer a hard copy, any page may be printed
• easier to find information using computer-driven search tools, clickable Table of Contents and a clickable index

Links

• CNN article about eTextbooks: eTextbooks clicking with colleges
• McGraw Hill's Primis Online custom eBook service.