What are the advantages and disadvantages of implementing ebooks in schools?

[masha_daina]

hai everyone,
I'm curious to gather insights and opinions on the topic of introducing ebooks in schools. There seems to be a growing trend towards digital learning materials, but I'd like to explore the advantages and disadvantages associated with this transition.

[Quoth]

It's complicated and depends of the technology platform and if the materials are adapted. Poor in primary/junior school.

This is not likely the best place to ask as the users here are predominately using ebooks for their own enjoyment.

Very many textbooks are not real ebooks (don't reflow), but PDF or other Print replica, i.e. electronic documents rather than ebooks.

Also colour is often needed, especially for juniors, which realistically means tablets. The iPads or Chromebooks dominate post-primary education in some countries and some schools have mandatory iPad or Chromebook systems.

[neil_swann80]

A big pro is saving space as you can reduce your physical library's size.

You'll still have to allocate a little space as well as some human resource for the new service however.
For example:

• Additional Loan/registration/insurance considerations
• Charging station system for multiple devices
• Device support - Tuition & documentation, fault diagnosis, software updates and factory resets
• Warranty and out of warranty repair procedures
• Life cycle considerations - Device replacement/upgrade schedule and WEEE disposal of old/faulty devices
• Initial and yearly budget for this service.

[Quoth]

School ebooks can cost similar to paper ones and can't be passed on to other children.

Often there is no increased accessibility as the content is licenced to one device.

It's not simple. Lots of places do have exclusively electronic texts on either managed iPads or Chromebooks.

Not eink. Amazon's DX and DXG (9.7″) educational systems were a failure.

[ekbell]

At my children's school, the pre-existing distance learning options were expanded to the entire school system as a result of COVID so there are accounts for each student and access to textbooks is controlled at that level rather then by device.

My high school aged son likes electronic textbooks for homework because it's less weight to lug home (he can access the text on his laptop which stays home) and physical textbooks when referring to them in class but he admits that he doesn't flip through his electronic texts and if he did he'd feel differently about them. I am annoyed at PDF versions of physical books because they discourage flipping through them to refresh the memory.

Much of the digital learning materials available are recorded lessons and assignments for those who might miss class as well as classes on D2L/Brightspace and those provide useful options as long as the children have access and the discipline not to meander. They are organized to take advantage of the possibilities of the webpage rather then simply being PDF copies of paper books.

[Highroller]

Adding ebooks to schools sounds great because they're easy to carry around, make learning more fun, and could save some cash. But, it means more time staring at screens, relying heavily on tech, and might not work for everyone if they don't have access to devices or the internet.

[DNSB]

As someone who worked in education for decades, we did implement ebooks at the grade 9 to 12 level with the books available from the district's elibrary system.

The most serious issue we ran into was not technical but was still a total PITA. For students who did not have their own devices, we issued locked down iPads for those students. Within the first 3 months, we had to replace about 35% of those iPads due to physical damage.

[neil_swann80]

Originally Posted by DNSB

As someone who worked in education for decades, we did implement ebooks at the grade 9 to 12 level with the books available from the district's elibrary system.

The most serious issue we ran into was not technical but was still a total PITA. For students who did not have their own devices, we issued locked down iPads for those students. Within the first 3 months, we had to replace about 35% of those iPads due to physical damage.

Not quite decades, but close. Similar story here with laptops and macbooks available from a loan locker system, access via scanning student/staff ID cards then entering a PIN.

Probably more like 25-28% physically damaged. Some rather disappointingly clearly deliberately done, not what you'd hope for at the University level.

[DNSB]

One of the damaged units was a student who threw her iPad at her brother. Evidently he was breathing her air.

[Xaenor]

Originally Posted by DNSB

One of the damaged units was a student who threw her iPad at her brother. Evidently he was breathing her air.

In cases like this, were students not obligated to reimburse the school for damage to the device? Even when I borrow a physical book from a library, I am still liable for its state when I return it. Can't imagine someone destroying a loaner iPad and getting away with it.

[neil_swann80]

Originally Posted by Xaenor

In cases like this, were students not obligated to reimburse the school for damage to the device? Even when I borrow a physical book from a library, I am still liable for its state when I return it. Can't imagine someone destroying a loaner iPad and getting away with it.

At my institution, technically yes. They signed a waiver agreeing to as much. But in reality the institution swallowed the cost, being the path of least resistance I assume.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by Xaenor

In cases like this, were students not obligated to reimburse the school for damage to the device? Even when I borrow a physical book from a library, I am still liable for its state when I return it. Can't imagine someone destroying a loaner iPad and getting away with it.

Our situation ended up much like @neil_swann80. While in theory, we could have tried to recover the cost, the district basically ate the cost as being less trouble than trying to recover the cost.

[neil_swann80]

With a previous model of laptop in the loan lockers, some wily users had noticed the RAM upgrade hatch on the underside of the laptop.

Several laptops were discovered to have had RAM downgrades. Very sneaky, as this could easily go unnoticed for a while making pinpointing the culprit more difficult; impossible if they'd been reimaged.

I'm all for reparability and upgradability of modern devices, but in this instance I was happy that the newer devices were far harder to open up.

[Arconte]

Even being in this forum, I am a defender of paper books whenever it is possible.

Paper books are easier to search for marks and you are sure there is no technological problem that makes you lose your data. Colors are not a problem anymore as there are already color in Eink, but I see a problem about the charging issue. Every student seat should have a charging port.

But besides all said in this thread, there is the environmental problem. To create electronic devices are needed minerals and materials which are expensive, political-trouble-makers and limited in nature, so I think it is much better to use paper, as it is really more sustainable. Trees can be grown, paper recycled and books you no longer need can be given to others.

[arturg]

Speaking from the point of view of a Finnish parent where school material in high school can be bought either in digital or analog format: Digital becomes more expensive because you can't buy used books for cheaper price. Also, I have noticed that my kids didn't even like digital as paper books are easier to browse and flip pages.