Monday, July 25, 2011

Thumbs Up for E-Books! (advocacy paper)

We have all seen the commercials representing the 'battle' between the Apple iPad and e-books such as the Amazon Kindle or Barnes & Noble Nook.



Instead of debating whether one technology works better in sunlight than another, I simply want to reveal the benefits and opportunities provided in education by e-books viewed on these personal tablets.

What is an E-Book?
Simply put, it is a full length printed publication (article, book, with or without images) in digital form.

Why use an E-book?
E-books have many capabilities. Obviously they offer a digital copy of a publication, relieving the size and weight of books and textbooks. Some available options are large storage space, text-to-speech, drawing, free available downloads. Compare different options here.

There are many opportunities for teachers to use e-books within the classroom. Download plays, mapping in geography, literature circle, and many more.

Here is a specific opportunity on how to create digital 'Big Books' using an e-book.

E-books create alternate avenues for reading, especially for ESOL and special needs children. There are many accommodations available with e-books such as text interactions (highlighting, bookmarking), adjustable text size, and interactive dictionaries.

There are many instances where e-books provide a unique opportunity to students of different ages, backgrounds, and hardships.


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