eBooks? Why not?

            eBooks are now a growing trend in the classrooms that allow easy accessibility to books for students.  Our millennial generation practically live on the internet and are highly interested in social mediums such as texting, tweeting, etc.  As 21^st century teachers, we should learn to adapt to these changes and embrace the digitized world through the use of eBooks in the classroom.  eBooks are electronic versions of printed books, research papers, short stories, and magazines, just to name a few, that can be read from a computer or any handheld device (Rosso, 2009).  Although utilizing eBooks are widely debatable, I believe that eBooks are beneficial for both teachers and students and the next section will discuss several benefits of why eBooks are essential for the classroom setting.

            First, a typical classroom is filled with many different types of learners.  There are three main types of learners: tactile, auditory, and visual.  Tactile learners are described as learning through physical, kinesthetic, and hands-on experiences. Auditory learners learn by listening to someone explaining something rather than reading it on their own. And visual learners need graphics (i.e. charts, tables) and pictures to acquire the material because a loss of interest can occur if they are simply listening to instructions (LearningRx, 2016).  With the use of eBooks in the classroom as a technological tool, it can accommodate all three of these main learning styles.

Next, eBooks are environmentally friendly and cost effective for schools (Sessoms, 2016; Karsenti, n.d.).  According to Sessoms (2016), schools can constantly make curriculum updates electronically rather than buying textbooks, which can cost more than eBooks. Additionally, because it is paperless, eBooks has a lower impact on the environment (Karsenti, n.d.). 

Finally, eBooks can be beneficial for special needs students, visually impaired students, and English language learners (Goodwyn, 2014).  For instance, the useful feature for vocabulary can accommodate this particular group of students who need extra assistance with pronunciation and defining a word by simply clicking on the difficult word itself.

            eBooks would be a definite plus in the classroom.  Teachers have to be open-minded and willing to accept change.  Technology can be a scary thing, especially for veteran teachers, but with the right technological training, assistance, and attitude, eBooks used as a technological tool would essentially be one of the best decisions a teacher would make in this digitally-aged world.

 References

Goodwyn, A. (2014). Reading is now “cool”: A study of English teachers’ perspectives on
            e-reading devices as a challenge and opportunity. Educational Review. 66(3), 263-275.

Karsenti, T. (n.d.) 25 Main benefits of the ebook. Retrieved from

            http://karsenti.ca/25_ebook.pdf

Learning Rx. (2016). Types of learning styles. Retrieved from http://www.learningrx.com/types-

            of-learning-styles-faq.htm

Rosso, S. (2009). What are eBooks? Advantages and disadvantages of electronic books.

Retrieved from https://whenihavetime.com/2009/03/09/what-are-ebooks-advantages-

and-disadvantages-of-electronic-books/

Sessoms, D. (2016). 9 benefits of eBooks that make them valuable classroom technology.
            Retrieved from http://www.securedgenetworks.com/blog/9-Benefits-of-e-Books-That-

Make-Them-Valuable-Classroom-Technology.