What is an etext or etextbook?
These are similar to print textbooks and usually refer to an electronic book used by students as a standard, assigned book for a particular course, unit or subject. While the Library buys electronic copies of texts when available, this is a rapidly changing area, with enormous educational, technological, and economic implications. Some of the issues are listed below.
What are the main issues?
- Which titles are considered textbooks? Publishers, academics, libraries may all have different title lists. Titles and definitions will also vary according to discipline, and professional accreditation requirements.
- Purchase vs rental models. Electronic textbooks are often only licensed for the individual user, and cannot be purchased for "library type" use.
- Cost - who pays?
- Licensing and Digital Rights Management (DRM)
- documents encrypted to be read on one device may not be copied to another device
- can you lend your copy of an ebook to another?
- printing and downloading limits
- Lack of a standard format for both hardware and software - users must choose carefully or they might not be able to read the books that they want. Publishers may not choose to create books in multiple formats.
- Improved accessibility, mobility, functionality, convenience, currency.
Issues and benefits for students?
- Cost - may be more economical for students.
- Convenience - access 24/7.
- Updating of information easier.
- Portability - carrying heavy texts minimised.
- Extra features, eg quizzes, personalisation, notes, searching, copy and paste, navigation, citation.
- DRM features restrictive (including printing).
- If the etext is a rental - what happens if the student requires the etext for revision, exams, etc after the semester "rental" expires?
What are the issues for libraries and universities?
- Are textbooks and etextbooks pedagogically best practice in higher education, and within problem based learning environments?
- Licensing etexts for an entire student group may be costly, and may limit access for self study/research of students not enrolled in the unit/course.
- Business models - publishers concerned about effect on print sales.
- Access limited to the study period.
- Licensing (not ownership): networked access may not be possible.
- Can the etexts be incorporated into the University Learning Management System?
- Etexts (eChapters) often have state-of-the-art options - improved grading systems, student performance tracking, curriculum customization, and file sharing capability, making administrative tasks quicker and easier. Or is this the role of the LMS?
- Libraries may not be able to bear the whole cost of etextbooks.
- Plagiarism and the copy and paste options.
What are the issues for publishers?
- The cost of developing a new textbook and the accompanying materials.
- Investments in technology.
- Reproduction of color images, tables, and figures - inclusion of graphics needed for technical publications and textbooks
- Licensing and Digital Rights Management (DRM): method of securely distributing ebooks and preserving the copyright and royalties of authors