E-Books in Higher Education: What's on the Horizon? (Institutional Scope)

Session Details

Speaker(s)

• Rob Kadel, Lecturer, University of Colorado Denver
• Session convener: William A. Mayer, University Librarian, American University

Abstract

Electronic textbooks and readers such as the iPad and Kindle have (once again) sparked the imagination of instructors, students, authors, and publishers as to the possibilities of interactive, go-anywhere, work-anytime content. Yet many challenges must still be overcome before e-books are widely adopted in higher education. This presentation will draw on current research and trends in e-book technology, as well as audience members' experiences and opinions, to address both the promises and the challenges that await users as they consider e-book adoption. Active audience participation is encouraged!

Learning Objectives
* Understand how e-books will have to present content differently and how the technology behind them presents a wide range of possibilities for content delivery.
* Discern the needs of end users (faculty, students) that must be addressed before the widespread adoption of e-books.
* Understand the current business models of distribution of e-books and e-reader devices and how these models both encourage and hinder the adoption of e-books (for example, proprietary file formats).

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