I have owned my Amazon Kindle now since early August and feel as though I am at a point where I would be lost without it. Given my book-a-week addiction, the E-reader comes in handy since I can buy books anywhere and even reference back to texts if I need a quick refresher on the topic all without lugging my library around with me. I believe the E-reader shows traits of what Clayton Christensen refers to as a “disruptive innovation”. Similar to the advancement of disk drives that he describes in “The Innovator’s Dilemma,” E-readers are beginning to develop at a rapid pace and tap into a market that is looking for mobility and cost efficiency in the product.
Will this innovation replace books in the near future? Most definitely not, but you cannot argue with the efficiency, affordability, and usability that will surely develop as these devices continue to grab headlines.
Much discussion has developed recently about the potential of using E-books for schools. My only hope is that whichever company, Amazon or otherwise, that develops the educational E-reader invites educators in on the conversation to ensure that it contains features necessary for student growth and development. It is critical that districts do not implement E-readers too early or students will become frustrated and the device will become more of a hindrance than an engaging tool.
I would love to say that I want every one of my kids to have an E-reader in class tomorrow, but truthfully, I don’t find them advanced enough to be conducive to student learning. The note-taking and bookmark features are primitive at best. The graphics are always fuzzy especially when it comes to charts and data tables, but the lack of page numbers really doesn’t bother me because that is just a matter of becoming adjusted to a new method (see my post on adaptability here).
As I was looking at my E-reader this morning, I started to consider what type of options I wanted included on a device that is geared for education and effective in student learning. The number one trait I would love to see is touch screen hi-lighting. If a student is reading a passage, he/she could run a finger across the text so that it hi-lights and then stores it in a separate file location for quick retrieval from the home screen. This would allow for students to quickly “pluck” information from text and not have to search furiously during discussions in class.
My second request would be for the device to have the ability to connect to a centralized book that I, the teacher, have bookmarked or added questions for students to consider as they are working. In other words, students could be reading text, get to a certain section that has been hi-lighted by the teacher, touch the screen, and a question would pop up that they should consider and analyze.
I don’t think E-readers are too far off from entering the classroom, but when they do, there are certain characteristics that they must have in order to stimulate learning and engagement by students. These are two ideas that I have for advancing E-readers in preparation for education.
What are yours?
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I’m currently infatuated with the enTourage eDGe dual book (one e-ink side and one touch screen LCD side running Android) and have one on pre-order. I almost wish I were still teaching so I could make full use of its academic features. But, even as just a regular consumer now, this machine came closest to how I work in real life. I think you’ll find it satisfies both of your wishes mentioned above, in theory anyway.
When I taught, I was a heavy user of tablet PC technology. If it doesn’t have a stylus, I’m not interested! Nothing beats handwritten notes, especially for math and science. The eDGe actually has a version of Journal running on the e-ink side that looks an awful lot like the software that came built in on tablet PCs. So, as a macbook owner who has been without a tablet PC for a few years now, +1.
In addition to being able to make notes in a journal-type program, you can also mark up, highlight and annotate your pdfs/ebooks with the stylus and save those annotations to your book. +2. I can’t read any non-fiction book without a pencil in my hand, so this is an amazing feature. Apparently when you do save notes “in” your e-book, you create a new entry in the table of contents, too, so you can name and easily find them again. Brilliant.
As for charts, diagram and colour, the eDGe’s two screens function together. With the “show me this stuff on the LCD side” feature, you can take highlight pictures on the e-ink side to have them show up in full colour on the LCD side (as long as the ebook had full colour in the first place, as most textbooks do). You can also click any link in the pdf/ebook to a website, audio or video file and the web page, sound clip or video clip will be activated on the LCD side. Even if you’re reading and just want to look something up on Google at the same time, you don’t have to minimize or switch to a new window because you’ll use the LCD screen for that, while your ebook is still open on the e-ink side.
As for connectivity, I know they’ve just signed an agreement to have Blackboard functionality. I don’t know exactly what this will mean, but it could very well bring shared repositories, seeing others’ notes etc. Both McGraw Hill and OUP have signed on to make a selection of higher ed. titles available, and from rumbling it sounds like whatever online/interactive access would normally come with the print textbook.
It’s a first generation product, not even shipping until next month, so I’m trying to keep my expectations reasonable. There have also been concerns about the weight (3 pounds) compared to the Kindle or the Nook which are measured in ounces. But this is the first gadget in a long time that actually imitates how I work when reading (annotating, highlight, writing separate notes, looking things up online). If I were a student and this were replacing multiple textbooks, the weight would be a non-issue. I’ll just have to see whether I find it too cumbersome as a “carry around” device, but since I’m generally working from home or traveling by air (and wheeling a laptop case anyway) I think it’s fine for my purposes. Too big for a subway commuter to whip out en route? Perhaps, but that’s not how I’ll be using it.
It was a huge hit at CES last week, so there are lots of hands-on reviews around the net and videos on YouTube if you search for them. I think it may have redefined the e-textbook, and might be a good starting point from which to make more suggestions. When I have the device, then I’ll be able to evaluate it actually does what it claims to do, and might have more thoughts re: wishlist then.
Sorry for the long review. It’s just been a while since I’ve been this excited about a new product.
The TxtReaderXpress software can convert any text to audio. As it speaks, it can highlight the spoken words or sentences. With speech recognition, you can practice and learn foreign languages.
This app allows your computer quickly speaks out the text which you typed with your keyboard. This app uses Google Dictionary and Google Translate Services to give you accurate and multiple translations. This app supports high quality voices.
With Build-in web browser, you can view any web news in the Internet, and have the computer to read any part of the news,charting messages, and emails.The app can read word documents, rich text files, and XPS files.
This app can automatically read any highlighted words in Web documents and XPS documents.Typing Echo. This app allows your computer quickly speaks out the text which you typed with your keyboard. Support word, sentences, letter, and paragraph auto reading.XPS Document build-in features. Rotate, Merge xps files, Export xps page to single xps file, Export xps page to picture.
Give TxtReaderXpress a try to fully assess its capabilities!
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http://www.zinksoft.net/TxtReaderXpressSetup.zip
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http://www.zinksoft.net