Uncategorized 03 Jun 2010 09:33 am
E-readers Next Big Thing?
College campuses have always been a breeding ground for innovation. It is unlikely to find a group of people more receptive to change clustered in one area. Facebook, for example, made its debut on college campuses, and now everyone and their uncle (literally!) seems to have their own page. An upcoming trend deserving of closer watch is the use of e-readers in education.
Last fall, Kindle DX, Amazon’s e-reader geared towards e-textbooks, was run through pilot programs at Arizona State, Case Western Reserve, Pace University, Princeton, Reed College, and the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business. This initiative was undertaken by the institutions in an attempt to eventually defray textbooks costs and reduce the amount of paper used by each student. The Kindle DX was very well received. Students were able to access and transport all their textbooks in one portable 10.3 oz device as opposed to carting a heavy backpack full of high-priced books all over campus.
After discussing the issue with my college students peers, I found them to be extremely interested in the idea of purchasing an e-reader for textbooks as well. With the ever-rising cost of college tuition, adding an extra $700 per semester for textbooks leaves students feeling outraged and open to a technological device that will save them money in the long run. A Kindle DX retails for $489, and e-textbooks average around $50, well under about half the cost of traditional, in-print textbooks.
The issue presents a chicken and egg type paradox, however. Students will not purchase an e-reader until they are ensured that all of their needed textbooks are available in digital format. While at the same time, textbooks companies will not release e-textbooks until students start purchasing e-readers. According to the National Association of College Stores, the textbook industry brings in an average of $6.5 billion dollars annually, and these publishers are not yet ready to relinquish control over how their content is sold and displayed.
For now, the e-textbook industry, with the potential to revolutionize the educational world, is at a standstill. It is up to the publishers to take the next pivotal step because it is doubtful that money-conscious students will do so.
Emily Rozanski
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