Is digital really better than print? Authors share their perspective

While the debate over print versus digital textbooks (etextbooks) is not new, the content of that debate has shifted in recent years to which is a more effective learning tool for students. As publishers, instructors and students push towards offering more digital textbooks and learning products, will the benefits outweigh the negatives? Several studies have found that it not only takes readers longer to read text on a screen, they tend to skim much more and thus absorb and retain less information than reading from a physical book. Other etextbook readers have reported the tendency to multi-task while reading. One study reported that 90% of students said they were more likely to multi-task when reading onscreen versus 1% who said they multi-task when reading a print book.

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How to successfully incorporate text, pictures and audio into your learning materials

Incorporating multimedia resources into learning materials is now standard practice, but according to Laura Frost, Director of the Whitaker Center for STEM Education and chemistry professor at Florida Gulf Coast University, it is important that educators incorporate text, pictures, and audio in ways that will be most useful for learners. Frost is also author of the textbook General, Organic, and Biological Chemistry 2e (Pearson).

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Accessibility at the tipping point: Opportunities for authors

In October 2012, The Academic Author ran an article entitled “How to make your e-textbook more accessible to students with disabilities”. Since then, demand for accessible materials has continued to grow. This article will briefly recap the need for accessible materials, describe the progress (and sometimes lack thereof) in addressing that need, and examine the opportunities and challenges this represents for authors.

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The most useful textbook & academic writing posts of the week: October 30, 2015

November 1 is two short days away from being here. Since 2011 when Charlotte Frost (Founder and Director of PhD2Published) created #AcBoWriMo, November has been a month long marathon for academic writers to declare their writing goals, write and share progress updates along the way, plus connect and encourage other academics all over the world also striving to reach their writing goals. Academic Writing Month (AcWriMo for short), as it is now called, is the perfect excuse to start a blog or Twitter account to share your goals and progress, to encourage others, and to receive support and encouragement as you write.

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