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e-Books for Educational Uses

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Handbook of Research on Educational Communications and Technology

Abstract

An e-book is a publication in an electronic format that users can read with an electronic device such as an e-book reader, a tablet, a computer, or a smartphone. Although research in this domain is fairly new and little of it has been published in the educational technology literature to date, that which has been published reveals issues important to educational technologists. Some of these studies have focused on hardware, including ones for the development of electronic ink and paper. Other studies have explored specific applications of e-books in various environments of interest to educators. Libraries have studied various programs to provide e-books to patrons, the challenges in administering these programs and related reactions. Although interest exists, participants in these studies often still prefer traditional printed books. In classrooms, researchers have explored different applications of e-books to traditional learning activities. Other research has explored uses of e-books in learning contexts outside of the classroom, the impact of digital publications on the market for books and periodicals, consumer perceptions and acceptance of e-books and unique issues of copyright and intellectual property arising from digital texts. Several other areas of research contribute to our understanding about e-books, such as research on tablet ­computing, software and processes related standards for publishing content digitally, and provide initial guidance in designing and developing e-books.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Education, Concordia University, LB-579, 1455 boulevard de Maisonneuve West, Montreal, QC, Canada, H3G 1M8

    Ann-Louise Davidson & Saul Carliner

Authors
  1. Ann-Louise Davidson
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  2. Saul Carliner
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ann-Louise Davidson .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. , Department of Learning Technologies, C, University of North Texas, North Elm 3940, Denton, 76207-7102, Texas, USA

    J. Michael Spector

  2. W. Sunset Blvd. 1812, St. George, 84770, Utah, USA

    M. David Merrill

  3. , Centr. Instructiepsychol.&-technologie, K.U. Leuven, Andreas Vesaliusstraat 2, Leuven, 3000, Belgium

    Jan Elen

  4. Research Drive, Iacocca A109 111, Bethlehem, 18015, Pennsylvania, USA

    M. J. Bishop

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Davidson, AL., Carliner, S. (2014). e-Books for Educational Uses. In: Spector, J., Merrill, M., Elen, J., Bishop, M. (eds) Handbook of Research on Educational Communications and Technology. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-3185-5_57

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