The Importance of eBooks for Learning The Importance of eBooks in Supplemental Learning We all heard of the argument between print books vs e-books. Print books have the feel of a book that many people love. They are easier on the eyes since there is no screen and so on. E-books have their advantages as well. They are less expensive for one. Another reason is they are optimal for students in supplemental learning. How, you ask? Below are the 8 key points that highlight the advantage of e-books for students, so keep reading! The Ability to Study Anywhere Anytime An e-book offers the luxury of being easy to read anywhere. When taking public transportation, big heavy books are difficult to read. Hands get tired long before you are ready to put them down. Constating shifting back in forth when trying to find a comfortable position can get in the way. Lack of lighting can make it difficult to read the text. E-book solve both problems by being both light in weight thus giving you the ability to read one handed, and provide proper illumination due to a backlit screen. Search and Organization E-books offer built-in dictionaries, which makes it especially useful for students learning another language. Adjustable text makes it easier to read, while highlighting and note taking allows the student to collect important information. Notes can be easily transferred to powerful app organizing tools such as Evernote for even more optimization. The search tool allows you to instantly find the relevant topic you wish to study, skipping over the need to flip through pages. Ease of Access With an e-book you don’t have to go to the library, or wait for it to be delivered. E-books can be instantly downloaded with software such as Kindle and Kobo. This can be especially useful if you are in a remote part of the world, or are in a pinch and need to access information quickly. All you need is a steady internet connection, and you can download a book and store it for offline access. Educational Entertainment Reading challenging content like coding for kids can be a difficult task, but content doesn’t have to be just text. E-book can include music, videos, animations and audio explanations. Students can pause and take notes, or rewind and watch the videos again for better learning retention. Interactive Content Along with providing entertaining ways to engage with content, students can also take self-assessment quizzes throughout the chapter to ensure they are on the right learning track. This provides an alternative way to learn, and doesn’t limit students to just learning in a class. Any place can now become a classroom environment, thanks to e-books. Provides Latest Editions For certain subjects such as coding or social studies, new editions with updated information are constantly developed. Buying books can be costly for educators, but e-books can be updated instantly, ensuring that the student has the latest learning modules. This helps save money on reprinting costs, as well as helping the environment by practicing more sustainable solutions. Free Content One of the great things about e-books is the free content that is available on the web. Do yourself a favor and go on Google and type “free e-books.” You will find tons of websites that offer classic literature from world renowned authors across the ages. Sure you can go to the library and get the same book, but not everybody has convenient access to that. Reading is proven to increase IQ, so students can look for a book that interests them and start exploring at no cost and barely any effort! Motivation A study published in the International Journal of Humanities and Arts Computing, concluded that there was a significant correlation between learning motivation and learning effectiveness when it came with e-books. Students that were taught with e-books were more motivated to learn the subject compared to regular books. E-books can be a helpful approach for STEM related subjects that many students have a difficulty of becoming excited about, by having content that makes them want to learn more. Conclusion Whether you are a student that feels like having a physical book is the best way to learn or someone that prefers e-books, it is important to remember to ultimately do what works best for you and your learning. Knowing the advantages e-books offer can help leverage the learning plan for students and educators alike, as both print books and e-books offer different advantages. What do you like best about e-books?