Posts Tagged ‘Fox Business’

Sean Devine, CEO of CourseSmart, appeared on Fox Business News yesterday to discuss the buzz around the “next big thing”:  eTextbooks.

Sean Devine, CEO CourseSmart - Fox Business

With over 14,000 eTextbooks, Devine explains that CourseSmart eTextbooks are of course a good alternative to traditional textbooks.
Will professors and universities embrace the new wave of eTextbooks and implement education using the technology of the future? Devine strongly agrees.  Students have been using laptops in classrooms and around campus for years, so the concept of eTextbooks is easy to adapt.  The introduction of iPads and iPhones into the higher education system is revolutionizing how students absorb information and how professors can better incorporate these tools of the next generation into their curriculums.  But what about students who won’t be using an iPad this back-to-school season?  Not an issue - eTextbooks can be downloaded right on your laptop or desktop.

Even though the iPad’s official release was just last spring, it’s still no surprise that a number of universities are emerging as early adaptors to the concept of iPad’s on campus.  Some universities have even gone as far as creating technology programs that will provide every entering student in the freshmen class a brand new gadget.  Seton Hill is just one example.  They launched their Griffen Technology Advantage to provide each student with a MacBook Pro laptop and an iPad!

What is the difference between an iPad vs. an eReader in regards to etextbooks?  Devine simply points out that the eReader only allows you to read text.  The iPad allows you to do so much more - giving students the augmented educational experience of text accompanied by vivid and colorful images, detailed excel spreadsheets, search functionalities, and even the ability to highlight, and note-take.  The CourseSmart iPad app gives students an overall interactive experience far more advanced than that of the average eReader.

A study conducted earlier this year predicted that 1 out of 5 textbooks will be digital by 2014. So the movement has begun.

Do  you think that eTextbooks are the next big thing?  We bet you can guess our response…
…absolutely.