Georgia College Produces Student-Written E-Textbook
Nine graduate students in an Advanced Technology for Teachers course at Georgia College have published their own e-textbook, Using Technology in Education, through Apple's iBookstore. The free, downloadable textbook is available on the iPad via iBooks.
"It's a cool, well-designed e-book," said Chris Greer, associate professor of instructional technology in the John H. Lounsbury College of Education, in a statement from the college. "We're one of the first classes in the country to publish our own digital textbook with the Apple store. After we submitted it, no revisions were needed. The textbook passed Apple's screening process, which speaks to the quality of the students' work."
The textbook was developed during an intensive three-week summer course that introduced students to the new book publishing app iBooks Author, available free for Macs. iBooks Author creates multitouch textbooks that feature galleries, 3D objects, and interactive diagrams.
The graduate students researched, photographed, and filmed all content for the nine-chapter book, and interviewed instructional technology and education experts on campus for background information. The book explores current technologies that educators can use in K-12 and higher education classrooms. Chapter topics range from social media and document cameras to assistive technology and e-readers.
"This movement toward electronic textbooks and tablet computers could revolutionize K-12 and higher education," Greer said. "Digital textbooks are inexpensive and can be updated more quickly and easily. Our textbook strives to look at technology and education together."
Greer plans to offer the course again during summer 2013.
The digital textbook is available for download here.
About the Author
Rhea Kelly is editor in chief for Campus Technology, THE Journal, and Spaces4Learning. She can be reached at rkelly@1105media.com.