www.le.ac.uk

Embedded E-books and E-Readers in Distance Learning

Terese BirdLearning Technologist and SCORE Research FellowBeyond Distance Research Alliance, University of Leicester

MobiLearnAsia 2012 24-26 October, Sentosa, Singapore

Photo by brewbooks on Flickr

What will we talk about?

• Learning advantages of e-readers in DUCKLING project

• Criminology iPad and app – one-iPad-per-student

• Caveats of e-readers

• How to do it

• Future-gazing

DUCKLING: Delivering University Curriculum: Knowledge, Learning and INnovation Gains• 3 distance programmes in 2 disciplines:

– One MA in Applied Linguistics and TESOL, Education– Two MSc in Occupational Psychology, Psychology

• 4 technologies:

Podcasting

Wimba Voice Board

Sony E-book readers

Second Life

http://www.le.ac.uk/duckling

• Increase curriculum flexibility• Accommodate demands of mobile learners• Maximise limited study time• Increase access to essential readings• Cost-saving

Photo by Irish Typepad on Flickr

Purposes of using e-book readers

28 Sony PRS-505 e-book readers, pre-loaded with course materials and podcasts, given to 17 TESOL and 11 OP students

Instruments TESOL OP Total

Blackboard Survey 17 11 28

Cognitive mapping Interviews

9 3 12

Causal map

The pilot and research

Course material conversion

epubbud.comCalibre.com

Flexibility and mobilitySmall, compact size

Readability

Easy on the eyes

Access from a single device without internet

Portability Capacity

Long battery life

Continue reading, Bookmark

Photo by Kzeng on Flickr

Photo by Yummy Pancake on Flickr

Maximise study timeI am using the e-reader to access the unit materials everyday

Photo by Ton Zijlstra on Flickr

Photo by Ed Yourdon on Flickr

I find that the reader has become an integral part of my day in particular situations

I've also gotten into the habit of carrying my reader with me everywhere, and if I'm in a situation where I'm waiting for 20 minutes I will automatically open the reader.

I do a lot of readings during transit and waiting periods from my e-book reader

• Causal map:– Saving costs in printing

Cost-saving for students

Changing strategy in keeping notes

The e-book reader changed my way to keep notes and made my study more effective. Before, I used my laptop to write a lot of notes because I feel I will forget the whole thing if I don’t take them down. But taking notes is time-consuming and not that effective because I never really use the notes. With the e-book reader … I can remember where the material was and go back to the module on the e-reader and look through it. As a result of that, I didn’t take a lot of notes and I don’t think that it [not taking notes] makes a difference to my study.

Changing strategy for reading and approaches to assignments

The e-book reader has changed my approach to how I do assignments to some extent. Previously, I started my assignments after I’ve done all the readings from print. I now start from the assignment and then read the material. I’m being more selective now in what I’m reading, and it’s saving me time in a way. Before I just tried to read everything, I worked a lot harder before but I didn’t really get the grades.

Change in study strategies

Co-existence with other devices, personal preferences

I use my laptop and books for conducting research because cross-referencing is speedy and intuitive.

I still print out materials when I want to make notes.

I don’t use my e-book reader on public transport or when travelling because those environments are too noisy to read.

I prefer to use my e-book reader at home when I have a quiet time.

I use my iPhone if I want a quick check of the materials.

My reading habits are highly situational

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• Support for mobile learners

• Easier access, better learning?

• Additional functions, better learning?

• Greener?

Photo by Katsuyuki Namba on Flickr

Conclusions and further research

One year later…

Student Evaluations: first cohort

Student Evaluations: first cohort

Student Evaluations: first cohort

Student Evaluations: first cohort

Student Evaluations: first cohort

Student Evaluations: first cohort

Student Evaluations: first cohort

Student Evaluations: first cohort

Student Evaluation Summaries

• “iPad is built for this type of distance learning study”

• Very positive for convenience, immersive multimedia, new ways of working, paperless, no-internet-required

• 8 out of 13 respondents reported using the iPad more than the LMS

• Wi-fi a problem in some regions (Africa); will use 3G iPads next cohort

• Amazon books cannot be purchased in some countries

Two new distance programs

• Another one-iPad-per-student but completely DIY using iBooks Author

• Attempted one-Kindle-Touch-per-student did not happen

How to make ebooks

• Epub: Word -> html -> Calibre -> epub

• Epubbud.com

• Epub is good for all e-readers except Kindle

• Kindle Mobi: Word -> html -> Calibre -> mobi

• IF iPad, then ibooks using iBooks Author, or stick with pdf

• IF you need for every single kind of device: use iBooks Author for ibooks and pdf, and Pages for epub. But you must cut and paste afresh into Pages. If you must use Windows, use InDesign.

iTunes U Courses make it easy

The Future?

Photo by opensourceway on Flickr

The Future is Apple … for now … sort of

• Worldwide customer service

• Infrastructure

• Apple is making it easy

• IF you have confidence in another tablet hardware, just post your epub and pdf docs on a website, students will use tablet to connect to website, and you have it sorted.

Photo by cattias.photos on Flickr

With thanks for prior work to…

• Ming Nie

• Gabi Witthaus

• Kelly Barkland

• Alejandro Armellini

MSc in Learning Innovationhttp://go.le.ac.uk/mscli

Thank you!

Any questions?