Advantages and limitations of the use of e-textbooks in the Serbian language teaching from the perspective of teachers and future teachers

Abstract

Electronic textbook as a product of digital technology has a potentially important role in the learning and teaching process. The authors examine the opinions of teachers (N = 266) and future teachers (N = 176) regarding (a) the advantages and (b) limitations of the use of e-textbooks in the Serbian language teaching in younger grades of elementary school. The research findings show there is an agreement in the assessment of positive and negative aspects of the use of this textbook format in teaching. Multimedia, interactivity and hypertextuality are recognized as the most important advantages, and as the most important limitations - the weakening of direct communication between pupils and teachers, screen reading and the impossibility of its application to certain teaching contents. Effectiveness and efficiency of the use of e-textbooks in teaching and learning is determined both by the characteristics of its structure and content and by the way they are used. In that sense, a significant role in achieving the potential developmental and formative impact of electronic textbooks on students is played by a teacher, who is responsible for creating an optimal learning environment.