Student satisfaction toward e-textbooks in higher education

Abstract

Purpose – This study aims to add to the body of literature by examining students’ satisfaction with e-textbooks. As higher education evolves, one instructional tool, the classic textbook, is undergoing various transformations. In today’s classrooms, many e-textbooks are in use and there are implications. Design/methodology/approach – A researcher-developed instrument measured 115 undergraduate students’ satisfaction levels for e-textbooks used in two courses, and a learning styles instrument was given to identify student learning preferences. Findings – Through factor analysis, a few dimensions emerged regarding factors related to satisfaction. The factors included features, usability and learning facilitation provided by the e-textbooks. In general, students had a moderately above-neutral, positive attitude toward the e-textbooks. Gender, grade point average, time spent weekly reading e-textbooks and a few learning style tendencies can significantly predict, to some extent, different dimensions of satisfaction. Practical implications – Usability design of e-textbooks plays a key role in student satisfaction toward digital materials. Moreover, instructors need to use meaningful instructional activities as they adopt the usage of e-textbooks. Originality/value – The findings can help shed light on ways to enable students to become more satisfied with digital textbooks and can help policymakers and instructors evaluate and effectively adopt the appropriate digital materials to meet individual needs.

Learning to read online: the effect of instruction on e-textbook use

“…In addition, they often have adaptive learning technology to monitor student progress and personalize learning (Rivero, 2016). The problem is that students (and sometimes teachers) who use e-textbooks, often do not take advantage of these features (Hao and Jackson, 2014; Johnston et al , 2015).…”

Dental hygiene students and faculty attitudes and utilization of a single source electronic textbook platform

“…Electronic textbooks have become a commonly used educational technology in North American universities. [1][2][3][4][5] Since the early 1990s, publishers began to utilize digital formats such as floppy discs and CD-ROMs to supplement diagrams, graphics and photography. 6 By the late 1990s, websites began to supplement printed textbooks and have now evolved into a flexible, interactive, customizable, multimedia digital learning resource that grew beyond digital print format.…”

“…Examining trends in student acceptance of electronic textbooks in higher education suggest there is slow acceptance of this emerging technology. 3,5,6,12 Millar and Schrier investigated student preferences of electronic vs printed textbooks. 12 The authors determined that more than half of the respondents preferred printed textbooks over e-textbooks, citing primarily a simple preference for printed text over digital text, followed by the perceived convenience of printed text over digital text.…”

“…Electronic textbooks have become a commonly used educational technology in North American universities . Since the early 1990s, publishers began to utilize digital formats such as floppy discs and CD‐ROMs to supplement diagrams, graphics and photography .…”

“…Examining trends in student acceptance of electronic textbooks in higher education suggest there is slow acceptance of this emerging technology . Millar and Schrier investigated student preferences of electronic vs printed textbooks .…”