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Digital Textbooks and e-Learning – an Australian Perspective
Jon Mason
International Conference on e-Learning and its FutureMarch 14th 2008 – Seoul, Korea
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Overview
• Digital content
• e-Book Definitions & the Future of Books
• e-Book Formats
• Marketplace visions
• e-learning context in Australia
• Issues
• Conclusions
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Digital Content
• Malleable• Re-usable• Re-purposed
For most people, this begins with “cut & paste”
• Limitless scope for “metadata”• Formal (DC, LOM, etc)• Informal (tag clouds)• XML schemas
• An increasing number of formats
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Modelling
Expeditionary innovation
Purpose-built e-learning platforms
learning
digital content
Structured
Un-structured
Many pathways to – & through – a digital learning experience!
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Definitions (1)
• An e-Book …• Complete or modified electronic version of a book?• Structural components (TOC, chapters, index, etc)?• Software only? Dedicated e-Book readers look at least as heavy
as a traditional book!• Electronic page-turning a feature of so-called interactive media• Some Adobe Acrobat files look & feel like e-Books!• “Bounded-ness” a defining characteristic
• A textbook …• A special kind of book – not a novel, thriller, or biography, etc!• Designed specifically to assist learning and teaching • Authoritative, structured guidance for a specific curriculum• Provides a quality-assured interpretation of a specific curriculum
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Definitions (2)
• A digital textbook or e-Book• A special kind of e-Book• Unique characteristics? e.g., adaptation to learning styles
• Varieties of digital textbook approaches• Publisher extensions & surrogates of printed textbooks• Technology vendors, marketing new capability & flexibility• Wiki-based textbooks (http://www.wikibooks.org/)• Sequenced learning materials presented within an LMS• Educational institutions presenting custom approaches• Focused research-based development e.g., Georg Eckert
Institute for International Textbook Research – aimed at identifying & diminishing cultural biases and prejudices in learning media (http://www.gei.de/)
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e-Book Formats
• ASCII – plain text
• CHM – Microsoft Compressed HTML Help
• EPUB – IDPF (OeBF)
• DAISY – Z39.86
• DNL – Desktop Author
• FB2 – FictionBook
• HTML• Libris (LBR) – cell phones
• LIT – Microsoft (with DRM)
• MOBI – MobiPocket
• OPF – open electronic book package format
• PalmDoc – Palm OS
• PDF – Adobe
• PKG – Apple
• Plucker – Palm OS
• TEI Lite – Text Encoding Initiative
• TomeRaider – portable devices
• XEB – Apabi (Chinese)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_e-book_formats
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Specialised e-Book Formats – e.g., DAISY
• DAISY – Digital Accessible Information SYstem• NISO Standard (Z39.86)• Digital Talking Books
• Accommodates tables of contents, indexes, footnotes, full text, and audio
• SMIL based – can also include video content, and has been used in some developing countries to distribute video information on AIDS and other health topics for example.
• Microsoft announced "Save as DAISY" plug-in in 2007
http://www.daisy.org/
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Future of the Book?
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Not Just the Future
• Project Gutenberg – 1000s of historical texts scanned
http://www.gutenberg.org/
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A Metaphor?
Consider the history of recorded music formats – in less than 100 years:
• Wax cylinder• Tape• Vinyl• Cassette Tape• CD• MIDI• MP3• …?
Are books poised to be likewise transformed?
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Future of the Book?
http://www.futureofthebook.org/
Blog-based Peer Review
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Future of the Textbook?
http://alex.edfac.usyd.edu.au/treat/iartem/index.htm
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The Sunday Press
“THE looming age of digital classrooms is leading to the slow death of humble hard-copy
school textbooks.”Sunday Mail, 10th February, 2008
“Elliot Eden, 12, is part of a new generation of students turning from books to laptops”
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Future of the Book?
Sherman Young (2007) http://www.thebookisdead.com/
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Digital Textbook Futures?
EDUCAUSE Learning InitiativeHorizon Report 2008
- Identifies key tech trends … 1-5 years• Grassroots video• Collaboration webs• Data mashups• Mobile broadband• Collective Intelligence• Social Operating Systems
- e-Book readers important for portability
http://www.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/CSD5320.pdf
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Digital Textbook Futures?
Turn The Page Report (2007)– Making College Textbooks More Affordable
http://www.ed.gov/about/bdscomm/list/acsfa/turnthepage.pdf
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Marketplace Visions
• Launched in 2006• Aims to reduce the cost of textbook materials for the
worldwide K-12 market • Uses “an open-source, collaborative, and web-based
compilation model … an adaptive textbook” (the “FlexBook”)
• “CK12 intends to pioneer the generation and distribution of high quality educational web texts”
http://ck12.org/
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Marketplace Visions
http://www.pearsoned.com.au/
• Interactive and integrated media resources with the textbook to enhance the student learning experience
• “Connects the conceptual flow of a text with a dynamic array of online resources”
• Companion Websites • Self-assessment• Revision guides • Customized around specific topics• Instant feedback guide to further learning
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Marketplace Visions
http://www.pearsoned.com.au/
• Pearson Education service for university students• Digital surrogates of published textbooks
(functionally equivalent)• “WebBooks” marketed as a subscription service• Promoted as a means to save money on textbooks
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Marketplace Visions
http://www.coursesmart.com/
“Our mission is to improve teaching and learning by providing instructors and students better exposure and
access to digital course materials … in an eBook format”•Subscription based•Cost effective for teachers & students
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Australian Context
• Investment over the last 8-10 years focused on “learning object” pathway to interoperable e-learning
• The Learning Federation http://www.tlf.edu.au/
• Australian Flexible Learning Framework http://www.flexiblelearning.net.au/
• University sector – repository infrastructure focus
• AICTEC – peak cross-sectoral advisory body http://www.aictec.edu.au/
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Context – The Role of ICT
• Forecasting Productivity Growth in AustraliaA recent Government report suggests that ICT will remain the main technological driver of productivity growth in Australia over the next 20 yearshttp://www.dbcde.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/3783 1/Forecasting_Productivity_Growth_2004_to_2024.PDF
• New Government elected 2007 – major policy focused on Digital Education Revolution
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Australian Flexible Learning Framework Strategy 2008-11
A. Build on essentiale-learning infrastructure
B. Invest inbusiness–provider
partnerships
C. Invest inempowering
learners
E-learning an integral part ofthe national training system
•Business–provider partnerships•Industry–level change
•Increased demand from individuals for e-learning•A greater choice for learners•Increased participation by disadvantaged learners•Increased recognition of prior learning
•Access to learning and assessment resources•National e-learning resources•Standards for re-use of learning content•Managing learner information•New technologies to personalise learning•Access to e-learning knowledge
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ASISTM
• Australian Schools Innovation in Science, Technology and Mathematics (ASISTM) project http://www.asistm.edu.au/
• Encouraging innovation in Australian schools • Promoting world class teaching and learning • Attracting & retaining teachers
• Community Partnerships Integrating Science, Technology and ICT program – 6 participating schools (e.g., Rostrevor College, South Australia)
• Includes use of an interactive textbook in co operation with Heinemann
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Newspaper Commentary
“Books Bound for a Digital Revolution”The Advertiser, 20th November, 2007
Dymocks Booksellers – Major Initiative educating the public
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Dymocks Booksellers
While Digital Books have been around for nearly a decade, Dymocks are now providing strong advocacy & also selling various hardware options
More Info
Download (3 formats):
- Microsoft
- Mobipocket
- Adobe
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e-Book Readers
http://www.dadirect.com.au/iLiad/
http://www.amazon.com/
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DNAML
• Desktop Author – eBook software developed in Australia• DNAML: DNA = Human ML= Mark up language • “Software made with humans in mind”• DNL is the 3 letter file extension
Demohttp://www.dnaml.com/presentation07/dnaml_pres.asp
• Choose – browser enabled or download
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Issues (1)
• Traditional publishing models are under immense pressure
• There are many channels through which learners will interact with digital content
• Digital textbooks via the Web not yet a “killer application”
• Next generation e-Book readers using ‘electronic ink’ provide some advantages (e.g., Sony Reader, Amazon Kindle)
• Minimises screen refresh• Saves power• Looks & reads like paper!
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Issues (2)
BUT…
• Digital textbooks are currently using a range of formats – there is no unifying approach to standardisation in this area
• Digital textbooks might provide an extensible & modular approach to learning but they also bring an implied “transmission” model of pedagogy
• Rights Management – still no clear consensus or approach
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Conclusions
• Digital content provides enormous scope for learning• Many packaging & presentation formats• Interoperability is challenging – many proprietary readers!• Wide debate about future of both books & e-books• Publishers not following SCORM model• No single approach appears to be a market winner• The digital textbook is not a replacement for the book
– and never will be
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Questions
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