Publishers Offer New Technologies for Delivering Textbook Content

August 20, 2007 -- In an attempt to increase student interest in and access to textbooks (and lessen the load on their backs), the Tampa Tribune reports that some Florida students are being given the option to use a textbook, a CD version, or a link to their book online. Districts are still working out the kinks for how best to incorporate these new technologies into classrooms, but generally administrators report positive feedback. In Hillsborough County, for example, elementary science teachers received extra training during the summer to help the transition go smoothly. The science teachers still use the textbooks in the classroom, but often students will go online at home to read the book, access resources which tie current events into lessons, or to take online quizzes assigned by their teachers. Another novel option: some online and CD versions of the texts allow students to change the content to short blocks of text spaced to help struggling readers pause in the appropriate places. Despite all the bells and whistles, the costs are about the same for the district since most of the large publishing houses offer packages that include all three content delivery options with new book orders. Says Wendy Spiegel, of Pearson Education: “They're paying for content. What form doesn't matter to us.”