The history of writing around the world indicates that the earliest inscriptions were on Egyptian walls and papyrus scrolls. In India, engravings were done on palm leaves, rocks and copper plates. While in China, it was seen on silk and stone, and in Greece, clay tablet carvings were the norm.
While our world has evolved, our need for documentation has remained the same. We document our learnings, so that they can be passed on. For 500 years, we documented in the Gutenberg format, called the “physical book” but with the advancement of technology and the internet, the physical book has found a new place and meaning in our society today, and this has led to the revolutionary invention of the e-book.
We can now safely archive our books for posterity without the fear of damage and destruction. The transition to eBooks is fast, and at some places exponential. Younger generations are more inclined towards eBooks. However, certain successful writers refuse to sell their content with e-books over piracy concerns, and want readers to experience physical books.
So, what exactly is an eBook?
An eBook is a digital copy of a traditional book in a pdf format. The more advanced version of the eBook contains text, images and sometimes videos. eBooks can be accessed from anywhere with an internet connection and can be read on a variety of devices with a flat screen. Generally, an eBook can be downloaded in five minutes or less.
Like every coin has two sides, the eBook too has its share of pros and cons. Listed below are the key advantages and disadvantages of the eBook:
1. Advantages:
· eBooks are widely accessibleand may lead to equal dissemination of content for all
· eBooks are weightless, portable and can be carried anywhere. Since they can be accessed from any part of the world with an internet connection, global distribution of eBooks is stress-free.
· eBooks are cost effectivebecause they are more affordable than physical books. Also they are easy to update. This enables quick release of revised versions.
· eBooks are intuitiveto use and readers have the flexibility to enlarge font size for reading purposes.
· eBooks are sustainable. They keep the environment green, are ecofriendly and promote long term sustainable development.
2. Disadvantages:
· eBooks require special devices, software and internet connection
· eBooks are sometimes slow to open
· eBooks may cause health concerns like eye strain and hunch back
· eBooks can easily be targeted by content pirates
· With some eBooks, the learning curve to use the book is high
· Sometimes certain information or eBooks can be lost or deleted due to gadget malfunction
Regardless of the disadvantages, the eBook is here to stay because the benefits it brings outweighs the shortcomings.
For a country like India and others in a similar position around the globe, where “Digitization” is key initiative of the government, the eBook can promote groundbreaking changes in the sector of education. As it will encourage accessibility to quality education and dissemination of information to all sections of the society. This will help in reducing the wide ranging inequalities and give rise to opportunities.
The eBook has the power to penetrate through all levels, class structures, traditions and cultures of any society. Even though, our attention span has shortened today, and we suffer from many distractions, and information overload, the futuristic eBook must be designed to suit these changes and keeping the wider digital transformation in mind.
Listed below are three components of anideal futuristic eBook, from an educator’s perspective:
1. Aesthetics: The eBook must be pleasing to the eye, and must have the following features -
· The book must be presented in a landscape mode with room for embedding videos and graphics
· The background of the book should be white or of a light color
· According to a research study on development of eBooks, only four colors should be used in any given book, otherwise it causes confusion and distraction. Also, no more than two fonts should be used.
· Use of images and videos to break up the flow of text makes the content more attractive, approachable and looks less daunting.
· Key chapter quotations with embedded links that can be shared on social media platforms can capture and engage a wider community of audiences.
· Key lessons from the chapter must be available for download and available at the end of every chapter of the eBook
2. Functionality:The eBook ought to possess the following attributes so that it can be used widely -
· The eBook must have offline functionality. So that it can be even accessed without the internet
· The eBook must be intuitive and easy to use. This will assist in reducing the learning gap and aversion towards learning the technology behind eBooks.
· The eBook should be downloadable in five minutes or less
· The eBook must have a single sign on facility, which is compatible with different learning management systems
· The eBook must have an audio reading component, with highlighting, cropping and incorporation of open educational resources
· An auto testing component that can assess students understanding of a concept, can make the eBook very useful to the user.
· The eBook must allow report generation ability, to identify students who are struggling with reading and auto testing assignments. This will assist teachers in focusing more on students that need guidance and support.
3. Customization: The eBook must have an element of custom content creation and personalization, so that students and teachers can identify with the text. Therefore, it must allow the following:
· The eBook should enable teachers able to embed assignments on specific pages so that students can read and practice
· The eBook must allow teachers to extract and download pages from the book, for specific topics.
· The eBook ought to let teachers edit parts of the book, and add relatable local examples, so that students can remember and practice what they learned in class
I believe that if the futuristic eBooks can incorporate the above components, it will become a robust tool for education and will be fully embraced as a medium of information dissemination. As technology further advances, and the world gets more sophisticated due to interconnected digitization, eBooks will eventually become one of the finest inventions of this generation.
References:
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/how-e-books-are-changing-the-printed-word/
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/aug/10/ebooks-are-changing-the-way-we-read-and-the-way-novelists-write
https://sfbook.com/the-evolution-of-the-book.htm
https://wonderopolis.org/wonder/how-are-books-made
https://www.rasmussen.edu/student-life/blogs/main/what-is-an-ebook-why-and-how-to-use-them/
https://readwrite.com/2010/08/10/5_ways_that_ebooks_are_better_than_paper_books/
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