Two professors at Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina, recently received a federal grant to investigate the potential of e-readers as educational tools, the school recently announced.
"We are interested in how to leverage these devices in a classroom setting," associate professor Jay Fenwick said. "Electronic reading devices haven't really changed the reading and learning experience for college students all that much. They still need to have a notebook and highlighting text isn't that easy to do with an eBook. We are trying to determine how we can use the power of these devices to really change teaching and learning."
The portable devices will be assessed for their compatibility with computer science education, stated the university. Furthermore, during their study the professors may find that e-readers pair well with other educational technology, such as an interactive whiteboard, a STEM computer program or an HDMI projector.
The program is being paid for by a $250,000 grant from the National Science Foundation, stated the university. Also, the two professors said they hope their research will point students toward the devices, which may be a less expensive option than tablets.
