This is no news that the world is already digital and every one from infants to elderly are already on the mobiles, tablets or ipads. These have become the first screens and pretty much everything is online. Digital learning is one of the in things right now. Students are hooked to mobile screens be if for accessing information surrounding their assignment, projects or any difficulty pertaining to their educational subject as well. With online forums, discussion boards, blogs, YouTube demo videos and more available at the click of a mouse, students are using this facility to the optimum. Hence, the need has now arisen for the college and universities to provide e-textbooks to its students. Let us have a sneak peek through the whole digitization movement of sorts in the education fraternity.
The Current Scenario
Every one is online today or if not then has a facility to go online anywhere and anytime. Youngsters particularly students are using this facility to the utmost. And its not just the teenagers but it has been found that children as young as seven years of age prefer e learning over conventional text book learning. So, is the case with college students and this requirement of their or need of the hour is what the universities and colleges are trying to fulfill in their objective to provide the students a favorable environments so as to attract and retain them against competition.
Statistics
The use of digital gadgets for learning in college is even proved by a log of survey reports. Some of the reliable surveys carried out amongst 866 students from 131 higher education institutions have proved that 100% of the students already possessed digital gadgets. Almost 90% carried them along to colleges and lectures. Besides, over 80% used them for last minute reference or reading or even for assignment or project purpose. A student who was presented with e-textbook revealed that he used to read it on his phone most of the time because whenever he had any query and wanted it resolved there and then. This only goes to show that youngsters have a strong appetite towards digitization as compared to the conventional form of learning as it is on the go and available anytime anywhere to them.
The Road Ahead
The outcome of such surveys has also revealed that the such a facility on learning on the go with anytime anywhere access to educational material has not only helped reduce stress besides empowering them to be their own bosses when it comes to learning. With e-learning tools like e-textbooks, they wouldn’t need to remember what to bring along, or line up in the library for books offering them so much of flexibility and time saving. Even from the perspective of the educational institute the analytics connected to the e-textbooks helps the professors to keep a check on how the students are accessing and engaging with the content and further helps them in taking steps to help the students positively. Though, the institution are bound to face challenges while implementing these needs of the students most of them are determined to keep the needs of their students at the heart of their future development strategies.