App or eReader - Is There a Difference?
This week, I will highlight some more benefits of eReaders. Most importantly, that you can get all the benefits (advantages) of an eReader without even getting one. You simply need to download a free app on your smart device, such as the Kindle app. Also, for those of us taking college courses you don’t need an app at all to access many eTextbooks. You can simply rent or buy the eTextbook on the publisher’s site and access it there. An example of this is Ormrod’s Human Learning at Pearson.com for $29.99. You can access the book online or download it for use even when you cannot get online. You purchase your book at Pearson and access your book through the vitalsource app or vitalsource.com. It has many of the same features as a traditional eReader such as read aloud, flashcards, and the ability to highlight, bookmark, and take notes. It also has a scratch book feature for notetaking, although this does not save across devices. Below you can see pictures from the Pearson/Vitalsource Bookshelf application on my iPad. There is very little difference between its functionality and the functions of most eReaders.
Some More eReader facts:
eBooks help students interact with the learning material through videos, animations, augmented reality, changing displays, taking notes etc.
eBooks enrich students the learning experience and improve academic performance.
eReaders can hold thousands of books limited only by their memory and use the same physical space as a conventional book.
Features such as the ability to adjust font size and spacing can help those with dyslexia or those who have difficulty reading.
Many eReaders link to definitions or translations of words, and according to Amazon 85% of Kindle users look up words while reading.
Many eReaders can download content from public libraries through apps such as Overdrive and Hoopla.
For more information on how to read eBooks for free, visit here.
Mike, I really enjoy VitalSource. The ease of reading on the go is one of my favorite technologies. It is more convenient to do my reading that way than reading the book on my computer. If we go on a road trip it makes everything easier as well. It is funny to think about but when I was a kid I never could have imagined I would be able to read let alone have many books on an e-reader device. Another great post :)
ReplyDelete-Mandy
Mike,
ReplyDeleteWhich do you prefer? With limited plug space on the wall, I like to get as much consolidated on one device, as I can. So, I am definitely an app fan. However, for text books I am just starting to be ok with apps. Not long ago you purchased a digital text book and it was yours. It was normally opened and viewed in a word like format. So search, highlighting, etc., were easy to use. Now the apps keep the book in it, and they have their own format and function keys. I found it frustrating in the beginning but I have slowly started to come around.
Mike T.,
DeleteI prefer the app for myself but a physical eReader for my little ones. Mostly so they don’t steal my iPad but also because some eReaders such as the Kindle Fire can be set on fire, thrown from a building, and then hit by a bus and still function. So if my daughter does manage to break it, I am only out $99 and not a few hundred for an iPad.
Mike W.
Mike,
ReplyDeleteI am not a big reader...now I am forced to read an absurd amount in a short period of time. I really need to invest in these eReader apps to help me negotiate these assignments. My biggest fear is missing something...I think that is why I put so much effort in reading everything but the absorption of the material into my brain bucket is lacking. Thank you for your blog...I really need to look into these apps.
v/r
Andy E.
Andy E.,
DeleteI don’t know why blogspot hates me but 2 out of 5 times I try to publish a comment I get an error message and then I have to rewrite. I had written a fantastic comment for you but now its gone...
Let me try to recapture that magic. I like apps like vital source because I can use the read aloud function and follow along. Vital Source and Kindle both have options that highlight the text as you go to help you keep your place and stay focused. Also, you can pause it at any point to highlight or record your thoughts for later reflection. Finally, and possibly my favorite feature is I can change the reading speed of the app. I find I can follow along at a much faster speed than I can read myself. It saves me tons of time and the reading out loud and following along while taking notes and highlighting is great for my memory. I also get the option to create flash cards in both these apps.
Mike W.
Mike,
ReplyDeleteAs always very informative blog this week. I an an app person, if there is an app to get something done quicker and easier I am there. The only thing is they continuously compete so you may end up having too many. I used pearson/vital source with my previous University for my B.A., and it was easy to use and I was able to use the application on my phone to continue reading when I was on the go. Now I find myself learning a new one, which is redshelf that is used by Syracuse and the functionality is ok, but like everything it takes getting used to. As for the changes on what these apps can do, it is pretty amazing. As I look in the my office sometimes and some of the school books that are there, that I once thought I should keep around because I may use them some time as references. Well, let me tell you; I have not look back at them again. So that is something else these readers do, it reduces the amount of clutter that one can accumulate over time. Most of the information that you may need to retrieve later is mostly available in a free source format or a digital library.
Walt
Walt,
DeleteYou make a great point about competing apps. I had mentioned this in an earlier post that I usually go for the apps that provide me with the most content and right functionality. This means Kindle for me. The sheer volume and constant improvement by the team over at Amazon is amazing. Plus you get tons of free stuff if you have Amazon Prime. I am not advocating for folks to go out and get Amazon Prime, just saying it has helped me be successful. You also make a good point that the eReader apps are a huge value to reducing clutter, especially for minimalists.
Mike W.
Mike,
ReplyDeleteI never knew about vital source it seems like it is user friendly and has some really good features to it. I like the concept of being able to access the material on any platform like laptops, tablets, or even your smartphone device. I specially like the study tools they have such as the highlighter to highlight the content one would think is important. Also, as we been introduced to the read out loud feature in our other course this is a great way to be able to multitask without having to stop what one is doing. This is also in my opinion leading technology that facilitates and assists students in maximizing their learning experience. Thank you for sharing and great post.
Alex
Mike,
ReplyDeleteI love to come read about your blog as you always provide great advice and techniques for all of us who do not enjoy reading. I never knew anything about vital source, but it does seem to be very interactive and very easy for the user to navigate. The ability to access the content from a variety of platforms makes it very appealing to me. I find myself reading very much because of my lack of knowledge on accessibility. I have grown to love the read aloud features I find in some of this technology and this really makes me lean toward a technology like this. Thanks for the great post and I look forward to reading more in the future. Have a great day!
Kevin
Kevin,
DeleteNot only does it have a read aloud function but it has the option to highlight text so you can follow along. You can also change the speed it reads at. I find I can follow along at a faster speed than I can read myself so it saves a lot of time. Glad the blog has been useful.
Mike W.
Mike,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your entry, I appreciate the enlightenment. Again, I am a proponent of old fashioned page turning, but eBooks are definitely here to stay, until something else takes their place anyway. The capability, capacity, and collateral features of eReaders are very enticing, especially for newer generations. One can see the evidence of this shift in many places, can anyone find a Barnes & Noble that sells more than coffee and coloring books anymore? I feel that is safe to say the age of print is coming to a close and unfortunately, for many industrial workers in the hard-print fields, so are their jobs. An old paperback or folded newspaper just cannot compete with the features and convenience of the electronic reading platforms that you have been exploring for us. Thanks for your entry, looking forward to the next.
-Donny
Donny,
DeleteWhile I am sad for our teammates who find their career field shrinking and for the folks who like to hold a printed text in their hands, I am happy for the trees and the environment. But you are right, so many features and great convenience, as well as cost reduction for the user.
Mike W
Mike,
ReplyDeleteThanks for this information. I had never really thought about using an e-reader app until I read your blog post. In my profession, I'm required to do a lot of reading. Electronic versions of legal codes and other legal material certainly makes legal research a lot easier. I think I may look into using an app like you mention in this blog. That said, I'm still hoping that I'll get an e-reader for my anniversary because I really like the features and feel that its worth the investment as I have followed your blog posts closely and you have convinced me that I should be leveraging this technology to my benefit to make reading more engaging. Frankly, in my opinion, whether I'm investing my time through use of an app or an e-reader, the bottom-line for me is its worth my investment. Thanks for all the insight.
Anthony
Anthony,
DeleteYou can download the PDFs from Army Pubs to most eReaders as well. I have many Army publications on my eReader for quick access when I may want them. I think you had mentioned that before. I find it nice to not need to be sitting at my computer to research Army doctrine.
Mike W.