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What are e-books?
E-books are books “formed with digital presentations, including text, graphics, video, animation, and/or sound ” that presents content on a screen of a mobile device using e-ink technology that does not have the backlit glare typical of computer monitors to make sustained reading more analogous to paper. The handheld devices which store and display e-books are called e-readers. Examples of e-readers include Amazon’s Kindle, Barnes & Noble’s Nook, and the Sony Reader. E-books may also be viewed on devices like laptop computers and smartphones via applications designed to retrieve and display e-books.

Why are e-books a Current Trend?
As early as 2011, Amazon reported selling more e-books than print books. In 2015, the Pew Research Center reported that 34% of young adults (age 18-29) have read at least one e-book in the past year, and DigitalBookWorld added that approximately 54% of U.S. children (age 2-13) report reading e-books.

Because of their cost, eco-friendliness, storage capacity, and ability to sync with multiple mobile electronic devices, schools have begun experimenting with e-books as a replacement for textbooks. Perhaps this move makes sense, as digital natives already do much of their reading on screens; e-books are a natural extension of this. In fact, a study by Hsiao and Chen (2015) found that elementary children were confident in their mobile learning self-efficacy using e-books and intended to use the format going forward.

Easy access to books and the possibilities of providing learning supports within the text are perhaps the most attractive features of using e-books in K-12 classrooms.

Implementation of e-books in the K-12 Setting
Educational leaders who are considering the use of e-books in K-12 classrooms should consider the following curricular, technical, and practical items prior to implementation:
 * Navigation of e-books and manipulation of added features like highlighting, note-taking, and bookmarking are specific skills that will need to be taught and learned for effective use of e-books in the classroom
 * E-books are often easily adaptable for learners’ needs, including the ability to change font size and to overlap audiobook applications so readers can follow text as it is read aloud to them . Many of the features of e-books and e-readers are compliant with Universal Design for Learning frameworks.
 * E-books are an evolving technology and are thus not yet standardized; features like returning to the beginning of the story, the appearance and method of page turning, sound capabilities, animations in illustrations, embedded external links, and interactive games change from e-book to e-book and may be based on the e-reader device’s capabilities . Teachers must be equipped to assist readers in transferring the skills and strategies needed for a familiar reading environment to new situations
 * Built-in dictionaries have received mixed reviews from teachers. Some teachers feel the tool is helpful, and can function as supplementary vocabulary instruction; others point out that vocabulary is best taught through context and explanations, which a dictionary does not do
 * Durability may be an issue. For example, if a print book is dropped, no harm is done. If an e-reader is dropped, significant data loss (including multiple texts, notes, and supplementary documents) may occur.

Key Issues with e-books
Despite their growing popularity in school-based settings, educational leaders must be aware of and prepare to deal with the following research-based issues with e-books and their adoption in classrooms and schools:
 * Research has shown that reading e-books requires different physical, brain-based skills than reading print
 * Screen reading is more physically and mentally taxing than reading paper
 * The tactile experience of a print book may aid in comprehension and recall
 * A 2011 study revealed that people are less engaged in metacognitive learning regulation during screen reading
 * The dynamic nature of e-books (including animated illustrations, embedded external links, and interactive games) can be distracting
 * Access to e-books and e-readers continues to be a consideration for widespread adoption and implementation in K-12 schools. Though the costs of both devices and individual texts have decreased markedly, neither is free
 * E-books of texts available in the public domain can often be downloaded for free or very little cost; however, according to Zauha and Ragains (2011), some texts available on the Web at no cost are simply wrong

Related Research for e-books
Barron, P. (2011). E-readers in the classroom. Transformations, 22(1), 133-138,143. Retrieved from https://ezproxy.wilkes.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/1001215126?accountid=62703

Behler, A., & Lush, B. (2011). Are you ready for E-readers? The Reference Librarian, 52, 75-87. doi: 10.1080/02763877.2011.523261

Brown, S. (2016). Young learners' transactions with interactive digital texts using E-readers. Journal of Research in Childhood Education, 30(1), 42. doi:10.1080/02568543.2015.1105887

Boudo, L., Cavallaro, D., Hurtado, D., Pisano, K. R., Rutkowski, P., Smayda, S., Chase, P. (2014). Children's early literacy development and adults' positive disposition toward reading through e-books and apps. New England Reading Association Journal, 49(2), 23-32,111. Retrieved from https://ezproxy.wilkes.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/1541672706?accountid=62703

Dalton, B. (2014). E-text and e-books are changing the literacy landscape. The Phi Delta Kappan, 96(3), 38-43. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/24375941

Goodwyn, A. (2014). Reading is now “cool”: a study of English teachers’ perspectives on e-reading devices as a challenge and an opportunity. Educational Review, 66(3), 263-275. doi:10.1080/00131911.2013.768960

Griswold, M. (2013). Soft(a)ware in the English classroom. English Journal, 103(2), 101-104. Retrieved from https://ezproxy.wilkes.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/1459370050?accountid=62703

Hessman, R. (2011). Does the use of kindles improve the reading abilities of sixth graders?(Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from ProQuest Central. (Order No. 3486880).

Hsiao, K.L., & Chen, C.C. (2015). How do we inspire children to learn with e-readers? Library Hi Tech, 33(4), 584-596. doi: dx.doi.org/10.1108.LHT-04-2015-0038

Jabr, F. (2013, April 11). The reading brain in the digital age: The science of paper versus screens. Scientific American. Retrieved from http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/reading-paper-screens/

Javorsky, K., & Trainin, G. (2014). Teaching young readers to navigate a digital story when rules keep changing. The Reading Teacher, 67(8), 606-618. doi:10.1002/trtr.1259

Tanner, M. J. (2014). Digital vs. print: Reading comprehension and the future of the book. SJSU School of Information Student Research Journal, 4(2). Retrieved from http://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/slissrj/vol4/iss2/6

Wright, S., Fugett, A., & Caputa, F. (2013). Using E-readers and internet resources to support comprehension.Educational Technology & Society, 16(1), 367.

Zipke, M. (2013). Teachers' thoughts on e-readers in the elementary school classroom. Education and Information Technologies, 18(3), 421-441. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10639-012-9188-x

Recommended Resources for e-books
10 Tips for Using E-Readers in the Classroom: http://www.weareteachers.com/blogs/post/2015/03/18/10-tips-for-using-e-readers-in-the-classroom

3 Tips for Implementing E-Readers in the Classroom: http://blog.whooosreading.org/3-tips-for-implementing-e-readers-in-the-classroom/

2015 Guide: The Best E-Readers for School: http://www.computershopper.com/back-to-school/2015-guide-the-best-e-readers-for-school

Proposing the Use of E-Readers in the Classroom: http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/classroom_solutions/2011/09/three-questions-to-explore-when-proposing-the-use-of-ereaders-in-the-classroom

Going Digital: Using e-Book Readers to Enhance the Reading Experience (lesson plan): http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/going-digital-using-book-30623.html

Teaching with Interactive Picture E-Books in Grades K-6: http://www.readingrockets.org/article/teaching-interactive-picture-e-books-grades-k-6

Amazon Education (information on Kindle, Fire, Whispercast, and Direct Publishing)

How English Teachers Can Use e-books in the Classroom: https://www.britishcouncil.org/voices-magazine/how-english-teachers-use-ebooks-in-classroom

E-books and E-readers in the K-5 Classroom (Pinterest board): https://www.pinterest.com/weareteachers/e-books-and-e-readers-in-the-k-5-classroom/