Beyond textbook: digital textbook use and development

Aim of research

- to arrange hierarchically the common features of digital textbooks in order to identify their advantages and disadvantages;

- to assemble the requirements of a generalised didactic model of digital textbooks use and development in a meta-pattern, defined as "pattern of patterns"

Research question

What features of textbooks will allow guaranteed learning outcomes?

Units of study

Traditional learning

- A digital textbook is a textbook that can be read, heard or explored with digital devices.

- Most of the digital textbooks are placed on learning platforms or on cloud systems and are accessed through computer(s) and digital devices.

- The personal library with digital textbooks may be taken anytime and anywhere.

- All textbooks can be digitized, but not all are programed.

- Compared with printed textbooks, digital textbooks have features, which allow to take notes, highlight words, search topics etc. In addition, the content is multimodal or programmed.

- This allows an increasing usability and affordability as well as the achievement of educational objectives.

- Didactic activities are based on information/communication, cognitive or assessment processes.

Methods of investigations

Blended learning

Open distance learning

My background

Synthesis of MetaSystems Learning Design norms in order:

• to comply peer-review full articles from EBSCOHOST Data Base and survey metadata;
• to identify and categorize common features of the digital textbooks;
• to reconstruct Learning Design norms with pattern and metapatterns.

Guarantated learning outcomes?

Flexible learning

Flipped learning:

2004- 2015

Why digital textbooks?

3 books

2 books scientific review

5 IGI book chapters

67 articles, 16 after PhD

1 international workshop

2 MOOC (with certificate)

24 presentations at International Conferences in Moldova, Romania.

Switzerland, Italy, Holland etc.

ETextbooks

- the content of the existing textbooks

- multimodal text

- supplementary books

- workbooks

- glossaries

- video clips

- animation

- virtual reality.

Open Source Textbooks

A textbook that can be read “either online or in hard copy, and there are no restrictions on copying or printing” (Brunner, 2013, p. 6)

The open accessible content, which allows anyone to edit individually or collaboratively, and give it away for free reading on the Internet” (Acker, 2011, p. 47).

1. eTextbooks elaborated under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License and available for free in .pdf, .html, .gtp or other formats;

2. eTextbooks that can be purchased or rented at a cost or/and compared for free or/and accessed online

3. Tutors: intelligent solutions that adapt to all students: innovative research-based pedagogy, multiple representations, interactive examples, flexible sequencing; automated assessment, just-in-time feedback, skillometer and 24/7 help

Philosophical issues

1. What are the main effects and impacts of globalization on education?

2. What are the distinctive features of philosophy of education?

3. What are the epistemological trends?

4. What principles of philosophy are suitable in digital textbook use and development?

5. What kind of knowledge is required?

6. Are textbooks required?

7. If yes, what kind of textbooks?

8. What is the role of textbooks in learning outcomes?

Knowledge management

Psychological issues

1. What is the culture of learning with the digital textbook?

2. What are the functions of the modern teachers?

3. Which functions could be replaced by digital textbooks?

4, What is the most appropriate knowledge management model?

5. What model of thinking is required in learning the design of digital textbooks?

6. What is the role of knowledge management in digital textbook use and development?

7, What model is required?

1.What are the psycho-pedagogical characteristics of digital natives in procedures of data, information, knowledge?

2. How can contradictions between digital natives and digital immigrates, identified by Prensky (2001a, 2001b), be removed?

3. What are similarities and differences in cognitive mechanisms of processing data, information and knowledge in comparison with real and/or virtual learning environment features?

4. Are there any differences in reading printed text, hypertext or multimodal text?

5. What is the role of metacognition in cognition with digital textbooks? 6. How can self-regulated skills be developed during learning with digital textbooks?

Psychological and pedagogical

consideration in digital textbook

use and development

Pedagogical issues

Cybernetic issues

1. What is the learning ideal and how can it be achieved by using digital textbooks?

2. Is learning an individual or/and collective activity?

3. What is the social responsibility of modern schools in adopting digital textbook initiatives?

4. What is the most appropriate curriculum?

5. What strategies and methodologies are required?

6. Are digital textbooks a teaching resource or/and a learning tool?

7. What features are required for learning objects and digital artifacts used in digital textbook use and development?

1. What is the mathematical model of learning with digital textbooks?

2. What structure of text is required?

3. What are the principles of user interface design applicable to digital textbooks?

4. What is the cybernetic model of optimizing the content?

5. What are the interdependencies between cybernetic and pedagogical principles in digital textbook use and development?

6. Is it important to construct the graph of knowledge in the modeling of teaching, learning and assessment processes?

2014

Beyond textbook: digital textbok use and development

Elena Railean, PhD

post-doctorate reseacher at Alexandru Ioan Cuza University

senior lecturer at University of European Studies of Moldova

senior researcher at Academy of Sciences of Moldova