The purpose of this project has been to study and clarify how an iBook influences the students´ learing processes.
I have used “Afsaetning1” iBook from Systime in my class at a commercial upper- secondary school. The students are about 16 years old and unfamiliar with the subject. The iBook is new to all of us. Computer or tablet and internet are necessary for full purpose and use of the hypertext material.
Through surveys, one focus group, personal interviews, SWOT-analysis and an educational material analysis, I have discovered the following:
This iBook is clearly different in use. It is always available on the PC. It is weightless and different from an ordinary book. Homework has to be done in different ways and at different places. For some it is like surfing on the net. Others do not like it at all. They miss the feeling with the book. There are a lot of possible disturbances while reading it.
Many students find difficulties reading on a screen. A great part gets lost in the iBook. It is just like a homepage with menu items. It is possible to search it, but it does not work quite like Google. It is too easy just copying notes. The iBook meets the requirements and fulfil the intentions of the subjects in a very compact way. The assignments are very extensive and demand a great deal from both teacher and students. The iBook facilitates in some ways, but you cannot say it qualifies the learning processes.