Usage of e-book increases rapidly among students according to e-book offers benefits for their studying. E-book is kind of ‘electronic versions of titles that are, were, or could be available as hard copy books, and therefore resemble books in their structure and presentation’(Briddon et al, 2009 p46). E-book has no differences between the printed books as it includes published information, numbered pages, table of contents, articles, figures and references. It also has numerous of formats, for instances, PDF, CHM, UMD, PDG and EXE, that users could read it on the screen of personal computer, laptop, Smartphone and any other kind of computer. This essay will examine the educational benefits of e-books from the point of view of student users and show e-book’s advantages, which include accessibility, money saving and portability. In the following paragraphs, the essay will firstly show the accessibility of e-book and limitation; secondly, money saving and one of the argument about used book; portability come last.

Accessibility is the main advantage that students can benefit from by using e-book. Tedd and Large (2005) illustrated that e-book can be 24/7 accessible in many academic libraries via their digital libraries. Both Briddon et al and Jamali et al (2009) states that accessibility is the major benefit of e-book, users can get e-book through internet anywhere and whatever time they want instead of going to the library on purpose. Therefore, it would be convenience for students to get sources from academic libraries online, students could save a larger amount of time in their daily life and study. From the research of Shelburne (2009) 55 percent of graduates and 64 percent of undergraduate students use e-book for studying. Sometimes text books are highly required from the students during the reading weeks and exam periods. It will be difficult for libraries to offer enough hard copies to each student. However, students do not have to worry about how many copies of the sources left in the library which they need for studying, as e-book also ‘helps to increase access to those unable to acquire a print copy’ (Gold Leaf, 2003 p55), they can access into the libraries online and download e-book resources. It will be more efficient for student in reading and studying with e-book.

Nevertheless, inadequate internet access could be a limitation to e-book usage. Although internet service mostly covers the world, in developing regions the connectivity level of internet still unequal between developed regions and Africa is the most conspicuous example (Harris and Browning, 2005 p92). Robinson (2004) also illustrated that ‘where urban inner-city poor and people in remote rural areas have far less access to technology than the societal norm’. The internet service only penetrates 1.1 percent of the total population in Africa, meanwhile 66.1 percent in North America and 28 percent in Europe (Internet World Statistic, 2004, cited in Harris and Browning, 2005 p92).Thus, with low level of internet penetration e-book will be limited and useless for students in less developed regions. Nevertheless, if these developed regions improve their public installations in the future, especially, the internet service, the e-books are still beneficial to students in those areas.

Print books, especially academic texts, are expensive, many students are not able to afford the payment of text books sometime according to financial pressure; thus they need taking a part time job at night or on the weekend and have less time for studying. However, from using e-book, it can help students to save money. A report published by Gold Leaf (2003) indicated that some publishers offer users different e-book pricing standards in accordance with users’ different requirements, for examples, read only, downloaded part of the book. A report published by California State Auditor(2008) stated more than 1500 e-books over the website that provided by Person Education which only cost about 50 percent of the price as printed books. From the research result of Jamali et al(2009) illustrated that 10.8 percent of the respondents mentioned many e-books are free or cost less than the print books. It would be unnecessary for students to purchase the whole book, students could get single chapter of a book or article that they need, or search free charge e-book online; thus students are able to save their money. Therefore, students do not need to take part job on purpose to purchase print books and have more time for study. Furthermore, as e-book cost less than print book, academic libraries and universities may purchase more materials and resources to organize and develop the digital library, moreover, improve their teaching to students in university. Thus, students could be educationally beneficial from this advantage of e-book.

Nevertheless, there still is an argument that purchasing secondhand textbooks and used articles can also save students’ money. Greco (2005) argued that buying used book could save money, for example, it costs $105.00 for new copy of Kotler’s Marketing Management, but the used copy costs $60. Moreover, students could sell back the used copy to the bookshop again. Overall, using and purchase e-books are much better than secondhand print books, as e-books have lots of up to date information from all over the world, which students could not get it from the used books.

Portability is another advantage that benefit students educationally. According to Jamali et al(2009) stated that 5.3 percent of the respondents in the research mentioned e-book is ‘lighter’ than printed book. Students could easily have large amount of e-books and articles to read on the portable electronic devices that downloaded from the libraries or web sites, Broida and Johnson (2004) also illustrated that users could nearly find everything in e-book format and carry many books on the device with less weight. It will be more convenience for students to read and the study skills could be improved efficiently.

Although reading e-book with portable electronic devices such as iPad, iPhone, or netbook, student could have a limitation. As usage of portable device always depends on the battery continuation. It is comment sense that if the electronic devices out of battery, it will power off and users will not be able to access online and read. However, according to electronic usage disseminates all around in people’s life, students could easily find a power receptacle to charge their devices in schools, libraries, cafés, restaurants or trains. Therefore, in daily life, e-book is still convenience and portable for students’ reading and studying.

In summary, this essay shows the extent that e-book can be educationally beneficial from the point of view of student users. According to accessibility of e-book, students could get articles or sources anywhere and whatever they want online. Besides, students can save their money from purchasing text books instead of worrying about the financial budget and take part time job for books on purpose. Moreover, using e-book is more efficient and portable for students in their reading and studying, as they can carry large amount of sources in their devices. Even though e-book has a limitation on internet access in developing countries and also occurs an argument on used books and battery continuation limitation, in general, e-book can help students to improve their learning, and those limitations could be meliorated in the future and the argument will be dispelled.

World Count: 1199

Reference List
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