Use Of E-readers Research Articles

EXPLORING THE IMPACT OF AN EBOOK CLUB PROGRAM ON APATHY AMONG OLDER CANADIANS IN LONG-TERM CARE: A FEASIBILITY STUDY

Abstract Apathy is a common and persistent problem among older people in institutional settings. Research has shown that apathy can lead to rapid decline in cognitive status, serious functional impairments and decrease in the life span of those affected, yet it is under-researched, and under-managed. The aim of this study was to explore ways by which apathy can be mitigated in this population using eReader technology during book club program implementation. We recruited participants from various long-term care facilities (N=18) and each participants took part in semi-structured interviews, and self-reported apathy assessment both at the start and end of the program. We tracked engagement in the eBook club and time commitment to reading using a logbook. The findings suggest that older people, including persons with mild to moderate dementia, are open to adopting new technologies and the use of eReaders during book club programs is feasible for long term care facilities. Overall, we found that the use of eReader technology is a safer and more effective way of delivering book club program to older people in long term care facilities particularly during pandemic such as COVID 19 as they are easy to disinfect in comparison to physical books. We recommend that long term care staff should adapt eReaders into their existing book club or literacy programs and consider utilizing it as a strategy to prevent or manage apathy in this population.

Learning to eRead: A qualitative exploration of young children's developing eReader practices

AbstractBackgroundPrevious eBook studies were primarily cross‐sectional surveys or experimental studies providing a snapshot of the impact of eBook reading on children's emergent literacy skills. Scholars have yet to characterize more fine grain developmental progressions in the use of eReaders and similar devices – that is, how children's eBook‐related practices evolve over time and what might be changing behaviourally over the course of repeated readings for any age group.ObjectivesThis is the first study to characterize young children's (2 to 3 years) use of eReaders over the span of several months under semi‐naturalistic conditions.MethodsTwenty five mothers and their 2.5‐ to 3.5‐year‐old child engaged in a series of documentation exercises and interviews around use of a novel eReader device. This study is exploratory and deductive in nature, and hypotheses were not set forth a priori.Results and ConclusionsThe results of the present study suggest that children develop increasing mastery of the affordances of eReaders as their device exposure increases. Over time, their ability to independently engage with devices rapidly increases. They transition from needing technical support from parents and high levels of encouragement to attend to literacy content over hotspots, to sometimes using the device independently, to considering the device a mainstay in their home – no longer a novelty.Implications for practice and/or policyThe developmental usability patterns noted in this study extend our naturalistic understanding of young children's dexterity with digital devices and point to methodological approaches that might yield more ecologically valid findings in future studies.

Shift work and cancer

Circadian disruption and night-shift work have been associated with a range of acute and chronic health effects including cardiometabolic diseases, obesity, as well as breast and prostate cancer. Circadian disruption may also affect the health of the general population because of widespread mistimed lifestyle practices including mistimed eating and sleep patterns and increasing exposure to light-at-night and particularly blue light spectrum through the use of e-readers, LEDs and smartphones. New epidemiological evidence on the effects of circadian disruption and light-at-night in workers and the general population will be presented, and mechanisms of disease and potential preventive measures discussed.

Improving Critical Reading with E-Texts: A Controlled Study in a Collegiate Philosophy Course

This project investigated the impact of incorporating e-reader texts and annotation tools in an upper level philosophy course. This project adds to the body of literature that assesses gains/losses in conventional measures of performance (e.g., scores on graded assignments) and changes in student attitudes as reported in questionnaires. However, this project was unique in that it focused on training students to use e-reader tools for critical reading practices and it included assessment of student annotations and their relationship with the performance measures. We tested the hypothesis that, with intentional training and a course-design that provided multiple opportunities for practice and feedback, students using e-readers for critical engagement with their reading assignments would demonstrate (a) deeper understanding of the content of the texts, (b) improvement in their use of critical reading practices, and (c) improvement in their attitudes toward the use of e-readers for academic work. While we did not observe significant gains in graded assignments compared with control groups using printed texts, we found no evidence of losses for students using e-readers. At the same time, we found evidence of improvement in students’ critical reading practices, especially when paired with modeling and practice throughout the term. We also observed significant positive changes in student attitudes toward the use of e-readers for academic work, compared with controls. Our findings suggest that achieving the benefits of e-readers for the development of critical reading skills requires a course with design elements that are specifically tailored to this purpose.

Standardized ETDRS charts for mobile devices

Charts displayed on mobile devices was verified in comparison to standardized ETDRS charts. Such method of visual acuity assessment is characterized by stabile brightness and contrast. Moreover the ability to dynamically display random optotypes eliminates the problem of memorizing the contents of charts, making measurements more reliable. Our tests showed that the VA measured with mobile device and the VA tested using standardized printed charts are not significantly different. Full Text: PDF ReferencesB. Shneiderman, Leonardo's Laptop: Human Needs and the New Computing Technologies (Boston, MIT Press 2002).A. Holzinger, M. Errath, "Mobile computer Web-application design in medicine: some research based guidelines", P. Univ. Access Inf. Soc. 6, 31 (2007). CrossRef R. K. Lord et al., "Novel Uses of Smartphones in Ophthalmology", Ophthalmology 117, 1274 (2010). CrossRef M. D. Crossland, R. S. Silva and A. F. Macedo, "Smartphone, tablet computer and e-reader use by people with vision impairment", Ophthalmic Physiol. Opt. 34, 552 (2014). CrossRef E. Zvornicanin, J. Zvornicanin and B. Hadziefendic, "The Use of Smart phones in Ophthalmology", Acta Inform. Med. 22, 206 (2014). CrossRef S. Tofigh et al., "Effectiveness of a smartphone application for testing near visual acuity", Eye 29, 1464 (2015). CrossRef C. Perera et al., "The Eye Phone Study: reliability and accuracy of assessing Snellen visual acuity using smartphone technology", Eye 29, 888 (2015). CrossRef Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study: Manual of Operations. (Baltimore, U.S. Department of Commerce 1985).F. L. Ferris et al., "New Visual Acuity Charts for Clinical Research", Am. J. Ophthalmol. 94, 91 (1982). CrossRef W. F. Long, G. C. S. Woo, "Measuring Light Levels with Photographic Meters", Optometry Vision Sci. 57, 51 (1980). CrossRef F. L Ferris, R. D. Sperduto, "Standardized Illumination for Visual Acuity Testing in Clinical Research", Am. J. Ophthalmol. 94, 97 (1982). CrossRef Ch. Dancey, J. Reidy, Statistics Without Maths for Psychology (Harlow, Prentice Hall 2011).N. Balakrishnan, Methods and applications of statistics in the life and health sciences (New Jersey, John Wiley & Sons 2010).ISO 8596:2009 Ophthalmic optics - Visual acuity testing - Standard optotype and its presentation (2009).S. Koenig et al., "Assessing visual acuity across five disease types: ETDRS charts are faster with clinical outcome comparable to Landolt Cs", Graefes Arch. Clin. Exp. Ophthalmol. 252, 1093 (2014). CrossRef A. Glasser, M. W. C. Campbell, "Presbyopia and the optical changes in the human crystalline lens with age", Vision Research 38, 209 (1998). CrossRef P. K. Kaiser, "Prospective Evaluation of Visual Acuity Assessment: A Comparison of Snellen Versus ETDRS Charts in Clinical Practice (An AOS Thesis)", Trans. Am. Ophthalmol. Soc. 107, 311 (2009). DirectLink L. Hyvärinen, R. Näsänen and P. Laurinen, "New Visual Acuity Test For Pre-School Children", Acta Ophthalmol. 58, 507 (1980). CrossRef M. Schuster, "Speech Recognition for Mobile Devices at Google", Lecture Notes in Computer Science 6230 (2010). CrossRef M. Werner, M. Kessel and C. Marouane, "Indoor positioning using smartphone camera", IPIN, International Conference on. IEEE (2011). CrossRef

USING ELECTRONIC READERS: ACTION RESEARCH IN AN INTERMEDIATE ADULT ESL CLASS

The use of portable electronic reading devices in the English as a second language (ESL) classroom has the potential to positively impact learners’ reading engagement and language skill development. However, due to the lack of research, few guidelines are available to inform instructors of the benefits and challenges of using these devices in ESL classes. Therefore, the key objective of this action research project was to explore 21 intermediate adult ESL learners’ experiences using e-readers in an extensive e-reading program. Results indicated that the use of e-readers increased the learners’ volume and frequency of reading and enhanced their reading enjoyment when compared with their reading of paper books.

Visual consequences of electronic reader use: a pilot study

With the increasing prevalence of electronic readers (e-readers) for vocational and professional uses, it is important to discover if there are visual consequences in the use of these products. There are no studies in the literature quantifying the incidence or severity of eyestrain, nor are there clinical characteristics that may predispose to these symptoms with e-reader use. The primary objective of this pilot study was to assess the degree of eyestrain associated with e-reader use compared to traditional paper format. The secondary outcomes of this study were to assess the rate of eyestrain associated with e-reader use and identify any clinical characteristics that may be associated with the development of eyestrain. Forty-four students were randomly assigned to study (e-reader iPAD) and control (print) groups. Participant posture, luminosity of the room, and reading distance from reading device were measured during a 1-h session for both groups. At the end of the session, questionnaires were administered to determine symptoms. Significantly higher rates of eyestrain (p=0.008) and irritation (p=0.011) were found among the iPAD study group as compared to the print 'control' group. The study group was also 4.9 times more likely to report severe eyestrain (95% CI [1.4, 16.9]). No clinical characteristics predisposing to eyestrain could be identified. These findings conclude that reading on e-readers may induce increased levels of irritation and eyestrain. Predisposing factors, etiology, and potential remedial interventions remain to be determined.

E-readers and the effects on students’ reading motivation, attitude and comprehension during guided reading

AbstractThis quasi-experimental mixed methods study examined the use of e-readers during guided reading instruction and its impact on 5th grade students’ reading motivation, attitude toward reading, and reading comprehension. For 10 weeks, 19 students received guided reading instruction by means of the traditional paper/text format, while 16 students received guided reading instruction by means of e-readers using the same stories but in digital text format. The Motivation to Read Profile was used to measure student motivation, the Elementary Reading Attitude Survey was administered to measure student attitude and the Gates-MacGinitie Reading Tests, Fourth Edition, were administered to measure student comprehension. A MANOVA showed no significant difference between the students who used e-reader digital text format and those that used paper/text format in regard to reading motivation, attitude toward reading or reading comprehension. However, the qualitative data gave several insights into why e-readers di...

How do we inspire children to learn with e-readers?

Purpose – Mobile handheld e-readers, such as the iPad and Kindle, have gained increased attention in schools and are becoming useful as a tool to attract students to learn and read. Although the benefits of mobile learning are clear, few studies have delved into the specific factors impacting the adoption and use of e-readers among elementary students. Moreover, the question of whether learning with e-readers can enhance reading comprehension remains unanswered. Given these facts, the study has a dual purpose. In order to explore the above-mentioned factors, the authors base the proposed research model on the task-technology fit (TTF) and self-efficacy theories, along with the technology acceptance model. Second, the authors examine the relationship between reading with e-readers and reading comprehension. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – A sample of 60 third grade children participated in the study. The reading material used in this research was an e-book edition of the Chinese printed storybook Missing Grandmother. The causal model was validated using SmartPLS 2.0. In addition, this research used the SPSS statistical software package (SPSS for Windows, 17.0) to conduct a t-test and analysis of variance with a confidence level of 95 percent. Findings – All eight study hypotheses were supported. The results indicate that TTF and mobile learning self-efficacy have the most significant influence on intention to learn with e-readers. The authors also found that children’s reading comprehension is enhanced in an e-book reading group. The analysis revealed no gender differences in reading comprehension. Originality/value – This study explored factors which increase children’s intention to learn with e-readers. The proposed model helps the authors to understand the influence of mobile learning self-efficacy, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and TTF on this intention. The authors also compared e-books and p-books in regards to usability and found that e-book reading can improve third grade children’s reading comprehension. The authors found no gender differences in either the p-book reading group or the e-book reading group.

La satisfacción de uso de los dispositivos e-reader en una muestra de estudiantes universitarios españoles

The use of scholarly electronic books is still limited in the context of universities, due to the users’ need to spend a longer time reading and the existence of usability and interface design problems. This work will assess users’ satisfaction with e-readers, the most frequent type of readings done on them, and the level of users’ knowledge, use and satisfaction with the university libraries’ digital collections. To this end, a digital survey was developed and sent to students of those public universities in Spain that offered a degree in Information Sciences during the academic year 2012-2013. Results show that, in spite of the extended use of e-readers, the computer is still the most used device for reading and consulting scholarly electronic books.

The Use of eReaders in the Classroom and at Home to Help Third-grade Students Improve their Reading and English/ Language Arts Standardized Test Scores

This study explored the effects of a portable technology intervention, the Nook Simple Touch eReader, on student performance in Reading and English/Language Arts when included as an integral part of the teaching and learning process in an elementary third-grade classroom. This study used the participating students’ end-of-year second-grade scores from the 2012 Georgia Online Assessment System (OAS) and end-of-year third-grade Criterion Referenced Competency Test (CRCT) as primary data sources. Findings indicate that a portable technology intervention, or in this case the Nook eReader, helped to demonstrate student responsibility and portable technology durability. Improved student achievement was observed during classroom activities in the 2012–2013 academic year.

Rekindling the love of books – a pilot project exploring whether e-readers help people to read again after a stroke

Background: E-readers may facilitate reading in aphasia through “aphasia-friendly” features such as altering text size and formatting, and text-to-speech functions. However, no previous research has examined whether e-readers help people with aphasia to read.Aims: This project explored:whether people with aphasia can learn to use e-readers following a brief period of training,whether e-reader training improves reading comprehension, andwhether e-readers increase participation in and enjoyment of reading activitiesMethod and procedures: In phase one, available e-readers were compared using an expert evaluation against a set of criteria, to identify the model with optimum accessibility features and fewest potential barriers. The Kindle Keyboard 3GTM (Amazon) was selected for trialling in phase two.Four people with self-reported reading difficulties poststroke participated in phase two. All had mild or mild-moderate aphasia. Four 1-hr training sessions aimed to trial accessibility features, identify helpful features, and teach independent operation of these.A repeated measures design was used. Outcome measures assessed reading comprehension (Gray Oral Reading Tests (GORT-4)) and confidence and emotions associated with reading (Reading Confidence and Emotions Questionnaire (RCEQ)). Matched texts were used to compare reading comprehension using printed texts and the e-reader. Usability evaluations explored independence in e-reader use and acceptability of the technology. Participation in reading activities and reading enjoyment were explored using qualitative exit interviews.Outcomes and results: Participants’ reading comprehension on the Kindle, as measured by GORT-4, did not improve following training and did not exceed comprehension of printed texts. However, reading confidence improved significantly for three of the participants (RCEQ: p < .05, p < .01, and p < .005).Analysis of exit interviews and usability evaluations indicates that three out of four participants preferred reading on the Kindle to printed texts. These participants read more frequently on the Kindle than they had done before the training, and the technology enabled them to access more challenging texts (e.g., novels). They appreciated different features of the Kindle. Two participants experienced difficulties operating the technology, one of whom would have benefited from a longer training period.Conclusions: This pilot study suggests that a short block of e-reader training led to improvements in reading confidence, participation, and enjoyment. E-readers were not shown to enhance reading comprehension. Larger-scale investigations are warranted to further investigate whether and how e-readers facilitate reading for people with aphasia.

An evaluation of the functionality and accessibility of e-readers for individuals with print disabilities

Purpose– This study aims to examine the usability of three popular electronic reading devices (e-readers) to determine which device provides the best functionality for individuals with print disabilities. Adaptability and flexibility for use with assistive technology are also evaluated.Design/methodology/approach– This study reports the results of a usability test of e-readers and their potential for use by individuals with print disabilities. Students enrolled in a School of Library and Information Science evaluated and compared the devices through a series of tasks designed to measure functionality. Participants completed a series of questionnaires and engaged in small group discussion about the efficacy of the devices. Likert scales and open-ended evaluation were employed in the evaluation and analysis.Findings– Two of the three devices examined offered no accessibility features for individuals with low or no vision who require assistive technologies to use information and communication technologies. The third device, while offering greater universal access functionality for individuals with mild-to-moderate print disabilities, also had weaknesses for individuals with severe print disabilities.Originality/value– With the rapid deployment of e-readers, little research has been completed measuring the accessibility and functionality for individuals with print disabilities in library or educational environments. The paper provides data on the usability of e-readers for users with print disabilities and recommendations for adopting e-reader use in libraries and educational environments. It will inform and guide information professionals seeking to provide greater access to resources for patrons with specialized access needs.

Using mobile technologies in libraries and information centers

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to describe the use of mobile technologies to develop new ways of Libraries and Information Centre. Mobile devices help to connect with patrons. Creating a library application (“app”) or mobile Web site that allows patrons to access library hours, view their library account or even search databases is easier than most people think. The resources below should help libraries begin to plan and implement their own unique mobile presence: analyzing the present usage of mobile devices; providing an overview of devices, providers and features; describing the various activities these devices support for well library use; focusing how libraries and our librarians are responding with services tailored for these devices; and what can be done by libraries in future in this respect”. Design/methodology/approach – Information and Communications Technology continues to expand the boundaries of higher education into the “anytime/anywhere” experiences. Mobile communication is transforming how people search, receive and interact with information on a daily basis. In just a few short years, smart phone ownership has skyrocketed, and popular use of e-readers has been steadily on the rise. These advanced mobile tools provide portable access to the world of information, across boundaries of subject, discipline and industry. Findings – Mobile technology holds great promise for enabling libraries to provide enhanced services in a form users increasingly are demanding. If this promise is to be fully realized, however, libraries will need to conduct analyses and make smart decisions to address the issues outlined above, support staff education and explore partnerships and new funding models, and be prepared to compromise with respect to their traditional information delivery models. Originality/value – The explosion of advanced mobile technology and robust digital information collection capabilities should prompt libraries to examine carefully the ramifications for user privacy. Libraries can maintain their commitment to user privacy without overcompensating by imposing burdensome security measures or annoying interruptions. For example, libraries do not have to show users a privacy statement or security warning every time they want to access information on a mobile device. A single log-in and acceptance of terms of use, similar to the procedures for other mobile applications and services, should suffice. At the same time, libraries can take the opportunity to educate users in best practices with respect to privacy issues associated with the use of mobile devices.

A Case Study of Mobile Technology-enabled English Language Learning: the Amazon Kindle e-Reader Initiative in Palestine

The proliferation of increasingly interactive e-reader devices such as the Amazon Kindle represents an opportunity to explore their evolving pedagogical value. This study aims to investigate how use of the Kindle can enhance individuals’ English language learning—more specifically their attitudes, reading comprehension, vocabulary development and pronunciation performance—in the context of informal and lifelong learning in Palestine, and to explore the further potential of scaling up the use of e-readers at a national level. At the piloting stage of this initiative, the study operated at two levels (micro and meso) of the M3 evaluation framework. Mixed methods were used: qualitative data were obtained through a case study of the practices and perceptions of two teachers in two classrooms in the Qalqilia center and quantitative data were collected through a survey of 114 learners. The study shows that the Kindle’s technological affordances are effective in creating a flexible, authentic and interactive environment for English language learning, provided that teachers change their teaching methods to take full advantage of the features of mobile technologies to create innovative learning approaches aligned with the needs of the e-generation. It was also found that despite some concerns with the usability issue, attitudes towards learning English changed positively and learners’ vocabulary and pronunciation improved.

Soft(a)ware in the English Classroom: Rekindling Reading: On the Use of E-readers in the English Classroom

“Soft(a)ware in the English Classroom” seeks to identify the ways in which our teaching and learning lives are influenced by software.

E-Book Readers in Higher Education

This article reports on a research project at the University of Agder that has studied the use of e-readers as a tool for academic study. E-readers (Kindle DX and iPad) were loaded with texts from required reading lists in five courses with 94 participating students. Initially, 87 students responded to the invitation to participate in a survey, but eventually 13 of these submissions had to be removed, as the degree of completion was not sufficient. The final response rate achieved was 79%. Students were in general positive to the use of e-readers but still show a preference for print on paper as the best medium for serious academic study. When reading books, 54% preferred print, 28% a combination of print and e-reader, and finally only 11% were satisfied solely using an e-reader. The iPad scored significantly better than the Kindle DX on tasks that required active interaction with the texts such as highlighting and note taking.

Foretrekker studentene trykte eller elektroniske ressurser?

A project at the University of Agder has studied the use of e-readers as a tool for academic study. E-readers (Kindle DX and iPad) were loaded with texts from required reading lists in five courses with 94 participating students. Initially 87 students responded to the invitation to participate in a survey, but eventually 13 of these submissions had to be removed, as the degree of completion was not sufficient. The final response rate achieved was 79%. Students were in general positive to the use of e-readers but still show a preference for print on paper as the best medium for serious academic study. When reading books 54% preferred print, 28% a combination of print and e-reader and lastly only 11% were satisfied solely using an e-reader. The iPad scored significantly better than the Kindle DX on tasks that required active interaction with the texts such as highlighting and note-taking.Pre-print in AURA.

Are University Students Ready to Dump Their Textbooks?

Today’s students are accustomed to a world where information is available on-demand, anywhere and anytime. They bring this expectation to their academic world where they want to work cooperatively and flexibly, using the modern information processing tools and access with which they are familiar. New hardware platforms such as e-Readers and tablet computers have made substantial inroads in the consumer market. E-Readers are becoming more prevalent in universities – replacing the need for physical textbooks, lecturing notes and other academic documents. Many universities are now running pilot programs, while some are already using e-Readers. Tablet computers, apart from their ability to read, edit or create various types of information documents, also offer additional features such as collaborative and social networking services. This empirical research project investigated student perspectives on the educational use of e-Readers and tablets within the University of Cape Town. A questionnaire was distributed to a significant portion of the student population and stratified according to seniority and faculty. Quantitative data was gathered and analysed on themes ranging from awareness to preferences to facilitating conditions around e-Readers within the academic environment. The students sent a clear signal: that they are keen to embrace these new technologies and the advantages they offer. E-Books can be updated automatically and downloaded to e-Readers instantly from almost anywhere in the world. Students feel they would benefit greatly through the use of e-Readers and many believe they are set to replace books completely. Having access to a portable library of information in their backpacks would benefit both students and the environment. However, there are a number of barriers to the comprehensive introduction of these technologies, including the cost of the devices; cost, rights and file format of e-books; the need for a critical mass of textbooks available in digital format and device characteristics such as battery life, and ubiquitous Wi-Fi access.

The e-Reader — an Educational or an Entertainment Tool? e-Readers in an Academic Setting

In this paper the authors will discuss a pilot project conducted at the Tritonia Academic Library, Vaasa, in Finland, from September 2010 until May 2011. The project was designed to investigate the application of e-readers in academic settings and to learn how teachers and students experience the use of e-readers in academic education. Four groups of students and one group of teachers used Kindle readers for varied periods of time in different courses. The course material and the textbooks were downloaded on the e-readers. The feedback from the participants was collected through questionnaires and teacher interviews. The results suggest that the e-reader is a future tool for learning, though some features need to be improved before e-readers can really enable efficient learning and researching.