Etextbooks: Should nursing textbooks be available via internet or CD??

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

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post edited by brian. we interupt this post to bring you the following survey question:

here are the results of last months survey question

should nursing textbooks be available via internet or cd? :

please feel free to read and post any comments that you have right here in this discussion thread by clicking the "post reply" button.

and now.... back to the discussion :)

thanks brian

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the online journals of issues in nursing (ojin) article

ejournals: are they a paradigm shift?

http://nursingworld.org/mods/mod210/ceelfull.htm

is an interesting read. the medium of communication of "serious thought" aka scholarly communication

see:

what is scholarly communication?

http://nursingworld.org/mods/mod210/ceelfull.htm#schol

has a new venue. if a business or education doesn't take advantage of the internet ( e.g. enclyclopedia britanica was almost bankrupt in the article) and changing style of cummunication, it will be left in the dust.

it is time for nursing education and textbook publishers to head this call and start publishing etextbooks on cd's or websites!

wouldn't it be less waste of time and paper to just pay an etextbook fee, receive a password for access to a texbook or cd's sent to us?

think of 3d anatomy pictures coming to life, ability to search thru text to easily find information... linked material ...less weight to lug around! you could pay a yearly fee to have access to most up-to-date content.

what would you like in an etextbook???

or do you miss that fresh ink smell and need to feel paper crispness to feel like your learning something important???

[TinyNurse, RN]

Personally thoroughout my schooling, I wish the texts were available online. My texts were integrated with online quizes, crossword puzzles, and extra study material though.

Throughout my anatomy classes, I sought out extra online material though. ( had to) the diagrams I found online were great to study from when I didn't have time to be in the lab!

Jenni

[NICU_Nurse, BSN, RN]

Well, I wish they were ALSO availble online. I can't access an e-book on the train or waiting in line or in my car, or even at home when the hubster is hogging the computer to play Star Wars Galaxies.

However, the animated features and such should be included with the purchase of a book, along with the actual text, so that you CAN access them online if you so choose.

[Berta]

Call me old fashioned, but I need the hard copy of the book. I write and highlight in them. I also don't have the computer available. The biggest factor is that I lug my books wherever I go. Often I am studying in the car while waiting for my daught, studying in bed etc. I do like to be able to access additional info on line.

[bigwavedave]

With two semesters of Nursing School down and two left before I graduate next may, I have had the "luxury" of taking courses that were web-based and even one that used a cd instead of a textbook. Our web based instruction consisted of a forum where we (classmates) could go and post questions to eachother, post replies, post q's to instructors/instructors post q's to students and students/instructors post replies to those questions. The actual course content still came from a textbook. While the net was not utilized for the text, there were some pro's and con's to this. Some of these include: some students are not as computer/net savvy as others, some people are bulletin board hogs as I think one instructor put it, and the thing that rubbed me wrong more than anything was when one student posts a question, another answers, then the first replies w/ "thanks", then there is a post w/ "you're welcome" and before long the bulletin board has 200 posts that are unrelated to the course content. The only good thing was that it gives some students who would not normally raise their hand in class the opportunity to ask questions.

My course that used a cd-rom for the textbook was enjoyable (I earned an A so it was nice). The only problem with that is like I mentioned above, some are not really computer savvy, but mostly it is the availability of the info. You either have to have a laptop and be able to lug it around with you wherever you go, or you could print off the text from the cd but then you run into all the paper that would be used.

From my experience w/online courses, courses that utilize cd-rom technology, and traditional courses: although text books (especially nursing textbooks) are a heavy load to lug around, nothing beats the ability to sit down anywhere, whip out your book and a highlighter and go to town. I feel that until there is immediate access to computers/internet anywhere you go the text book publishing industry is probably safe. Ok, I'll get down off my soapbox now.

[prmenrs, RN]

I think it would be great as an ADJUNCT to a book, but I also like the satisfaction of painting a book pink, reviewing before the test in yellow, and doing it all w/out a computer handy.

When I can't sleep, there's a nursing theory book under my bed--2 paragraphs of that stuff and I'm out like a light! Can't do THAT w/a computer!!!

[wishingmary]

I like the idea of having both books and ebooks to fit my crazy life. However, I have discovered the great world of PDA software. Lots of nursing software too and even for students who dread care plans. The downside is it can be quite pricey. I'll have to carry a credit card balance a couple of months. I have the coming graduation jitters for when I walk out on the floor as an RN.

[bob007cat]

yes

[mistersleepy]

Give it to me on my PDA so I can study in the...

[Sk8rsmom]

My nursing program requires the lease or purchase of a laptop computer. I also have a PDA- works great to have my drug guide, labs guide, diagnosis handbook etc. in my pocket for clinicals. I would love it if nursing texts were on CD. I have actually scanned in chapters of my nursing text, coverted them to Word documents, and then converted those files to work on the PDA. I also work on papers on the PDA when I have a free moment at work, in the car ( not when driving of course), or waiting in line somewhere.

Sk8rsmom

[bimmy]

I think that would be a welcoming change for most students.

Most of our time is spent on the computer and having a resource as this would hopefully be cheaper than textbooks and lighter to carry around. Say bye bye to backpains: