If a recent survey of college students paints an accurate picture, e-books have a long way to go before becoming mainstream. Of 6,452 students worldwide who responded to the survey, 3,132, or 49 percent, said they never use e-books. The remaining 51 percent use e-books less than one hour to more than 10 hours per week. The survey was conducted by Ebrary, a company that provides electronic content and technology to libraries, publishers, and other businesses.
Here are some other findings of the survey:
Fifty-seven percent of students who never use e-books say it is because they don’t know where to find them.
Fifty-one percent of students say that when they have a choice, they opt to use an electronic version over a print version of a book “often” or “very often.”
Seventy-seven percent of students who use e-books say they find and gain access to e-books through a library Web site.
U.S. students use e-books less than their foreign counterparts.
The survey was skewed in favor of students who have easy access to the Web since all students answered survey questions online. —Andrea L. Foster
Developing online and blended learning programs requires research and collaboration. Learn how top technology companies are partnering with campuses across the country to advance online learning as it becomes an increasingly important aspect of higher education.