Implications of publishing eBooks on PCs and mobile devices for Engineering Technology educators

Abstract

There is no doubt that interactive eBooks enable Engineering & Technology educators to present materials and concepts to learners in a rich and compelling manner that can enhance education. It is also evident, the technology to create and deploy eBooks has reached a tipping point. However, there are few guiding principles for how the eBook publishing process can exist within the requirements for tenure track faculty to undertake the Promotion & Tenure process with its rigorous peer review component. There is also a lack of compelling evidence for how to best structure interactive educational activities to maximize learning across a variety of different devices (PC, Tablets, mobile phones). This paper presents the best practices developed by a collaboration of faculty and an eBook publisher to best maximize learning and address the unique requirements of tenure-track faculty publishing eBooks. The author also discusses the instructional design process used to best adapt instructional content to the eBook format across a variety of devices. © 2011 American Society for Engineering Education.