Sustainable Effect of the Usefulness of and Preference for Digital Textbooks on Perceived Achievements in Elementary Education Environments

Abstract

This empirical study was conducted to evaluate whether digital textbooks contribute to sustainable development in school education. Accordingly, 690 students participated in the three-year research, and the data on the relationship between students’ perceived usefulness/preference for digital textbooks and academic achievement were analyzed using latent growth curve model statistics. The results showed that the usefulness of and preference for digital textbooks had a significant effect on academic achievement, with the impact enhancing depending on the increase in their preference. To cope with new digitalized education settings, especially in the post-COVID-19 era, digital textbooks should be flexible, connected, instructional, and data driven so that schools can achieve sustainable development.