Northwest Missouri State University chooses

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) May 21, 2009 -- Northwest Missouri State University has announced its selection of the VitalSource Bookshelf® e-textbook platform as its format of choice for e-textbook delivery for students.

The university chose the VitalSource Bookshelf platform after conducting pilot tests of the leading formats among some 500 students. VitalSource, the leading interactive e-book platform for education, is an offering of Ingram DigitalSM, an Ingram content company focused on solutions for digital content management, distribution and promotion.

One of the unique aspects of attending Northwest is that all students receive a laptop computer from the University to use during the school year. Beginning in the fall 2009 semester, those computers will come preloaded with VitalSource Bookshelf.

“Since we became the nation’s first public university to implement an electronic campus in 1987, we have dedicated ourselves to using technology to enhance education,” said Dr. Dean L. Hubbard, President. “Now, by using Vitalsource Bookshelf as our primary method of e-textbook delivery, we are taking another step as a technology leader.”

“The e-textbook program at Northwest Missouri State will be the model for other schools considering an all-digital-curriculum,” said William Chesser, vice president and general manager for Ingram Digital Education Solutions. “We are delighted to be powering this endeavor and to work alongside such a forward-thinking institution.”

VitalSource e-textbooks can be accessed from a PC anytime, anywhere. Delivered through Bookshelf, VitalSource’s leading edge e-book reader, they can be highlighted and annotated and searched. In addition, Bookshelf stores, indexes and displays VitalSource e-textbooks and functions as a virtual meeting place for readers to trade notes, tips and techniques.

Northwest Missouri State University’s selection of VitalSource Bookshelf came after pilot tests of Ingram Digital’s format was compared with two other formats. The pilot included over 500 students in seven courses. Students were asked to keep track of the number of hours they spent reading texts, how they used their texts, the ease of using the e-textbook and its interactive features, and their perceptions of e-textbooks versus print textbooks. The University surveyed students several times and considered both qualitative and quantitative results when making their decision.

Among the survey’s findings:
•80 percent of students surveyed said it was more convenient and efficient to acquire, transport and integrate information from other learning resources using an e-textbook.
•Students surveyed cited the ability to search their entire collection of e-textbooks for information; the ability to highlight their e-textbooks; and the ability to conduct keyword searches on content notes and shared notes as the most appealing features of e-textbooks.

•78 percent of students surveyed said they liked the idea of e-textbooks and would use them for some courses.

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