Students Look to Electronics

Based on recent trends among high school and college students, mobile technology — e-readers and smartphones to access electronic textbooks and other course materials — is growing.

For example, iPhones and iPod Touches are being evaluated for use by nursing students to carry medical reference books electronically.

Kindle e-readers could be used by a broad range of students, and might be available at school bookstores pre-loaded with all the textbooks needed for a specific curriculum. That would enable students to save up to 50 percent on the cost of textbooks — but it would cut revenues for school bookstores.

Organizations like the Tuttle Center are starting to lend sub-$500 mini-laptops to students who agree to pay for the machine if they lose it. Distance learning has increased interest in some courses at the center, such as IT courses like one on Oracle Database.

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