The printed book has been the foundation of the educational publishing industry since 1455. Has digital publishing changed the dynamics? Is digital learning the new norm? This interesting subject came to us from EdSurge in their article, “How Academic Publishers Can Push the Boundaries of Digital Learning.”
There are many factors impacting the push for digital learning. The increasing cost of printed textbooks, tuition and the often unaffordable cost of university life as a whole. One somewhat unfortunate result of this systemic change is more students are turning to used books, rentals, shared copies, illegal downloads, and other online sources.
Digital learning is not simply making electronic what once was print. The approach is as different as the medium. For example, new technologies allow publishers to reuse and repurpose any content element into curated learning objects, which can be searchable and delivered in digital format.
There is no denying the reality. Digital learning has become the fastest growing field in academic publishing. It is time for publishing to find its place in the system and embrace it.
Melody K. Smith
Sponsored by Data Harmony, a unit of Access Innovations, the world leader in indexing and making content findable.
