The Digital Textbook: A Look at the Next Generation of Educational Materials

Abstract

The rapid advancements in digital technology are creating a whole new arena of educational opportunities. Now that multi-media is emerging as the next revolution in personal computers, there are opportunities to author creative educational materials and frameworks that would not have been possible several years ago. Some of the common concerns shared by educators and administrators of computing are: (1) the form that educational materials will take with the advent of multi-media; (2) the format that education will take to exploit the new technology; and (3) the computer technology infrastructure necessary to support new educational environments. This presentation will address these concerns by demonstrating a prototype of future educational materials called "The Digital Textbook" followed by a presentation of how these new materials will allow for different educational formats and the necessary technology to support future settings in education.