Digital Books in Physics Lessons of Secondary Education - Ebooks, E-Learning, iPads and Interactive Formats

Sep 22, 2026

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The paper compares ebook capabilities across PDF, ePub, and iBooks formats in science teaching at BG/BRG Schwechat. It describes an e-learning environment supported by 100 personal computers and 28 iPads and analyzes how iPads enable immediate use and haptic interaction. Significant differences are shown in interactive-element integration, where only iBooks supports diverse interactive objects beyond basic dictionary and tagging tools. The study also covers workflow tools (Pages, iBooks Author) and evaluates findings through Moodle feedback, teacher e-lectures, and a conference presentation.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages8

Reading Time20 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

Digital world and learning platforms

Role of schoolbooks and the research question

Digital Books in Physics Lessons

Competence-based science teaching and interactive content

Research approach and sample description

EBOOKS AS PDF FILES, IN EPUB FORMAT OR AS INTERACTIVE IBOOKS? DIGITAL BOOKS IN PHYSICS LESSONS OF SECONDARY EDUCATION Manfred Lohr BG/BRG Schwechat-Schwechat, Austria ABSTRACT This paper outlines the different capabilities of ebooks in the pdf, epub and ibook format in science teaching evaluated atthe BG/BRG Schwechat. Over the recent years the school equipped with 100 personal computers and 28 iPads has become one of the leading e-learning schools in Austria. iPads show their advantages in the context of blended learning sequences: the devices are instantly ready to use and allow pure haptic interaction with the content. The iPad appeals with its simple interface and very stable operating system. It encourages teachers to implement e-learning with the usage of ebooks into their lessons. Significant differences between ebooks as pdf format, epub format and ibook format are evident in the integration of interactive elements: only ibooks support the integration of various interactive objects beside basic functionalities like the use of dictionaries and tagging tools. This format ofibooks meets the demands of teachers and pupils in ebooks in almost every point with the disadvantage that they are available only for iPads. The creation of ebooks goes smoothly with the use of the software pages available for Mac OS and iOS, which is appropriate for the epub format, the production of interactive ibooks succeeds with the software iBooks Author available only for Mac OS. The evaluation of this paper was done with the feedback tools of the learning platform Moodle asking students about their views. Through two e-lectures with teachers and a presentation at the national conference called “Tablet User Days 2013” at the Pedagogical University in Melk, a validation of this work was accomplished. KEYWORDS ebooks, e-learning, mobile – learning, tablets, competence– based science teaching 1. INTRODUCTION Our world has developed in last decade to a place at which a life is hardly conceivable without digital devices and online tools. In the professional life and occupational world profunde knowledge of new technologies is essential. Desktop PCs, tablet computers and Smartphones are fixed components of our everyday life. New digital developments arise and influence our everyday life. Nowadays above all young people can hardly live without internet, mobile phone or computer. The digital world, which is an important component of the social life of many youngsters, wins a bigger and bigger meaning in schools during the last years. At many schools the use of online learning tools and platforms spreads more and more, during the last years there were initiatives over and over again to make the digital work in the classrooms the standard.(Hummer et al., 2013) The benefits that come with the use of learning platforms for educational purposes have been evaluated and tested excessively in various national and international projects. A prime example of such a project in Austria is the eLSA project which has resulted in the implemented of e-learning in everyday school life in over 200 schools. (Hummer et al., 2013) Young people spend a large part of their time online, social interaction, procurement of information, entertainment and still a lot more youngsters search today in the virtual world. Under these conditions digital learning platforms and the reinforced application of new media in teaching affects positively the learning process. However, during the last years an important area of the learning and teaching remained far behind the use of digital tools: the schoolbook. Schoolbooks are used like in recent decades still as workbooks or textbooks printed on paper, which pupils carry in her schoolbags to the school and home again. The results of the „Kids & Family Reading of report in 2012“ show that the amount of the children who have read an eBook has risen from 2010 to 2012 on 46% and has almost doubled. (Harrison

FAQs

Which ebook formats are compared in the paper?

The paper evaluates ebooks in PDF, ePub, and iBooks format for secondary education science teaching.

What advantages does the iPad provide for blended learning with ebooks?

iPads are instantly ready to use, support haptic interaction, and have a simple interface with a stable operating system that encourages teachers to adopt ebook-based e-learning.

How do PDF, ePub, and iBooks differ regarding interactive elements?

The paper finds that significant differences appear in interactive integration: iBooks supports various interactive objects in addition to basic functions like dictionaries and tagging tools, while availability is limited to iPads.

Sep 22, 2026

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