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The Hazelwood School District will pilot the use of e-textbooks for advanced placement courses in U.S. history and government in 2010-2011. Traditional textbooks are expensive, about $100 or more, and eventually need to be replaced due to use or updates by the publisher. The use of technology would maintain the textbooks and allow easier updates as materials and content change.

“Students are very ‘in’ to technology and are more prepared for delivery in this manner,” said Barb Easley, special projects coordinator for HSD.

“Several vendors have told me that copyrights after 2011 will be available electronically. Many college texts are being delivered to students in this way. College students buy a subscription for the book that is good for the semester. The purchase is usually under $25 and saves them money,” said Easley. “Many books can be used on laptops now. The concern is student access to laptops in a large district such as ours.”

Easley said the District will purchase a netbook or an e-book reader for the students with the text already loaded onto the device. The District’s technology department is testing both formats with the books chosen for the curricula.

“One of the beauties of delivering text in this way is that students can highlight and even enter notes on the device. Since students can’t do that with textbooks, this would be a plus,” she said.

“In time, I would think that students could download and maintain other documents for the class and even maintain a portfolio.”

“I have talked with representatives from many districts in the St. Louis and St. Charles area. No other district has considered this and they are very interested in seeing how it rolls out in Hazelwood,” said Easley.

The District has offered textbooks that are available online for students. Some social studies textbooks are available in an RTF format for students to download to home computers as well.

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