News
Amazon’s Kindle reading device replaces textbooks in some classrooms

Beginning in the fall of 2009, selected students at Arizona State University will use the Kindle DX, the latest add…

Beginning in the fall of 2009, selected students at Arizona State University will use the Kindle DX, the latest addition to Amazon’s family of wireless reading devices, instead of traditional printed textbooks.
ASU is one of five universities participating with Amazon in its Kindle pilot program. Others include Princeton University, Case Western Reserve University, Reed College, and Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia.
Based on a proposal from Dr. Ted Humphrey, President’s Professor in ASU’s Barrett Honors College, a group of students enrolled in this fall’s Human Event course will receive their textbooks not as bound books but on a brand new Kindle DX instead.
The Kindle’s performance will be evaluated against a control group of students that work with traditional paper-based texts.
“Electronic texts provide the capabilities that today’s students have come to expect — they are searchable, flexible, easy to annotate, and cost less than traditional texts because they don’t have to be printed and shipped,” says Adrian Sannier, Vice President and University Technology Officer at ASU. 

In addition to cutting textbook costs and reducing the weight in students’ backpacks, digital textbooks are available for download wirelessly and reduce the amount of paper used to print and distribute textbooks.