Reading nursing texts can be a challenge across all courses or grade levels, but an essential part of becoming a great nurse. Although texts can be daunting for students, there are ways for faculty to help students get the most out of their reading. Eooks provide opportunities for faculty to help students read with intention and be better learners. Here are some ways that ebooks can help students and faculty:
Benefits
- Convenient: not only do ebooks remove the burden of lugging books back and forth to classes, but they’re more accessible. Most ebooks are available in one place through the platform they’re on and some are even mobile-friendly.
- Cost effective: most ebooks are at a lower price than print books and where an Inclusive Access program is available on campus, content can be made available to students on the first day of class at market competitive pricing.
- Authentic: When students start their careers as nurses, they will see digital resources used in practice. Incorporating digital products into the classroom through ebooks is practical now and in their future.
Features
- Highlights: With added tools in ebooks, faculty can highlight important content in an assigned reading and share with students and students can share highlights with one another as well. Highlights can be differentiated using different color highlights. For example, there can be a color to highlight key information, and another color can be added for questions.
NGN TIP: Include a case study in pre-class reading. Have students highlight cues and come to class ready to analyze them and discuss care.
- Notes: Students can take notes as they read and keep track of questions as they go. Students can then bring those to class for clarification/discussion. Faculty can also leave notes for students within the reading to draw attention to an important figure or table or ask questions to encourage students to think deeper about the content. Links to pertinent videos or articles can add depth of understanding to content.
- Flashcards: Students can easily make flashcards for key terminology and content to make studying easier directly from the text they’re using for their class. This makes studying easier and direct.
- Text to speech: Students can choose to listen to the assigned reading – perfect use of time during a commute going from class to class. This feature is also beneficial for students for whom English is not the primary language.
For resources and advice on teaching remotely, click here.
