Exploring Desirable Features of e-Textbooks for K-12 Classes: A Case Study

The emerging e-Textbooks have attracted a lot of research, but their features are still not clear. In this study, we used a mixed research design to explore the desirable features of e-Textbooks for K-12 classes. An interview and a questionnaire were conducted with 3 teachers and 203 students. The results indicated that there were 23 desirable features that enabled teaching and learning activities effectively in the classroom, including the five dimensions of structure and layouts, interactive media, note-taking tools, assignment tools and management tools. It is necessary for designers of e-Textbooks to track the development of digital technology and integrate the new and suitable features into e-Textbooks for students' learning. The results also showed that more and more students would like to use e-Textbooks in classroom in the future; and that teachers enjoyed a special classroom teaching process, but spent too much time doing preparation before each class. This study provides guidance for publishers and policy-makers for developing e-Textbooks.