E-Books Preference Compared to Print Books Based on Student Perceptions: A Case of University of Fort Hare Students

E-Books Preference Compared to Print Books Based on Student Perceptions: A Case of University of Fort Hare Students

e-books

print books

student perceptions

student preferences

University of Fort Hare.

Technology advent has been transforming students’ perceptions and preferences mostly on how they acquire information and learn. The way students perceive e-books and print books significantly influences the format they prefer to use for academic purposes. Recently, the accessibility of e-books on assorted mobile gadgets is substituting the conventional print based resources which are regarded costly in production, sharing and also heavy. Differing views on the format (e-book or print) that students prefer for academic purposes to improve their educational experience exist of which most studies have been done in developed countries. Therefore, a research that reveals students’ perceptions and preferences towards the two book formats in the nation of South Africa can afford a better understanding and conclusion on an African student. This study aimed to determine students’ preference on using e-books and print books in meeting academic information needs based on perceptions. The study adopted a cross-sectional research design and a questionnaire as a research instrument which was administered to students at the University of Fort Hare. Findings revealed that students preferred using both (e-books and print books) for their academic needs. Moreover, they perceived e-books to be as good as print books, easy and friendly to use and capable of providing sufficient information to meet educational needs. 

Makwanya, Comfort

Oni, Olabanji

International Journal of Interactive Mobile Technologies (iJIM); Vol. 13 No. 12 (2019); pp. 236-245

1865-7923

International Association of Online Engineering (IAOE), Vienna, Austria

2019-12-18

Copyright (c) 2019 Comfort Makwanya, Olabanji Oni

application/pdf

eng

info:eu-repo/semantics/article

info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion