After several years of study, many English as a foreign language (EFL) learners have a large enough vocabulary and sufficient reading fluency to silently read English stories and books outside class. Once students have reached this threshold, teachers can introduce and encourage independent reading in EFL courses, as there is rarely time in class…

Increasingly, the education world finds itself working in an environment that is full of mobile devices and tools. Students are likely to own smartphones and tablets and instructors are faced with the challenge of integrating mobile devices into their course activities, whether as a full delivery medium, an enhancement or an optional tool. The…

Textbook publishers argue that their newest digital products should not even be called "textbooks." They are really software programs built to deliver a mix of text, videos, and homework assignments. But delivering them is just the beginning. No old-school textbook was able to be customized for each student in the classroom. The books never graded…

The story of one University of Maine student's quest for a reasonably priced textbook reveals just how complicated course materials have become as the textbook industry makes its awkward transition from print to digital. The student is Luke Thomas, a senior majoring in business on the Orono campus, who last semester took a 250-person introductory…