Usability, Engagement, and Satisfaction of Two e-Textbook Applications

Many schools and universities are starting to offer e-Textbooks in place of traditional paper textbooks. While this option is typically more cost-effective, limited research has been done to demonstrate whether eTextbooks are a viable alternative in the classroom. This study investigated the satisfaction, perceived workload, engagement, and comprehension of two separate e-Textbook applications, Kindle and Inkling, for tasks involved in studying for a college-level quiz. The ability to use the e-Textbook for studying, to make notes and bookmarks, and to navigate throughout a chapter was examined. Participants using each application demonstrated an improvement in their comprehension scores. Despite this, participants discovered several issues which impacted overall ease of use on both applications. For instance, the table of contents was problematic on the Kindle and locating a specific page was problematic on Inkling. Details on these findings and design implications are discussed.