Five undergraduate KSU students and one associate professor will travel to Chiba, Japan during KSU’s spring break with the CARET grant to present their research on eBook learning.
Kristine Hwang began teaching at the School of Art & Design at KSU in 2011. In the summer of 2012, Hwang and five graphic communication students began conducting research to determine if eBooks can enhance learning on multiple levels. The experimental research focuses on how to learn from eBooks, the benefits of learning from them as opposed to hard copy textbooks and the publication process for eBooks.
The research group was awarded the Creative Activities & Research Experiences for Teams, (CARET grant) through the Center of Excellence in Teaching & Learning at KSU. CETL focuses on enhancing undergraduate research on campus, and the CARET grant is awarded to research teams of students and professors that exemplify the benefit of teamwork and guided research.
“The students work as a team. They learn better that way,” Hwang said.
The Seventh Annual International Conference on Design Principles & Practices will take place March 2-9. The project is titled “Mobile Technology Enhances Learning: Interactive eBook of Type Anatomy.”
“These students will be the only undergraduate students presenting at this doctorate conference,” Hwang said.
An important factor within the project is how to go about researching a powerful and dynamic design such as an eBook. The grade of the design will assist in its effectiveness when being used as a learning tool.
Hwang does not believe students will give up purchasing and learning from hard copy textbooks but using a mixture of both is cost effective and travel-friendly.
The students and Hwang plan on continuing this research once they return from their trip to Japan and plan to submit the project to research publications. KSU students will be able to hear the project proposed during the Symposium of Student Scholars, hosted on campus on April 25, 2013.
