E-books and its effect on World Literacy.
The Oxford Dictionary of English defines the e-book as "an electronic version of a printed book,"[2] but e-books can and do exist without any printed equivalent. E-books come in different formats, from Portable Document Format (PDF), EPUB, to Microsoft Document (.doc) formats. Literacy, as defined by dictionary.com, can be defined as €the quality or state of being literate, especially the ability to read and write€.
Today, globally some 776 million adults are illiterate. Even more disturbing about 66% of all illiterates are women. Various schools of thought have established a relationship between poverty and illiteracy. It has also been postulated that there is a relationship between the discrimination of women and illiteracy. Given the relationship between illiteracy, poverty and the discrimination on women, it is paramount that children be given access to quality books or literature.
E-books can be viewed as a legitimate vehicle for eradication of illiteracy. E-books can also be seen as a legitimate means of bridging the gender gap between men and women globally. As a reader of this article you might wonder why e-books specifically? To answer the obvious question, I will list some of the pros of reading e-books as opposed to paper books.
E-books are generally cheaper than paperbacks. For an indigent child, tough decisions have to be made, do you eat, or do you buy a book? For someone who barely eats once a day there is barely a choice. E-books, as previously said are cheaper than paperbacks, in fact a lot of times they are found freely online. Students of a particular discipline can store thousands of books on one tablet, in essence a student can store the equivalent of a small library on a laptop or tablet.
With the continuous evolution of technology and leaps in innovation, the hardware needed to store thousands of e-books will continue to become cheaper. According to pcmag.com, the Indian government as at Oct, 2011 was developing a $50 tablet PC for $50, it is conceivable that a child could be given access to a lifetime supply of learning materials with the proliferation online of e-books. The possibilities become even greater as the costs of online access become cheaper. With the omnipresent nature of WIFI, it is even conceivable that for a very low cost illiteracy could be eradicated. In addition to the texts/books that can come pre-loaded on cheap tablets, the amount of free online books will also help in reducing illiteracy.
The more I write about E-books, the more I realize the importance of a reduction in the cost of knowledge for a better world. As ridiculous as it may sound, perhaps the promotion of E-books as the ultimate replacement for paper books might just be a worthy cause. Who would not like a world with less poverty, less discrimination and more trees?
Today, globally some 776 million adults are illiterate. Even more disturbing about 66% of all illiterates are women. Various schools of thought have established a relationship between poverty and illiteracy. It has also been postulated that there is a relationship between the discrimination of women and illiteracy. Given the relationship between illiteracy, poverty and the discrimination on women, it is paramount that children be given access to quality books or literature.
E-books can be viewed as a legitimate vehicle for eradication of illiteracy. E-books can also be seen as a legitimate means of bridging the gender gap between men and women globally. As a reader of this article you might wonder why e-books specifically? To answer the obvious question, I will list some of the pros of reading e-books as opposed to paper books.
E-books are generally cheaper than paperbacks. For an indigent child, tough decisions have to be made, do you eat, or do you buy a book? For someone who barely eats once a day there is barely a choice. E-books, as previously said are cheaper than paperbacks, in fact a lot of times they are found freely online. Students of a particular discipline can store thousands of books on one tablet, in essence a student can store the equivalent of a small library on a laptop or tablet.
With the continuous evolution of technology and leaps in innovation, the hardware needed to store thousands of e-books will continue to become cheaper. According to pcmag.com, the Indian government as at Oct, 2011 was developing a $50 tablet PC for $50, it is conceivable that a child could be given access to a lifetime supply of learning materials with the proliferation online of e-books. The possibilities become even greater as the costs of online access become cheaper. With the omnipresent nature of WIFI, it is even conceivable that for a very low cost illiteracy could be eradicated. In addition to the texts/books that can come pre-loaded on cheap tablets, the amount of free online books will also help in reducing illiteracy.
The more I write about E-books, the more I realize the importance of a reduction in the cost of knowledge for a better world. As ridiculous as it may sound, perhaps the promotion of E-books as the ultimate replacement for paper books might just be a worthy cause. Who would not like a world with less poverty, less discrimination and more trees?