Textbooks are expensive. Really expensive. Education for that matter is really expensive, especially if you want a good one and you want to continue your education past public schooling. Believe me when I say I KNOW how expensive textbooks, school, and education is. Today is day one of college classes for me (I'll update you on move-in and everything later this week, don't you worry!). We will be finding out what textbooks we need for each class, if we even need them, and if the professor recommends getting e-book version or the real book.
For some schools and students, textbooks are not easy to come by. They may have to settle for out-dated 1990s books, ripped and torn, with information far from the advanced knowledge we have today and which keeps changing every day. I'm sure you've heard of the education and textbook publisher McGraw-Hill. Well they wanted to help students safe money while also making a difference. With the launch of their new SmartBook which is a unique e-book "textbook" they hope to change the way students learn and read. With every purchase of an SmartBook or other e-book from their CourseSmart series, through McGraw-Hill's Read It Forward Campaign, they are donating a textbook to children in need all around the world! They are using the non-profit organization First Book, who helps in-need children with education. And to make these SmartBooks and e-books affordable for purchase, they are offering students a 15% off promo code: FORWARD14, now through October 31.
So I bet your curious about what these SmartBooks actually look like. Well above is a screen shoot of the SmartBook McGraw-Hill allowed me to download for free to promote their campaign. The SmartBooks they had were not anything I was studying, so I choose something that interests me (and you I'm assuming since your reading a healthy-living blog!), Nutrition! Above is the homepage where you can see the content and the chapters. But once you click learn, this thing goes wild!
This is no ordinary "textbook". It is very easily readable with each chapter presented and is customizable for your study techniques. There is even a "virtual teacher" that pops up on the screen to explain things, help you use the book, and study. You can tell it what you want to focus on and it will bring you to those pages and "dim-out" irrelevant text. You can also take practice quizzes and flash-card questions. It is pretty cool and a great ay to learn by yourself while studying. It really is a cool new innovative resource for learning! I'll have fun with some personal advancement now in nutrition! More "nutrition-based" blog posts anyone? 😉
Really, the best part is the fact that with each purchase of a SmartBook, a child will now be sent a relevant brand new textbook to help them learn! Education is so important. You really need it to get anywhere now-a-days, and those early education years are so crucial! To learn more about the campaign go to the campaign's homepage and read on! Remember that you can get a 15% off discount with the promo code: FORWARD14, now through October 31st! If you want to make a difference and you want to help a child in need go check out those textbooks!
So tell me:
+ Are you an e-book or real book kinda person? I will take a physical book any day over an e-book! I know technology is making real book obsolete, but I will fight tooth and nail for my real book for as long as possible! There is nothing like the satisfaction of flipping the page or a novel.
+ Did your school always have the most up-to-date textbooks? NO! I will always remember my physics book from freshman year of high school. The thing was from the 1980s. Terrible. But now my old high school is totally going high-tech and getting Chrome Books for everyone. I'm just glad I am done with that school!
**I was provided a free SmartBook through McGraw-Hill Education to promote their Read It Forward Campaign as part of my Her Campus Blogger Network Ambassadorship. All opinion and thoughts are honest and my own!**
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Cindy (Vegetarian Mamma)
This is super cool, makes me feel old though. I've been out of college too long LOL
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Haha that just means you had it during the good 'ole times 😉
Ashliegh
I'm more of a physical book kind of girl but this is so unique! I like the idea of the virtual teacher to help you learn in other ways too, like visual and oratory!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Haha yea its neat! Its just another way to learn! Another option to try!
Karen
It depends--if I am reading at home, I want a good book to hold in my hands. But if I am traveling, I'll read ebooks to safe space.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
That is the one perk haha! It is so much more travel friendly.....and lighter!
Gaye @CalmHealthySexy
Hi Rebecca - Hope all is going well! My college son gets most of his textbooks through Chegg, a textbook rental company. You might want to see if some of your textbooks are available through that company - it saves a ton of money.
Thanks for letting us know about this campaign. I'm sharing your post on Google+.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
I used that for some, but my teachers expect me to have my books TODAY to do homework tonight! They haven't arrived yet! It is insane!
Angie Agerter
It always blows me away how expensive it is to earn an education. I just don't understand why its so expensive. What a great campaign though, shared it on twitter and G+! I read ebooks now, but I still prefer the normal hardbound/paperbook. I just grasp everything more that way for some reason.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
I know! Why should it cost so much money when YOU, the individual, is who is doing the learning.
Thanks for sharing it!
I know, me too! I feel like it is easier and sticks in my mind so much more! But in this new age, the younger generations find it the opposite!
Christina @ Juggling Real Food and Real Life
Hi Rebecca! I hope you got moved OK. Learning is so exciting. It's so fun to see how technology can really add to this excitement. My young kids amaze me with how comfortable they are with technology. McGraw Hill's program is really cool. I can't wait to hear more.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thanks love!
Technology is just going to keep growing and growing and growing!
Yvonne
I do prefer ebooks. I find it easier to read with my dyslexia. My school always had fairly up to date textbooks, but we were a poor, rural school so they were sometimes a few years behind. The teachers usually made up for it though.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Yea! Most of the times teachers are so much better anyway if they have their own curriculum and don't go totally by the text book.
Yvonne
Indeed. Good teachers really make all the difference anyway.
Patty @ Reach Your Peak
What a great campaign. I'm from Paraguay and when I go visit I always am motivated to do SOMETHING to help out school children who have way less than we do here in the US. This is such a great initiative.
I prefer real books. I have a nook and rarely use it other than when I'm traveling. I like flipping through pages! And the screen light tires out my eyes 🙂
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Yes! Education is the perfect way to help to! Its lasting!
I totally agree! Real books will never die!
CARLA
off to read more about this.
as a mama and a voracious reader I believe it is so important.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Yes! Reading and learning is one of the most essential parts of life!