For the 2015-2016 school year, Faith Lutheran Middle and High School began using online books to give students and teachers an easier learning program. Using ESCO books, middle school and high school students at Faith have the ability to use textbooks on their iPads and Macbooks.

Faith Lutheran administrators decided to use online textbooks to make textbooks lighter and more portable, and to keep all books up to date with downloads.

“Online textbooks are able to remain modified and current,” said Technician Tom Chalfant. “With regular books they may become out of date.”

Online textbooks also give Faith and parents a less expensive option for learning.

“Book prices vary significantly,” said High School Principal Scott Fogo via e-mail. “Some of the books are over one-hundred dollars and some cost five ninety-nine. Most of them fall between fifteen and forty dollars.”

So far, students prefer using online textbooks over paper books.

“I like online books better, because you can access the books anywhere,” said eighth grader Brady Dalbec.

Not only do the new online books affect students, they also benefit the teachers while they teach each lesson.

“I like being able to project pages in the book,” said seventh grade Earth Science teacher Brenda Beery. “It helps keep everyone together during the lesson.”

Online textbooks make backpacks lighter, and they make books more portable. Instead of having a bag full of books, students can now store all of them on one device.

Although online textbooks make things more convenient for students, unfortunately there are disadvantages as well.

“There might be a glitch, and may not be able to download,” said Dalbec. “Or there might be a maintenance update.”

With these updates and glitches it may result in more visits to the tech center during class time. Most problems don’t leave a major affect and are usually an easy fix.

During this school year, Faith plans to continue improving  the online textbooks in order to make things more convenient for students and teachers.

“We are committed to it going more smoothly in the future,” said Fogo.

From the first week of school to now, “ninety-nine percent of our students have fully functional textbooks,” said Fogo

Some problems can be resolved without going to the tech center.

“If there’s ever a problem with the books,” said Chalfant, “try rebooting your iPad, or deleting ESCO then redownloading it again.”

If students or teachers have any problems using online books, they can also contact the ESCO support number at (800) 352-9852.