University of Notre Dame students enrolled in a year-long project management course received iPads this year as part of a research program to see if the Apple products can replace textbooks.

N.C. State is exploring this possibility and how will it affect students and faculty members.

But Marc Hoit, vice chancellor for the Office of Information Technology, said there are some drawbacks to iPads.

“We already have electronic textbooks, iPads are great devices but they have some problems,” Hoit said.

According to Hoit, one of the drawbacks to using an iPad over a textbook could be the ease of highlighting or marking the material.

Reselling an electronic textbook could be inconvenient, Hoit said.

“I am not really comfortable with iPads. Instead, using e-paper could be a better option and it is easier on eyes while reading,” Hoit said.

Hoit said the availability of e-books could also be a problem because it’s the publishers’ decision to make books available in electronic format.

“It is important to know how many books are available in electronic format. Some chemistry or engineering books that are not very common are not available in these formats,” Hoit said.

According to Pat Hofmeister, associate director of University Bookstores, the introduction of iPads will not impact the bookstore.

“Remember that the Bookstore exists to serve this campus community in many areas including textbooks, and that a portion of the profit is returned to the University in support of need-based scholarships,” Hofmeister said.

Availability of books for iPads could be the most important problem, according to Hoit, and it needs to be sorted out before the University moves to iPads.

“There is no point in having two electronic books and six paper books for one student, but at N.C. State, we are very close to making electronic textbooks a reality,” Hoit said.

According to Hofmeister, the bookstore sold 185 iPads since the official product launch of the iPad in May, 82 of those sales occurred since the beginning of the semester. iPads come in six different models ranging from $499 to $829.

“Students can use it now, many are already using it. We don’t recommend them what to buy,” Hoit said.

Hofmeister said he feels the degree to which electronic textbooks will impact future traditional printed textbooks is uncertain even among industry experts, but that will not diminish the Bookstore’s role as a provider of course materials to students in any format.

Although iPads have their advantages, some students and faculty prefer the traditional text.

“I will prefer textbooks. Textbooks are comfortable and more readable, you can do more on textbooks and iPads are not even computer screens,” said Jeffrey Stonebraker, assistant professor of business administration.

The change from moving from paper-based textbooks to iPads or electronic textbooks on a large scale could be drastic.

“It will take time, I am not really comfortable with iPads but I will get used to it if the change is forced,” Stonebraker said.

Although the use of iPads could be the thing of future, Hoit explained the University needs to analyze the impacts of such a decision.

 ”Before making such a radical change there is a need to analyze statistics that support use of iPads in a University at such a large scale. IPads will impact students financially, I hope they are cheaper,” Stonebraker said.

The feasibility of daily use and return on investment, Stonebraker said, are other factors that we need to consider before we implement this idea.

“I don’t see the return of investment here. Course work online could be a better option. It really depends on how easy and efficient it is for use,” Stonebraker said.

Rodney Axtman, graduate student in business administration, said he prefers the textbook because of the highlighting and taking notes are much easier.

 ”I am more comfortable reading a textbook when compared to an e-book, simply because it is much easier to read and take notes,” Axtman said.