The Opportunities of Use of Electronic Textbooks
in the Process of Teaching.

A.L. Gavrikov, N.V. Kurmishev, N.N. Semtchouk,
D.I. Postelnik, N.I. Nikolaeva, A.I. Durandin, U.N. Maksimova
Yaroslav-the-Wise Novgorod State University
Address: Russia, 173003, Novgorod, B.Sankt-Peterburgskaya str., 41

 A proper manual is the most important integral part of the educational process. A proper textbook has been always highly valued and has been a reliable base for mastering the subject. Due to the new information technologies being introduced, the textbook has been renovated so to be used in order to upgrade the efficiency of the process of tuition.

New computer based technologies are being used in libraries for not a long period of time. However, we find it very convenient when needed information is stored on an electronic device. Today lots of textbooks, manuals, reference books can be found on the Internet sites and on compact discs.

CD-ROM “Zoology” is designed for high-school students and university entrants. It includes all sections listed in the national standard list for high-school biology course. Besides, a user has an opportunity to test his knowledge. Testing might be managed in different manners and allows a user to find his (her) weak sides. Fun pages will help to relax and bring the emotional condition to a higher level. At the same time, while playing user will be learning the material. Glossary is a big help in finding needed terms and definitions. The CD-ROMs with programmes of tuition being available in the libraries, may considerably increase the opportunities of our readers, make their work more efficient.

Besides CD-ROMs with programs of instruction the electronic teaching manuals, placed on the server may be also used in the process of teaching/Below there is the contents of the information WWW-resource "The Principles of Biology. Interactive Multimedia Internet Manual."

1.Introduction.

2.Procariota family.

3.Zucariota family, nucleate.

4.Fungi family.

5.Plants family.

5.1. Anatomy and morphology of plants.
5.2. Systematic classification of plants.

6.Animal family.

6.1. Unicellular animals.
6.2. Metazoan animals.

7. Tests.

8. Personally.

9. Glossary.

10. Reference Section.

Besides texts for practical studies, illustrations, tests, other sections, characteristic for compact-disks, the manual includes a special part - the reference section which allows to communicate with a pupil in the interactive routine.

Placing interactive training programs on library’s sites is another promising way of work with the readers. In an informational WWW-resource “Basic section of biology. Interactive Internet textbook” is a chapter “Inquiry Office” with questions and answers. User is able to make a search by topics and by key words. In case of the absence of a needed question user can save the question and at a next visit to the site have it answered. Every new question and the answer to it will be added to the data, so the WWW-resource will be constantly enriched and updated.

The specific feature of this electronic textbook is the opportunity of illustration of dynamic phenomena which are hidden from observation in the conditions of a usual educational process. Thus, we can observe the heart activity on the computer monitor. Meanwhile, if we need a specialised equipment for the study of this process at the practical lessons we need a corresponding equipment, test animals (for example, frogs) then the use of electronic manual will ease the introduction of such information both within a given subject area and within other complex areas of the programme. Besides, we should remark that the process of cutting test animals is very complicated and connected with serious ethnic problems.

The use of animated cartoons will enable us to illustrate the heart activity but also to show the evolution of this organ, the differences of its structure with various groups of animals, the specific traits of heart activity under different variants of its structure.

The electronic textbooks enable us to show the event taking place for a long time and which is not possible to be observed in natural conditions. Thus, the students surely know that during the process of seed germination there is a movement of the vegetative parts of plant. But these movements are so slow that they are not perceived by visual observation.

The use of interval video shooting will let us to get the picture of the germination of seeds of different plants in the accelerated variant, to see the peculiarities of the process of water absorption, the germination of seeds, intensity of mouth reflections at various stages of germination.

The study of new terminology is a very complicated and important stage of the subject study. The explanation of a term should be monosemantic. Moreover the pupil should be able to write the term correctly. The pupils very often feel ill at ease to learn new terms, to put them down in written answers and tests. This problems becomes very urgent during entrance exams at the University.

The learning of terms in the process of computer game takes place automatically without supplementary efforts of the pupil himself and mostly with help of multiple exercise of a pupil and firstly- with the help of multiple rehearsal of an exercise. Thus the pupil does not put a task before himself- to learn a new word, to understand its explanation as soon as possible. The acquisition of a new material, the remembering of terms takes place automatically during the game.

One of such games is based on the principles of a well-known TV show" The Field of Wonders". The player receives a task in a form of the text, which represents a definition of the term and a prompt- a series of squares in a quantity equal to a number of letters constituting a word. According to the rules, the letter should be taken from the "basket" and placed into a corresponding square of the prompt. In case of a correct answer, the letter remains in the square and the player receives premium points and may go on trying. If a player makes a mistake, then he receives a point of fine, and the letter "flies away". When a number of points of fine becomes critical, the game stops and the player is told what sections to refer to win next time.

During the game the player may use a prompt. In this case there appears a text from the manual on the screen where the answer to the question of the round may be found. However, even if the right answer doesn't bring premium points, and for the wrong answer the player will fined again as well.

The use of electronic textbooks in the educational process does not mean a complete refusal from traditional methods of instruction. It is just a new practical tool which will help an experienced teacher to achieve a result with less efforts and time, to increase the effectiveness of acquiring the information and to ease the labour of the pupil.

Gavrikov Anatoly Leonidovich, president of NovSU, professor. Mailing Address: Russia, 173003, Novgorod, B.Sankt-Peterburgskaya str., 41, phone 2-72-44, fax 2-41-10, E-mail: gavrikov@novsu.ac.ru

Kurmyshev Nikolay Vasilievitch, Information Technologies pro-rector of NovSU, candidate of technical science, assistant professor. Mailing Address: Russia, 173003, Novgorod, B.Sankt-Peterburgskaya str., 41, phone 2-72-44, fax 2-41-10, E-mail: nikolai@novsu.ac.ru

Semtchouk Nikolay Nikolaevitch, candidate of agricultural science, head of laboratory experimental Botany of NovSU. Mailing Address: Russia, 173014, Novgorod-14, subscriber box 30, phone at work (816 22) 38412 + 37; phone at home (816 22) 5-35-18; Fax (816 22) 2-41-10,
E-mail: snn@novsu.ac.ru

Postelnik Dmitry Yakovlevitch, candidate of technical science, manager of multimedia studio of NovSU, Mailing Address: Russia, 173003, Novgorod, B.Sankt-Peterburgskaya str., 41, phone 2-50-05, E-mail: diap@novsu.ac.ru

Nikolaeva Nadezhda Ivanovna, candidate of biological science, assistant professor E-mail: snn@novsu.ac.ru

Durandin Alexey Ivanovitch, candidate of biological science, assistant professor of Biology Department, phone 38124, E-mail: snn@novsu.ac.ru

Maximova Uliana Nikolaevna, instructor at the Biology Department, phone 30858, E-mail: snn@novsu.ac.ru

New computer based technologies are being used in libraries for not a long period of time. However, we find it very convenient when needed information is stored on an electronic device.

Today lots of textbooks, manuals, reference books can be found on the Internet sites and on compact discs.

CD-ROM “Zoology” is designed for high-school students and university entrants. It includes all sections listed in the national standard list for high-school biology course. Besides, a user has an opportunity to test his knowledge. Testing might be managed in different manners and allows a user to find his (her) weak sides. Fun pages will help to relax and bring the emotional condition to a higher level. At the same time, while playing user will be learning the material. Glossary is a big help in finding needed terms and definitions.

Placing interactive training programs on library’s sites is another promising way of work with the readers. In an informational www-source “Basic section of biology. Interactive Internet textbook” is a chapter “Inquiry Office” with questions and answers. User is able to make a search by topics and by key words. In case of the absence of a needed question user can save the question and at a next visit to the site have it answered. Every new question and the answer to it will be added to the data, so the www-source will be constantly enriched and updated.