I'm working through my high school chemistry, physics, and biology textbooks in a self-directed manner, as I hope to challenge my provincial exams without taking the associated courses.
Working from PDF copies of my textbooks has proven surprisingly comfortable, and has offered benefits over their dead-tree brethren. Though my first read of the material is usually in the paper version of the book (if only so that I may escape my computer chair), my second note-taking pass is always from the digital copy, for I've found taking notes easier when the material is on-screen and adjacent to my text editor. Taking screenshots of illuminating diagrams and inserting them into my notes is much faster than re-sketching the diagrams by hand. The ability to search the book's text rather than thumbing through an index is appreciated. The PDF version of my physics textbook is made available on its associated Web site ( http://physicssource.ca/ ) -- the electronic copy provided there is the latest printing, which resolves numerous ambiguities and errors present in my paper copy's earlier printing.
The only downside I've encountered is the manner in which an electronic textbook tethers me to my computer. In your daughter's school's case, I doubt that this would prove a handicap to most students, so long as they were given access to their textbooks outside of school. Ideally, the textbook should be provided in an open format such as PDF or HTML -- not one of the proprietary, DRM-encumbered formats favoured by some publishers.
Working from PDF copies of my textbooks has proven surprisingly comfortable, and has offered benefits over their dead-tree brethren. Though my first read of the material is usually in the paper version of the book (if only so that I may escape my computer chair), my second note-taking pass is always from the digital copy, for I've found taking notes easier when the material is on-screen and adjacent to my text editor. Taking screenshots of illuminating diagrams and inserting them into my notes is much faster than re-sketching the diagrams by hand. The ability to search the book's text rather than thumbing through an index is appreciated. The PDF version of my physics textbook is made available on its associated Web site ( http://physicssource.ca/ ) -- the electronic copy provided there is the latest printing, which resolves numerous ambiguities and errors present in my paper copy's earlier printing.
The only downside I've encountered is the manner in which an electronic textbook tethers me to my computer. In your daughter's school's case, I doubt that this would prove a handicap to most students, so long as they were given access to their textbooks outside of school. Ideally, the textbook should be provided in an open format such as PDF or HTML -- not one of the proprietary, DRM-encumbered formats favoured by some publishers.