Frequently Asked Questions

What hardware requirements are there to run Pearson eText? What if I have old computers-can I still use it? Does it use Flash technology?

You require an Internet connection and the latest Flash Player to use Pearson eText in your browser. You can also use the Pearson eText app on your iPad, which requires iOS 4.2 or higher. Title subscription must be done outside of the app.

How much bandwidth does it take? Will it run efficiently in a computer lab with 30 students?

Yes, it runs from a web page, so it would be like 30 students all visiting the same web page at the same time. There should be no performance issues.

Can it work on dial-up?

Yes it will work, but will be slow to load just like most other web pages on dial up.

Can it be used with personal student smartphones and iPod touch specifically?

At the moment, Pearson eText will work on the iPad, via the Pearson eText app. Pearson eText will not work on smartphones (or iPod touch) yet. We will have an Android app available by the end of 2011.

How do I get the Pearson eText app?

You can download the free Pearson eText app from iTunes. It requires iPad iOS 4.2 and a valid Pearson eText username and password. Note that not all titles are available yet on the iPad. You will need to register for your Pearson eText online before accessing it on your iPad.

Does it have embedded email teacher to student and student to student?

No, there is no embedded email program. The only way to communicate is by a teacher sharing notes with students.

Can students work collaboratively in Pearson eText?

Each student must log in individually, so there is no way to work collaboratively yet. We are working on creating a way for students to share notes with each other on their desktops. On the iPad, students can work collaboratively by creating and sharing their notes via a 'Study Group.'

What is a 'Study Group' on the iPad?

A Study Group allows you to share notes with other students when you're sitting around a table or connected to the same WiFi network. You tap �Create� to start a new Study Group, or tap �Join� to join an existing Study Group.

Can teachers send notes to individual students?

No, not through the note-sharing tool. A possible solution is for a teacher to login to a student's eText (using the student's login information) and leave a note for the student on a particular page.

Will more content be added to eText? How will teachers be advised of new content?

Yes, more content and upgrades are constantly being added to Pearson eText. Watch for announcements on the login page (www.pearsoncanada.ca/pearsonetext).

Will there be new functionality added to Pearson eText? What is planned? When might it be added? How will teachers be advised of the changes?

New functionality is constantly being added to eText. Some recent enhancements include a new bookshelf, a new notes manager, a new audio player, a new interactive glossary, new whiteboard functionality, and improved search function. Check the New Features tab on www.pearsoncanada.ca/pearsonetext. Version 1.1 of the iPad app is now live, and we are expecting an Android app by the end of 2011.

Are there Smart lessons built in to Pearson eText? Will there be?

There are some eTexts that contain Smart Lessons, but not all eTexts have them.

Can the content in Pearson eText be used with Smart Notebook?

No, Smart Notebook requires PDF files, and our eTexts are Flash based.

Can you cut and paste the content in Pearson eText into other programs like Word?

No, you cannot.

Can a student view another student's eText?

The only way a student can gain access to another student's eText is through sharing of login information. Also, no more than 2 users can be logged in to the same eText at the same time.

Can access codes be sent electronically allowing a teacher to cut and paste the code when registering a class?

Right now all our access codes are printed on access cards. Sending the codes electronically is something that we are looking into for the future.

What happens when an access code expires for students? Do teachers lose their work from year to year? How do teachers save/access their work from year to year? If a teacher changes school mid-year, what happens to that teacher access?

When an account expires, the student or teacher will no longer have access to Pearson eText or their notes and work. In order to maintain access to notes and work, a user will need to renew their account with a new access code before their existing account expires. If a teacher changes school mid-year, the account is supposed to stay with their original school. So, a teacher would have to share their login information with their original school. If a teacher chooses to take their account with them to the new school, the original school would need to purchase a new teacher account.

I'm a teacher. Can I track what my students are doing on Pearson eText such as time on, content accessed, etc.?

Right now, we do not have any way of tracking and reporting usage.

Will Pearson eText work with any text reader software? Which ones?

We are not familiar with the functionality of all text readers. If your text reader will work with Flash-based web pages, then there should be no issues.