West Kentucky Community and Technical College Embraces Elsevier's Digital Textbook Platform for Radiography Program

ST. LOUIS, October 19, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

Elsevier's Pageburst platform to be utilized in several of college's curriculum, including noted Radiography Program

Elsevier, the leading global provider of scientific, technical, and medical information products and services, announced today that West Kentucky Community and Technical College (WKCTC), a member of the Kentucky Community and Technical College System and a public, two-year, degree-granting institution located in Paducah, KY., has been using and will renew Elsevier's digital textbook suite for students in WKCTC's Radiography Program in 2012.

WKCTC's Radiography Program prepares students for a career as a diagnostics radiographer through a 22-month program consisting of four semesters and one summer intersession. During the program, students take various courses that utilize Elsevier's Pageburst™, a content delivery platform that allows users access to an entire library of Elsevier's digital textbooks. Pageburst gives instructors the opportunity to integrate their lecture notes within the digital textbook, providing students with a comprehensive overview of the topic and additional highlights from the instructor.

"The digital textbooks are simple to set up and very easy to use," said Mandy Russell, a first-year student at WKCTC. "As students we have really benefited from the information our professor has highlighted in the digital textbook and called special attention to for upcoming quizzes, tests and important subjects. Ultimately, the digital textbook capabilities help you learn more efficiently."

David Heflin, Radiography Program Director, has seen more interaction among students after the use of Elsevier's digital textbooks. According to Heflin, although the print-to-electronic shift can present some challenges, "the pay off, such as engagement of students and efficient board preparation, is rewarding."

"Not only are students receiving more information in a portable, electronic method, but these digital textbooks are also cost-efficient," said Heflin. "Our goal within the Radiography Program is to have the highest pass rate the first time around when the students take the national boards, and I believe that with the digital textbooks and the Pageburst program we are able to work towards that goal more effectively."

Available for all health education programs, Pageburst provides an entire library of content for instructors and students that they can access anytime, anywhere. Pageburst allows educators to match their content to their curriculum in a way that transforms reading into a more enriching experience while improving outcomes and addressing varying learning styles in the classroom.

"The convenient part of Pageburst is that it works both online and off - through a mobile device or computer - so students can access all materials 24/7, while instructors can plan ahead for their curriculum," said Tom Wilhelm, Elsevier's Vice President, eSolutions for Nursing. "It gives users the ability to be proactive and think ahead with their studies to effectively excel in their program, all while encouraging interaction between students and professors."

For more information about Pageburst, visit: http://www.elsevieradvantage.com/pageburst

About West Kentucky Community and Technical College

West Kentucky Community and Technical College (WKCTC) is a member of the Kentucky Community and Technical College System and is a public, two-year, degree-granting institution. Recently named as one of the top 10 community colleges by the Aspen Institute's College Excellence Program, the college is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools  to award associate degrees. WKCTC is a community-based college close to home with a caring faculty and staff who will help meet education and career goals.

About Elsevier

Elsevier is a world-leading provider of scientific, technical and medical information products and services. The company works in partnership with the global science and health communities to publish more than 2,000 journals, including The Lancet and Cell, and close to 20,000 book titles, including major reference works from Mosby and Saunders. Elsevier's online solutions include SciVerse ScienceDirect, SciVerse Scopus, Reaxys, MD Consult and Nursing Consult, which enhance the productivity of science and health professionals, and the SciVal suite and MEDai's Pinpoint Review, which help research and health care institutions deliver better outcomes more cost-effectively.

A global business headquartered in Amsterdam, Elsevier employs 7,000 people worldwide. The company is part of Reed Elsevier Group PLC, a world-leading publisher and information provider, which is jointly owned by Reed Elsevier PLC and Reed Elsevier NV. The ticker symbols are REN (Euronext Amsterdam), REL (London Stock Exchange), RUK and ENL (New York Stock Exchange).

Media contact
Tom Reller
Vice President Global Corporate Relations, Elsevier
+1-215-239-3508
t.reller@Elsevier.com