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ISSN No. 2454-6186 | DOI: 10.47772/IJRISS | Volume IX Issue X October 2025
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The Impact of Google Play Books on Enhancing E-Learning and
Digital Education: A Review
Muhammad Hisyamudin Baharudin
Department of Creative Multimedia and Computing, Faculty of Management and Informatics, Sultan
Ahmad Shah Pahang Islamic University (UnIPSAS)
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2025.910000700
Received: 26 October 2025; Accepted: 01 November 2025; Published: 21 November 2025
ABSTRACT
Google Play Books is an online platform provided by Google inside the Google Play Store that consists of variety
e-books available for download and reading on mobile devices. Google Play Books offers a wide variety of e-
book genres to suit different tastes and interests. Some of them are fiction, non-fiction, mystery & thriller,
children’s books, science & technology, health & wellness and education & reference. This review paper aims to
study the impact of using Google Play Books on enhancing e-learning and online education. The methodology
uses is a literature review study from 10 sources consisting of jurnal articles from Google Scholar and
ResearchGate using three keywords which are “Google Play Book”, “E-Learning” and “Online Education”.
Findings from this literature study indicate that Google Play Books positively influences e-learning and online
education. It can be divided into two analyzed topic which are Enhancing Learning Process among students and
Developing Digital Educational Contents made by teachers and educators.
Keyword: Google Play Book, E-Book, Education, E-Learning, Online Education
INTRODUCTION
Education and learning processes are influenced by advancements in Internet and network technology. The
contents of education are made available in the Internet and can be accessed anywhere using laptop or mobile
devices. This situation makes the learning process more dynamic, flexible and not limited to the physical formal
places such as schools and universities. The online education model encompasses the creation, publication, and
distribution of digital contents including e-books, audiobooks, and digital magazines (Bhakuni, 2023).
Educational applications enable students to learn independently and customised to their preferences while
teachers using widely known online tools such as Quizlet, Google Play Books, My Script Calculator 2, tools in
Khan Academy, etc. (Sumathi, 2022). At the same time, according to Anggraeni & Hellena (2023), educators can
effectively improve students’ understanding of narrative literature in the classroom by utilizing Google Play
Books..
In the current digital era, Google Play Books is one of the most influential electronic book platforms provided by
Google, allowing users to access and read digital books conveniently. It can be accessed using Google Play Store
that enables user to buy, download and read e-books using Google Play Store (Arifin et al., 2023). It offers
millions of e-books and audiobooks across various categories, with some available for free (Anggraeni & Hellena,
2023) therefore it is the world’s largest online book marketplace provider supported in 79 countries (Lestari &
Ammah, 2021). This online platform provides easier and faster access to a variety of reading materials (Primariz
& Solihati, 2024) hence, it becomes a great place to find e-books and serve as an alternative for readers in seeking
references as these books are under the copyright of the publishers. Bhakuni (2023) explains that this approach
enables e-book authors to publish their content independently, bypassing traditional publishers using online
platforms like Apple’s iBooks, Google Play Books, and Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing which provide the
necessary tools and services for authors to create, publish, and distribute their e-books.
Using Google Play Books in education supported by a report in 2020 on student mobile device usage reveals a
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN SOCIAL SCIENCE (IJRISS)
ISSN No. 2454-6186 | DOI: 10.47772/IJRISS | Volume IX Issue X October 2025
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significant increase in smartphone and tablet ownership among college students in America, alongside a decline
in laptop ownership. This trend highlights the increasing significance of mobile applications in the realm of higher
education. (Queendarline & Chioma, 2023). Meanwhile, according to Hsiao & Bomhold (2013), smartphones are
boosting e-book sales in India, using free apps for reading e-books like Aldiko, Rockstand, Kobo, Flyte, Google
Play Books, and Kindle outperforming standalone devices.
While previous studies have explored the impact of e-books in education, limited research has specifically
examined the role of Google Play Books in enhancing e-learning. Most existing literature focuses on general e-
book platforms without addressing the unique features and challenges associated with Google Play Books.
Furthermore, there is a lack of empirical studies assessing how Google Play Books contributes to students’
engagement and teachers’ content development. This study aims to bridge this gap by analyzing the effectiveness
of Google Play Books in supporting e-learning and digital content creation.
Therefore, this paper seeks to assess the impact of utilizing Google Play Books to improve the educational process
in terms of reading habits among students in schools and universities as well as electronic content development
among educators. The structure of the paper is as follows: firstly, the methodology used in the review is outlined;
secondly, presentation of the findings from the reviewed papers; followed by discussion; and finally, possible
conclusions are provided.
This study is significant as it addresses the growing shift towards digital learning by examining the role of Google
Play Books in enhancing e-learning. While previous research has explored the benefits of e-books, limited studies
have specifically focused on Google Play Books as a platform for digital education. By analyzing its impact on
students’ engagement and teachers’ content development, this research provides valuable insights into how digital
book platforms can support more flexible and accessible learning experiences. The findings of this study can
contribute to the field of education by informing educators, policymakers, and technology developers about the
effectiveness of Google Play Books in digital learning environments."
METHODOLOGY
This research was conducted using a structured literature review method to ensure an objective selection process.
The study focuses on articles related to enhancing reading habits and developing digital educational content. The
journal search was performed on Google Scholar and ResearchGate using predefined keywords: "Google Play
Books", "Electronic Learning", and "Online Education" to retrieve relevant journal articles.
Initially, over twenty papers were identified. To minimize selection bias, a structured filtering process was
applied. Only empirical studies published in peer-reviewed journals between 2013 – 2024 were considered.
Articles that lacked empirical evidence or were not directly relevant to the research objectives were excluded.
This approach ensures that the selection process is transparent, consistent, and based on objective criteria.
Ultimately, ten papers were selected and categorized into two groups: Table 1 – Enhancing Learning Process and
Table 2 – Developing Digital Educational Content.
FINDINGS
Through the analysis of available sources, the research identified two primary themes: enhancing learning process
and developing digital educational contents, which are presented in following tables.
Table 1 Enhancing Learning Process
No.
Author
Title
Research Objectives
Findings
1
(Anggraeni
& Hellena,
2023)
Enhance Tenth
Grade Students'
Reading
Comprehension
To look into how well
tenth-grade students'
reading comprehension
of narrative texts was
Google Play Books effectively
enhances tenth-grade students'
reading comprehension of
narrative texts, despite some
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN SOCIAL SCIENCE (IJRISS)
ISSN No. 2454-6186 | DOI: 10.47772/IJRISS | Volume IX Issue X October 2025
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Of Narrative Text
Using Google Play
Books
improved by Google
Play Books
technical challenges and
language proficiency issues that
teachers and students need to
overcome.
2
(Hori et al.,
2016)
A Suitable m-
Learning System
using e-Book
for Developing
Countries
To study the possibilities
of e-book reader called
CHiLO Reader can
diversify learning
platform
The CHiLO Reader system has
shown significant adoption in
developing countries,
particularly in rural areas where
Internet access is limited. This is
reflected in the high number of
downloads from regions such as
Indonesia, Thailand, and the
Philippines, suggesting its
potential suitability for learners
in these areas
3
(Hsiao &
Bomhold,
2013)
E-books in the
Mobile Age:
Advocacy and
Acceptance in
India
To investigate the
popularity of e-books in
India and their potential
to reach a wide audience
through the growing use
of mobile devices for
digital content
consumption
The recent trend of reading e-
books on portable devices in
India is expected to significantly
grow, driven by the digitization
of regional language content and
the emergence of new writing
talent
4
(Lestari &
Ammah,
2021)
Pendidikan
Literasi Digital
Melalui Media
Google Play
Books
To investigate that digital
literacy education is
being enhanced via
Google Play Books by
gaining a deeper
understanding of the
application’s features
Digital literacy enables authors
to swiftly and conveniently
publish their books, with Google
Play Books being one of the
available platforms
5
(Primariz
& Solihati,
2024)
Pengaruh
Penggunaan
Aplikasi Google
Play Book
Terhadap Minat
Baca Siswa Kelas
VII SMP Negeri
150 Jakarta
This research seeks to
improve students’
comprehension and
interest in reading
through the use of the
Google Play Books app
Implementing the Google Play
Books app significantly boosts
the reading interest of seventh-
grade students at SMP Negeri
150 Jakarta, especially in the
experimental group, class VII-B.
6
(Queendarl
ine &
Chioma,
2023)
Awareness and
Use of Innovative
Educational
Mobile
Applications
among Students of
To examine how students
at Rivers State
University are aware of
and use innovative
educational mobile apps
This study indicate that students
at Rivers State University exhibit
limited awareness and usage of
mobile applications that could
enhance their academic
performance
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN SOCIAL SCIENCE (IJRISS)
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Rivers State
University
to boost their academic
productivity
7
(Sumathi,
2022)
Innovative
Teaching
Strategies
To showcase some of
the newest strategies
implemented in the
teaching and learning
process
Literature
review
Innovative teaching strategies
are essential to meet the needs of
today’s learners and keep them
engaged in the learning process
8
(Alshehri,
2021)
Effectiveness of
E-Book in
Improving
Academic
Performance and
Attitudes toward
Mathematic
To assess if using an e-
book can enhance
academic performance
and foster more positive
attitudes towards
learning Mathematics
Quantitative
Study
Students who utilized an e-book
for learning math showed greater
improvement in their
performance compared to those
who relied on a traditional
textbook
Table 2 Developing Digital Educational Contents
No.
Author
Title
Research Objectives
Methodology
Findings
1
(Anggraeni &
Hellena,
2023)
Enhance Tenth Grade
Students' Reading
Comprehension Of
Narrative Text Using
Google Play Books
To study the
challenges that
teachers and students
encountered when
utilizing Google Play
Books in the
classroom
A mixed methods
utilizes both
qualitative and
quantitative
methods as
outlined by
Creswell and
Clark (2007)
The teacher’s challenges are
primarily technological,
including issues with some
students’ smartphone
applications and the
projector screen.
2
(Arifin et al.,
2023)
Pelatihan Penerbitan
Perangkat
Pembelajaran Fisika
melalui Google Play
Books
To offer participants in
gaining essential
knowledge and skills,
address technical
issues, receive clear
instructions, enhance
the quality of their
uploaded teaching
materials, and
recognize the
advantages of
publishing their work
on Google Play Books
A mixed methods
consists of
webinars and
training sessions
on publishing
educational
materials on
Google Play
Books followed by
questionnaires
reflecting the
training results
Participants gained essential
knowledge and skills,
resolved technical issues,
received clear instructions,
enhanced the quality of their
uploaded teaching
materials, and recognized
the advantages of
publishing their work on
Google Play Books
3
(Bhakuni,
2023)
Application Of
Artificial Intelligence
On Human Resource
Management In
Information
Technolgy Industry
In India
To study the potential
of Artificial
Intelligence (AI) in
revolutionize the way
publishers create,
distribute and
monetize their content.
Literature review
The self-publishing model
enables authors to
independently publish their
content, bypassing
traditional publishers. It
provides the necessary tools
and services for authors to
create, publish, and
distribute their own e-books
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN SOCIAL SCIENCE (IJRISS)
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A. Enhancing Learning Process
In this era of rapid technological advancement, the field of teaching and learning is also leveraging available
technology. Moving away from conventional learning methods, students are now utilizing mobile devices,
wireless Internet connectivity, e-learning applications, and digital content to enhance their learning process. This
makes learning more engaging and accessible from anywhere, without being confined to specific times.
(Queendarline & Chioma, 2023) conducted a study on students' awareness of educational mobile applications in
Rivers State University. Their findings revealed that while students widely use mobile applications for various
purposes, awareness of academic-related apps remains low. Among the applications surveyed, e-book platforms
such as Google Play Books and Amazon Kindle were included, but the study primarily focused on general mobile
learning trends rather than an in-depth analysis of Google Play Books itself.
Digital literacy education can be developed and strengthened by engaging with a variety of information and
communication via digital media especially Google Play Books. This medium facilitates the development of
digital literacy education to achieve its objectives of understanding, creating, and effectively collaborating with
technology (Lestari & Ammah, 2021).
For example, according to Hori et al. (2016), a new educational platform named Creative Higher Education with
Learning Objects (CHiLO) that incorporates an e-book has been downloaded in 103 countries and regions,
comprising EPUB from OUJ-MOOC in 94 countries, Google Play Books in 46 countries, HTML5 from OUJ-
MOOC in 86 countries, and iBooks Store in 34 countries and regions.
Simultaneously, in India, the learning process has shifted into utilizing e-books such as Google Play Books due
to high cost of printed version of academic physical books. Libraries at many educational institutions are
acquiring a substantial number of e-books through consortia. The two primary consortia are INDEST-AICTE for
technical institutions and UGC INFONET for universities (Hsiao & Bomhold, 2013).
Meanwhile in Indonesia, a study by Anggraeni & Hellena (2023) demonstrates that using Google Play Books
effectively aids tenth-grade students in reading and comprehending narrative texts. The data analysis confirms
the reliability of the research instrument. The test results indicate a significant improvement in students’ reading
comprehension, as evidenced by the post-test scores being substantially higher than the pre-test scores.
The Google Play Books app greatly assists both students and teachers in literacy and educational activities by
providing easy access to reference books. In the current technological age, mobile phones are a daily necessity
for everyone, including students. Therefore, Google Play Books has significantly boosted the reading interest of
seventh-grade students at SMP Negeri 150 Jakarta, particularly in the experimental group, class VII-B. (Primariz
& Solihati, 2024).
In addition, a survey made in Abha, Saudi Arabia towards 56 students in 7th Grade from two middle schools has
shown that students who utilized an e-book for learning Mathematics demonstrated greater performance
improvements compared to those who relied on traditional textbooks. Furthermore, according to Alshehri (2021),
after experiencing the e-book, students’ attitudes towards using it for learning Mathematics became significantly
more favorable.
B. Developing Digital Educational Contents
Google Play Books as an online e-book reading application also offers significant benefits to educators in
preparing their teaching materials. It can be used as a student-friendly teaching aid, enabling students to read
notes, review lessons, or complete exercises online without time and place constraints. Consequently, teachers
and educators will develop and provide digital learning content that can be accessed through Google Play Books.
In Indonesia, Physics teachers in schools have acquired new insights into developing and publishing teaching
materials on Google Play Books (Lestari & Ammah, 2021). E-books serve as learning resources in physics
education, allowing teachers to create and publish their materials. Therefore, Google Play Books helps the
community especially students to access new information and knowledge.
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At the same time, Physics teachers faced no challenges in publishing their teaching materials on Google Play
Books. This according to Arifin et al. (2023) indicates the success of the initiative after training and exposure
have been made to 385 participants or teachers.
C. Challenges
Besides the advantages and acceptance of Google Play Books in educational sector, it also facing challenges in
using it. Google Play Books which is powered by Internet technology and mobile applications, also encounters
challenges that impede or diminish its usage. Various factors and reasons have been examined to support this
assertion.
An observation made in India shows that multi-functional devices are favored over those solely designed as e-
readers. The digital platform is also noted to strain the eyes, leading to headaches and blurred vision. Furthermore,
online books necessitate expensive Wi-Fi networks and can become obsolete with the advent of new technologies
(Hsiao & Bomhold, 2013).
Furthermore, according to Queendarline & Chioma (2023) based on the study’s findings, it was determined that
students at Rivers State University exhibit low awareness and usage of mobile applications designed to enhance
academic performance. Additionally, students tend to use social and entertainment mobile applications more
frequently than those oriented towards academics.
Meanwhile, (Queendarline & Chioma, 2023) have highlighted the necessity for greater awareness, enhanced
application quality, and targeted interventions to fully leverage these applications for boosting academic
productivity.
DISCUSSION
The review of Google Play Books’ impact on enhancing e-learning and online education reveals several key
insights. As current students in schools, universities and other learning institutions own mobile gadgets such as
smartphone and tablet which have connection to the Internet, they can access various e-books available in Google
Play Books. These e-books are accessible anytime and anywhere through mobile devices, enabling students to
enhance their learning experience more flexibly. Despite conventional printed lecture notes and physical text
books that need to be carried together, Google Play Books overcome all those difficulties so that students can be
more focus on their study.
Empirical findings have demonstrated that e-books significantly enhance academic performance and students'
attitudes towards learning. For instance, a study by (Alshehri, 2021) involving 56 Seventh Grade students found
that those who used e-books achieved greater improvements in their posttest scores compared to those using
traditional textbooks (Mean improvement: 9.28 vs. 7.90, p = 0.049). Additionally, students’ attitudes towards
learning improved significantly after using e-books (pretest: 11.50; posttest: 18.36, p < 0.001). These findings
suggest that the accessibility and interactive nature of e-books can positively impact students' engagement and
learning outcomes
Simultaneously, we realize that Google Play Books is also accepted by the teachers and educators as their teaching
aid in diversify their teaching and learning process. Teachers who know the potential of Google Play Books could
develop their teaching contents digitally and uploaded them to the platform. Moreover, they will know how many
copies of their e-book have been downloaded and at the same time they can make profit if they sell them to the
students.
The adoption of e-books is not only beneficial to students but also to educators. A study by (Arifin et al., 2023)
found that teachers acknowledged the potential of Google Play Books in supporting differentiated learning and
digital content development. A survey conducted among Physics teachers revealed that 57.8% agreed that training
on publishing teaching materials through Google Play Books was applicable in classroom teaching, while 60.9%
found the training materials clear and comprehensive. Additionally, the ability to publish e-books without the
need for printing costs allows teachers to share their educational resources more effectively while potentially
generating additional income. These findings suggest that Google Play Books serves as a valuable platform for
educators, facilitating content creation and digital learning.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN SOCIAL SCIENCE (IJRISS)
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LIMITATIONS AND FUTURE STUDIES
Since the number of research and review papers on this topic were very limited, this review paper didn’t focus
on the comprehensive aspect of impacts made by Google Play Books towards enhancing e-learning process and
online education. This review primarily highlights the accessibility and benefits of Google Play Books but does
not extensively explore the challenges students may face when using digital learning resources.
Future research could focus on identifying specific barriers to adoption, such as Internet connectivity issues,
digital literacy levels, and student engagement with e-books compared to traditional materials. Investigating these
factors would provide a more balanced understanding of the effectiveness of Google Play Books in educational
settings.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, while Google Play Books has the potential to significantly enhance e-learning and online
education, its effectiveness is contingent upon addressing several critical challenges. Increasing awareness and
training on the use of digital tools, improving the quality and accessibility of digital resources, and developing
targeted interventions to support diverse learning needs are essential steps forward. By addressing these
limitations, Google Play Books can become a more integral part of the educational landscape, fostering a more
inclusive and effective learning environment for all students. Future research and continuous improvement of the
platform will be crucial in realizing its full potential in the realm of online education.
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