Thursday, October 28, 2010
The Future of the Textbook
When a technological shock is ushered into an industry economists examine what the ramifications are. This is an excellent example, and if your stuck on a final position paper this may give you some ideas. In addition if you are writing about the music industry or journalism there may be some correlations here. The old way of doing things has changed. How do we move on? (this is not an economists, but it is a great read for this type of class)
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Jenna Smith TR 8am
ReplyDeleteI understand that e-textbooks are probably the most economic way to go in regards of cheaper prices and less trees being produced for the paper, but really reading on a computer screen is very hard for most people. I get that you can print the book on your own after purchase or ownership, but seriously who wants to pay for that much ink for a whole text book. Also reading in general is hard for me especially a course textbook—and then on the computer it will be like, “oh hello facebook!” and being even more distracted by the temptations of anything other than my textbook. Print is hard enough to fight those temptations, but it takes more effort to leave the book and do something else while on the computer it is just a click away. In addition, I like to read in comfy places or positions and let’s face it cuddling up with a laptop is not ideal—its bulky, gets hot, and I get headaches easily from the screen. Overall, I would personally hate if they switched to e-textbooks.
I am one of those student who always tries to avoid purchasing new textbooks from the bookstore. If I shop in the bookstore at all it is for used books or a often buy them online from a previous owner. I also find copies of my textbooks at the universities library and even have gone to public libraries for textbooks. I do not support the idea of charging a mandatory course fee for the online version of the book because I have had many classes that the book was not necessary to the class OR I needed a printed copy, in both cases the e-textbook would not be ideal and if I had to pay for it regardless I would not be happy. I also find it easier to focus when the text is in print. Between blackboard assignments, blog posts, and especially for me as a media arts major I spend 95% of my time on computers editing, illustrating, creating motion graphic and writing papers not to mention my leisurely web surfing. Reading from an actual paper is a nice change of scenery.
ReplyDeleteMax Ufberg
ReplyDeleteMWF
2:00-2:50
I find this article very interesting, especially because it correlates to the music industry - the field I am very much interested in joining. I do genuinely believe that the music industry will grow again, but it has to learn to adapt to the times. After all, if the music industry had not simply tried to shut down the mp3 industry, instead of learning to utilize the new technology, they could have controlled the industry. Now, I think there will be far fewer record labels, as the (smaller) ones are basically made obsolete with the internet. Labels are basically middle men between the band the listener, and with the rise of sites like myspace and youtube, bands can promote themselves online and potentially make more of a profit. In this regard, I think the music industry is going to become less CD recording-based for profit. Perhaps the industry will begin to converge more with other media industries, or maybe concerts will really become the focus. Either way, like with textbooks, the music business must learn to adapt to the changing technologies.
I think that being charged for online textbooks is unnecessary. I personally love hard copies of books and do not enjoy everything going electronic. Yes it would be "green" and more economically friendly, but for me personally it would be upsetting. I think that for many people electronic textbooks are the way to go, but let it be a choice and dont make it so that you have to pay regardless. Nowadays we have to change everything to meet the expectations of modern technology all I ask is that we get to keep our paper newspapers, magazines and textbooks. As far as the price goes, I am a stickler when it comes to finding cheap textbooks and it is easy to do when looking for a printed copy. As mentioned before me reading from paper is a nice change to the everyday technologically based lifestyles we live.
ReplyDeleteJasmin Eales
MWF
Kevin Rupnarine
ReplyDeleteMWF
I understand why some colleges would want this new change; from print books to e-books. It's what Mirta Martin said in the article, that some people try their hardest not to do with a textbook and thus fail the class. It makes sense to me that a professor buys the text in bulk online so the students get it at a discount rate, but it's added in course fees or university fees, which bleeds in a previous blog, one about charging extra for stuff one may not need. In most of my classes, I hardly opened the required text yet, not because I don't have it (which I do, unfortunately, I paid a pretty penny for them) but because the professor never checks to see if we have it or not. That angers me a bit, that I bought a college text book that I'd never read an isn't useful. I guess that's why I prefer the current style of buying books, you could buy it when you need it, as opposed to the proposed idea of buying a e-book (which you may not use) at the beginning of the semester.
I feel that the title of the article, “To Save Students Money, Colleges May Force a Switch to E-Textbooks“ gives a false sense of what it means for all students to save money. Personally, I would probably wind up paying more money than I do now for two reasons: 1) I typically buy used textbooks from the book store or order them online, and 2) I would wind up paying the standard course-materials fee as well as the cost of printing out the electronic version on paper or buying my own separate book. If the cost per course really were as low as $35 or $20 at Virginia State, I would probably be okay with it. However, as economic theory suggests, as the market became more appealing to buyers, the demand would go up and so then would the cost. But this might be counteracted depending on how many suppliers entered the market and also what new technology is formed to distribute or support the e-textbooks. Further, as an Education major I am hyperaware of different students’ learning styles, and I know that being forced to read a textbook online or to have to pay extra money would be detrimental to learning for some. Personally I prefer to make notes on the margin of the text and to highlight important concepts and this is a difficult thing to do if you are not technologically savvy enough to transform the text into an active document online. On the contrary, I do understand and feel sympathetic for the textbook publishing companies who lose money due to the used-book market and the illegal reproduction of digital copies. I also understand that the cost of producing textbooks can run very high and that the resources to make paper could be re-distributed to benefit society in a more positive way, such as building parks with trees.
ReplyDeleteZach Martin
ReplyDeleteMWF 2-250
One can only hope the looming idea of digital textbooks throughout every college campus will scare the book publishers into lowering the ridiculous prices for these textbooks. However, there are pros and cons to digital textbooks. I personally like to have a hard copy of a book so I can mark it up and use it how I'd like. Also, I find it more difficult to read a digital book in comparison with a regular book. However, if there was a way to circumnavigate school's charging in the tuition for digital textbooks, it would be great for students. We would easily be able to download copies of these books instead of shelling out whatever ridiculous price we'll more than likely be charged for it. I know I personally have no qualms with screwing over the book companies. They've been doing it to students for years now.
Kimberly Boyd MWF 2:00-2:50
ReplyDeleteI find this article very interesting. I feel that electronic textbooks are something that cannot be stopped, and eventually they will happen. There are already millions of people who read books online, especially now that the iPad is out, which is much more accessible and easier to read than on a home computer, for instance. However, I do not think that I would benefit from textbooks being switched to online copies. For one, I usually share my textbooks with my roommates, which cuts the price in half, sometimes in three ways. Also, if I do not do this, I buy my books off of websites where I can get them cheaper used, like Amazon. Also, this year, Temple started “renting textbooks”, so that they are cheaper than the new or used version, and you could return them at the end of the year. I’m also a person that benefits from highlighting in textbooks and making notes. So, an electronic version would not benefit me because I would either have to buy my own, or print out copies of all the readings, which would end up costing me more money. Also, there’s a fee that all students will be charged for the electronic copies of the book, which is supposed to be cheaper, but will also give the publishers a guaranteed income on the texts, which doesn’t always happen with paperback textbooks. However, what if a teacher doesn’t require a textbook, but it is still on the book list, for that students benefit. Will they still be charged a fee even if they technically don’t need the book? I understand the impact that publishing companies are going through now, like the article stated, with students not buying books or downloading illegal versions, and I’m also sympathetic to students, like myself, struggling to pay for their books every semester. However, I do not believe that e-textbooks will benefit all students, and I think that they should be more of an option, than a requirement, like this article suggests. However, because I understand how much technology is changing in this day and age, I believe that e-textbooks will definitely be taking over college campuses in the near future.
E-books are the most economical and cheapest way of obtaining the books, but it’s the least efficient and productive. It’s very hard to read book on a computer on which internet accesses is available. Many people especially I find it hard to concentrate and focus on reading book on computer while distracted by other social networking website, music, games, videos, etc. I think that college should not mandatory charge students for the accesses of the E-Textbooks because some students would find it a waste of their money. This will help in save tress and the cost of printing books on paper. But why not make the cost of the textbooks cheaper instead of E-Textbooks, the actual paper books are portable and easy to read as well as less distracting than on computer. But I think the technology will change and make E-Books mandatory, although it’s cheaper for me to buy a print version of the book rather than an E-Book. So, I personally would go with a print book rather than an E-Book.
ReplyDeleteMuktak Tripathi
MWF, 2:00-2:50 P.M.
Hattie Cheek
ReplyDeleteAE TR 8AM
I would actually like if we had more E-Textbooks. It would be cheaper and more accessible. The book store runs out of books quickly, and waiting for a book to arive in the mail can take up to a month, unless you pay a wamping sum in shipping of course. I understand looking at a computer screen isn't always eay for some people but they do it all day anyway. Instead of looking up facebook they can read for their classes. I still enjoy the hands on of reading a book. The abiltiy to write on the pages and make highlighted areas is also important to me. I think they could come up with a program that would allow you to take the notes that you normally could do with a regular text book. The only down side i see, is again, the possible head ache you could recieve by reading everything online.
Ashley Gennett T/Th 8-9:20
ReplyDeleteI am a student who hates buying new text books, and I avoid it at all costs. I try my hardest to buy books that have been previously owned online, and with that I can definitely sell them back at the end of the semester, unlike with the Temple Bookstore. With that being said, if I am to have an online textbook, I don;t think I would want to pay for it. The prices would be outrageous for something that is digital and not in my hands. I think that this is one way things are starting to change, but for right now I don't think anyone is ready for that.
After reading this article I am conflicted about my opinion of online textbooks. For example, like many of the posts above, I find it extremely difficult to read and comprehend online books. Also, I am big fan of highlighting during reading and this is not possible when reading books online. But, at the same time it is much more cost efficient to go this route. The costs of books currently for college students is outrageous and maybe online books would solve the problem. Also, if a student like myself really had trouble reading online they could always print out the important pages to read and highlight on their own. Bottom line, I do not think I could accomplish very much reading and knowledge with online books. Instead, I think students should have the ability to choose between all online books or buying them the traditional way in the bookstore, this way its a choice depending on your economic standing and reading preference.
ReplyDeleteMegan Schmidt
MWF 2-250
Michael Lam MWF (2-2:50)
ReplyDeleteThe prices of college text book really have gotten out of hand and hearing that some students drop out due to these prices is outrageous. I agree with the article's belief that colleges should consider using more electronic copies in order for students to save money. The world's advancements in technology is just something colleges and textbook companies have to keep up with. But having colleges force students to pay for a course-material fee is somewhat unnecessary. This fee should just be an optional route, for those that believe that going electrical is this best option. Many students have been able to able to dodge the high prices of textbooks and forcing them to pay a course material fee would could hurt them.
I think it is a ridiculous idea to force e-books on students. I personally would have a huge problem with that. I support having e-books as an option but you can't just eliminate the traditional textbook. The whole argument for the e-book is that it is cheaper and contributes to our education because more students will have access to them. What about the students who don't have laptops, iPads or some means of downloading their e-book? What if the teacher requires the text (in whatever form) to be brought to class? I have classes currently where teachers are dead set against a student even thinking about opening their laptop in class. Overall, it is inconvenient, too much of a hassle, and might even end up causing students more worry than it's worth.
ReplyDeleteYep, forgot my name. (Sorry!)
ReplyDeleteI think it is a ridiculous idea to force e-books on students. I personally would have a huge problem with that. I support having e-books as an option but you can't just eliminate the traditional textbook. The whole argument for the e-book is that it is cheaper and contributes to our education because more students will have access to them. What about the students who don't have laptops, iPads or some means of downloading their e-book? What if the teacher requires the text (in whatever form) to be brought to class? I have classes currently where teachers are dead set against a student even thinking about opening their laptop in class. Overall, it is inconvenient, too much of a hassle, and might even end up causing students more worry than it's worth.
Catherine McClendon
T/Th 8am
I hope that the textbook companies have the foresight to realize the losses they would face by providing digital copies of their books. Music and movies have both suffered heavily from piracy of digital materials. I think the e-book craze has it's place and I think that it is probably doing well within it's current market. From my observations on the train every day, I can say that there are lot of well-to-do people reading novels on Nooks and Kindles. Most college students, however, are not as financially comfortable. The combination of the financial desperation and the university-required knowledge of computers would be a terrible combination for textbook sellers. What incentive does a college student have to purchase "Fundamentals of Calculus" or "The Anthology of American Literature" for hundreds of dollars when they can simply google search a pdf for free. I know, and with a good deal of confidence, that anything that can be offered digitally for a price can easily be pirated and distributed for free. Even fool-proof methods of securing content can be thwarted. There is nothing stopping a to-be-pirate from screenshotting every page in a textbook and compiling it in a tidy pdf for his/her friends.
ReplyDeleteMike Ford MWF 2-3
From reading the article it sounds like e-textbooks will save a lot of money. Being that i like to save money and i hate spending a lot of money on textbooks i find e-textbooks a good solution. Although i think they are a good solution for saving money amongst college students i do not believe a lot of college students will read the e-textbook if it is online. Most of the time for me it is a struggle to read required readings from some of my class. I beleive having a textbook on the computer leads to greater distractions, which will cause students not to read the textbook. I believe it is helpful to interact with required readings, meaning highlighting and writing in the margins. With e-textbook a student is not allowed to do this.
ReplyDeleteDesirae Holland
Tuesday-Thursday
8-9:20 am
I beleive having ebooks would be a GREAT idea. As the girl in our T&Thu class pointed out, it would not only be easier to access but would be more convient for the student as well. And really I doubt it would effect the authors pay because according to your friend who composses books, he doesn't get paid alot now in print.
ReplyDeleteNevertheless, This is a very interesting topic.
Taisje Claiborne