http://chronicle.com/article/The-End-of-the-Textbook-as-We/125044/
This article discusses how to save student money schools may force a switch to E-textbooks. They say e-texts would be required and colleges would charge students for them within a required fee. The claim is that this is the best way to control skyrocketing costs and may actually save the textbook industry from digital piracy. As it stands today buying a textbook is optional, student can do a many number of things to avoid buying a new text book, picking up a used textbook, borrowing a copy from the library, sharing with a roommate, renting one, downloading an illegal version, or simply going without. Here's what they are thinking that by ordering books by the hundreds or thousands, colleges can negotiate a much better rate than students were able to get on their own, even for used books. And publishers could eliminate the used-book market and reduce incentives for students to illegally download copies as well.
As i read this article I was feeling annoyed, another fee give me a break , but as I read on I realized that this could really be a savings in the end. Mirta Martin, dean of Virginia State's business school, speaks passionately about her reasons for taking part in the experiment with Flat World, which offers free access to its textbooks while students are online. Students pay $24.95 for a PDF (a print edition costs about $30). Virginia State business school pays a bulk rate of $20 per student per course, and the program allows students at the school to download not only the digital copies but also the study guide, an audio version, or an iPad edition (a bundle that would typically cost about $100). Now this sounds more like a deal.
I personally like having an actual text book because I like highlighting and writing notes in the margin or getting a used book with someone else notes in it that could be helpful and I like reading a book as opposed to a computer, however if it meant a huge savings in the end, I may be willing to make the switch, that is if the switch isn't forced upon me anyway first.
I think this is an excellent example of how technology can change the face of higher education. I think it is hard for you and me to think about having all of our books online simply because we like the feel of a physical book. I don't think that books will ever go away, but I do think that future generations will be more and more accepting of digital copies because they will grow up with them. College will not be the first place that they experience an all pdf book. Now if this is a good or bad thing, that I'm not so sure about yet!
ReplyDelete