FIXING THE BROKEN TEXTBOOK MARKET: HOW STUDENTS RESPOND TO HIGH TEXTBOOK COSTS AND DEMAND ALTERNATIVES
abernard102@gmail.com 2014-01-29
Summary:
Use the link to access the full text report. An excerpt from the Executive Summary reads as follows: "The cost of college textbooks has skyrocketed in recent years. To students and families already struggling to afford high tuition and fees, an additional $1,200 per year on books and supplies can be the breaking point. As publishers keep costs high by pumping
out new editions and selling books bundled with software, students are forced to forgo book purchases or otherwise
undermine their academic progress. In recent years, some steps have been taken to provide relief from runaway costs. The Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 requires publishers to disclose textbook prices to professors during the marketing process, and for students to see textbook prices during course registration. During the fall of 2013, the Student PIRGs conducted a survey of 2,039 students from more than 150 different university campuses. Here are the major findings: 1. High textbook costs continue to deter students from purchasing their assigned materials despite concern for their grades. 65% of students said that they had decided against buying a textbook because it was too expensive. The survey also found that 94% of students who had foregone purchasing a textbook were concerned that doing so would hurt their grade in a course. More than half of the students felt significant concern for their grade.2. High textbook costs can have a ripple effect on students’ other academic decisions. Nearly half of all students surveyed said that the cost of textbooks impacted how many/which classes they took each semester. Students attend college seeking job preparation
and/or degree attainment. Careful course selection is often necessary in order to yield the results that a student is seeking within the timeframe they are prepared to study. It is especially concerning that this process may be being undermined by high textbook costs. 3. Students want alternatives, expressing support for textbooks that are available free online and
buying a hard copy is optional. 82% of students felt they would do significantly better in a course if the textbook was available free online and buying a hard copy was optional. This is exactly how open textbooks are designed ... Recommendations ! Students should directly advocate for open textbook use in their classrooms ! Faculty should consider adopting open textbooks in their classrooms. They should check the U. Minnesota Open Textbook Library to see if there’s a book available for your class. ! Campus administrators should consider creating an open textbook pilot program on their campus. They can see the University System of Maryland’s MOST Initiative as a sample. ! State and federal legislatures should invest in the creation and development of more open textbooks. See Washington state’s Open
Course Library as an example. ! Publishers should develop new models that can produce high quality books without imposing excessive prices on students."