Nadine Vassallo examines how students interact with course content as revealed by the results of the research contained in the latest volume of Student Attitudes Toward Content in Higher Education, one of BISG's longstanding flagship studies.
5. Ongoing, twice-annual survey of US
college students
Featuring four years of trend data,
from 2010-2013
Includes two-year, four-year, private,
public, and for-profit institutions
Accompanied by a survey of higher ed
faculty in Spring 2012 and 2013
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@BISG
7. The Fate of the Textbook
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Fall 2010 Spring Fall 2011 Spring Fall 2012 Spring Fall 2013
2011
2012
2013
#miphe14
@BISG
8. Required Course Materials
One or more textbooks required
No formal course materials
Materials provided through ILS
One or more textbooks recommended
Materials assembled in course pack
Open educational resources used
Other
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%
Fall 2013
#miphe14
@BISG
9. Required Course Materials
One or more textbooks required
No formal course materials
Materials provided through ILS
One or more textbooks recommended
Materials assembled in course pack
Open educational resources used
Other
0%
#miphe14
@BISG
Fall 2013
20%
Fall 2012
40%
Fall 2011
60%
80%
10. WHAT DO FACULTY THINK?
Required Course Materials
One or more textbooks required
No formal course materials
Materials provided through ILS
One or more textbooks recommended
Materials assembled in course pack
Open educational resources used
Other
0%
0
STUDENTS
#miphe14
@BISG
20%
0.2
40%
0.4
FACULTY
60%
0.6
80%
0.8
100%
1
11. Students Prefer Print
Print textbook
7%
6%
Digital textbook
15%
56%
16%
Print textbook
including online
supplements
Digital textbook
including online system
No preference
#miphe14
@BISG
12. Why Print?
Prefer look/feel of print
Ease of bookmarking/highlighting
Buyback options
Can keep at end of semester
Don't have device
Can share/copy
Privacy concerns
Poor experience with digital
0%
20%
Fall 2013
#miphe14
@BISG
40%
60%
80% 100%
13. Acquisition Process
Buy physical book and keep it after
semester ends
Buy physical book and sell it back
Rent physical book
Rent digital book
Buy digital book
Try to get by without it
0%
Fall 2013
#miphe14
@BISG
10%
20%
Fall 2012
30%
40%
50%
15. 63% of students who purchased
a digital text were satisfied with
the price they paid…
compare that with 43% of print
textbook purchasers.
#miphe14
@BISG
16. Going Digital
Digital Textbook Purchases (Past 2 Years)
45%
40%
35%
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
Fall 2010
#miphe14
@BISG
Spring
2011
Fall 2011
Spring
2012
Fall 2012
Spring
2013
Fall 2013
17. Going Digital
SURVEY AVERAGE
Attending 4-year college or university
Junior/3rd year student
Senior/4th year student
MBA student
Pays for most of own course materials
Prefers online courses
Has taken a course using Pearson MyLab
Has taken a course using Pearson Mastering
Has taken a course using Wiley Plus
Has taken a course using Cengage MindTap
Has taken a course using McGraw-Hill…
0%
#miphe14
@BISG
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
23. Integrated Learning Systems
“…adapts to the needs and styles of
individual students using learning-based
algorithms, simulations, and discovery
exercises. An ILS blends traditional
textbook content with online resources
and makes extensive use of assessments
to measure learning outcomes.”
#miphe14
@BISG
24. ECompanion
Wiley Plus
Online homework
Annoying
E-Books
Digital book
WASTE OF MY MONEY!
Software Mastering
Study Aids Aplia
Online stuff
Great
Useful
#miphe14
@BISG
?
OK
Extras
N/A
Tools
Frustrating
Course pack
Work Google
Don’t knowWebsite
Useless
Blackboard
Integrated Learning Systems
Helpful
Supplements
MyMathLab Class site
25. Over half of students surveyed
have now taken at least one
course using an ILS.
#miphe14
@BISG
26. Integrated Learning Systems
To what extent have you used the
ILS?
To what extent did it help your
studying?
To what extent did it help improve
your grade?
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%
To a large extent
#miphe14
@BISG
Somewhat
Not much
27. Faculty Influence
How likely would you be to purchase digital course materials if
the instructor recommended them and provided URL?
19%
31%
Very Likely
Likely
Unlikely
50%
#miphe14
@BISG
28. The majority of faculty members
(56%) indicate they are solely
responsible for selecting
materials for their classes.
#miphe14
@BISG
29. WHAT DO FACULTY THINK?
Course Material Selection
Experience with a previous edition
Pedagogy within the textbook
Low cost to students
Good teaching aids for instructors
Service provided by the publisher
Availability of online
quizzing, tutoring, self-assessments…
Use of an Integrated Learning System
(e.g., WileyPlus, Pearson…
0%
#miphe14
@BISG
June 2013
20%
40%
Feb. 2012
60%
80%
100%
30. WHAT DO FACULTY THINK?
Integrated Learning Systems
Yes, I am likely to teach a course
using an ILS within the next year
No, I am not likely to teach a
course using an ILS within the next
year
Not sure
0%
20%
40%
60%
80% 100%
Yes, I have taught a course making extensive use of an ILS
No, I have not taught a course making extensive use of an ILS
#miphe14
@BISG
31. Illicit Acquisition Behaviors
45%
40%
35%
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
Fall 2011
Spring 2012
Fall 2012
Spring 2013
Photocopied/scanned content from other students
Downloaded digital content from other students
Acquired content from pirate website
#miphe14
@BISG
Acquired international versions of texts
Fall 2013
32. WHAT DO FACULTY THINK?
Illicit Acquisition Behaviors
Photocopying or scanning chapters of
textbooks from other students
Buying or acquiring textbooks from a
pirate Website
Buying or acquiring international
versions of textbooks
Downloading course materials from a
Website not specifically authorized by…
Downloading other course material from
other students
Downloading digital textbook content
from other students
0%
#miphe14
@BISG
June 2013
10%
Feb. 2012
20%
30%
40%
34. Attitudes Toward Copyright
Photocopied/scanned content
from other students
Downloaded digital content from
other students
Acquired content from pirate
website
Acquired international versions of
texts
0%
"Not at all"
#miphe14
@BISG
20%
40%
Survey Average
60%
80% 100%
35. Illicit Acquisition Behaviors
Friend or roommate
Another student
A website
Instructor
Newspaper article
Family member
0%
#miphe14
@BISG
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
36. Illicit Acquisition Behaviors
New textbooks are too expensive
Have low income/budget for books
Instructor doesn't use book enough
Student loans are too high
My friends do it
My parents can't pay for books
0%
#miphe14
@BISG
10%
20%
30%
40%
37. Price & Value
Textbook prices are reasonable, considering their value
5%
Disagree
Agree
40%
55%
#miphe14
@BISG
Don't know
38. Price & Value
I'm willing to get textbooks at the lowest cost, even if it means
purchasing older editions
6%
Agree
25%
Disagree
Don't know
69%
#miphe14
@BISG
39. Price & Value
I would spend money on learning solution that improves my
results by 1 letter grade or more.
8%
14%
Agree
Disagree
Don't know
78%
#miphe14
@BISG
40. Price & Value
I would spend money on a learning solution that reduces my study
time by 25%.
9%
18%
Agree
Disagree
Don't know
73%
#miphe14
@BISG
41. Students are willing to spend…
on products they perceive
as having value.
#miphe14
@BISG
42. For students, value =
increased studying efficiency
or improved grades.
#miphe14
@BISG
Campus bookstores are actually trending up (when we consider both in person and online purchases), and – perhaps surprisingly – Amazon is trending down in terms of textbook purchases
Textbook rentals have started to catch on over the past few surveys. Almost 19% of students now indicate that they prefer rental over purchase; 22% say they rent a physical textbook most often for their classes, and 5% now most often rent a digital text.
When it comes to rentals, we’re seeing the opposite trend from the purchase sources we looked at. Amazon has taken off since getting into the rental game and continues to grow quickly.
At least “occasionally”
Would have to be <$50 to get students to purchase instead of copying or downloading. Most are looking for a price around the $20-40 range.