by ·0 Comments

How Can I Tell Whether It’s Better to Buy Textbooks or to Rent Them?

We know that it can be a little confusing to discern which is the better deal — buying or renting textbooks. And the truth is that it’s a little confusing because there is no right answer for every student or even for every book; sometimes buying textbooks is best, sometimes renting books is the better option.

So how do you know? Well, just in the nick of time for back-to-school, we’ve got a brand-new infographic sure to help you be the smartest shopper you can be when it comes to textbooks. Save on, students, save on.


Renting vs Buying Textbooks

Please use the HTML code below to embed this graphic

<a href=”http://blog.campusbooks.com/renting-vs-buying-textbooks/”><img alt=”Renting vs Buying Textbooks” src=”http://www.campusbooks.com/images/wordpress/renting-vs-buying-textbooks.jpg” width=”800″ height=”7133″ /></a>
Created by <a href=”http://www.campusbooks.com”>Campus Books</a>.

Please use the above code unaltered or include a citation of this site as the original source.

by ·0 Comments

On June 28, we shared (via Facebook) an Inside Higher Ed article about the political deadlock that made it so that the interest rate on student loans would double from 3.4% to 6.8% on July 1. At that time, it seemed clear that members of Congress were unwilling to cooperate to get the job done and keep the rate from doubling. And that is indeed what happened when Congress failed to act before the deadline

Knowing that the rate hike was a heavy burden on students and families (but likely more concerned about alienating young voters), members of Congress went back to the drawing board in an effort to reach some sort of agreement that would soften the blow of the rate hike. Squabbling Republicans and Democrats were close to a compromise, but that derailed when it was calculated that the estimated cost of the plan over 10 years was $22 billion.

Right now, the rate hike that occurred on July 1 stands. Interest rates are a fixed 6.8% on student loans and that is indeed up from 3.4%. Congress, which seems to have little trouble bailing out banks and mega-corporations, is once again unable to reach agreement in solving the problem and there is no indication as to when or even if that will be resolved.

This stalemate clearly sends a message to students and families that the affordability of higher education is not a priority for politicians and that they are more concerned with short-term savings than with education and enrichment. It’s certainly easy to get angry about this (and rightly so), but Patricia Murphy makes an important point that there is a much-bigger problem encompassing affordability in her article “The Real College Crisis Isn’t About Student Loan Rates.”

by ·0 Comments

Not long ago, a college textbook was quite literally that – a physical book. As technology advances, the physical textbook is undergoing dramatic changes.

The landscape for incoming college students and their parents is constantly shifting. How students both consume and pay for their educational resources is evolving, as well. A few years ago, students would hit up their parents for sofas, tables, pots and pans, in addition to some cash for books. Today, students require iPads and laptops for digital integration in the classroom. As with any change, there are pros and cons to this movement.

The Bring Your Own Device trend for students has been growing over the past few years. Educators and universities have found that the curricula for these devices is also trending upwards. This, in turn, has overhauled the way textbooks are seen in school settings and how it figures into a more technological classroom.

Here’s a look at three pieces of this new reality for students and their textbooks:

THE FINANCIAL FACTOR

College has never been cheap, with textbooks accounting for a large chunk of expenses outside of tuition. The steadily surging costs of required course materials are dramatic. Most parents and students feel the damage to their wallets when purchasing books at the beginning of each semester, but many dismiss it as just part of the college package. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ consumer price index data, there has been an 812 percent rise in the price of textbooks and course materials since 1978, and costs are still rising every year.

It comes as no surprise that approximately one in three students elect not to purchase required textbooks because of their hefty price tags. This decision may help their bank accounts, but it can wreak havoc on academic performance. Cost has become a barrier to learning, and students have been frequently left with no choice but to pay the exorbitant fees or go without necessary materials. This is where digital textbooks and technology come in.

E-LEARNING THROUGH E-READING

As many colleges seek to transition toward completely digitally-driven curricula, converting traditional textbooks into a digital format is becoming more commonplace. Some universities are going entirely digital, with requirements about devices varying from institution to institution. Florida Lynn University goes so far as to require freshmen to purchase an iPad Mini, while the Illinois Institute of Technology actually gives iPads to each of its freshman undergraduate students. With textbook costs ever rising, digital books and instruction via laptops and mobile devices simply makes economical sense.

The transition is not without its growing pains. Parents and students frequently object to the cost of equipment through which digital textbooks are delivered, complaining they are more expensive than it would be to merely purchase books. However, many colleges and bookstores offer lease-to-own programs, rentals and used laptops and devices, so even the most cash-strapped students can typically find a way to gain access to the necessary devices. Also, most libraries give students the ability to use their computers free of charge, so this opposition can be easily overcome.

TEXTBOOK EVOLUTION

Although the evolution – and revolution – of textbooks into a 21st century format holds numerous benefits, it is still a long road to total adoption. The U.S. Department of Education and the FCC believe so strongly in digital textbooks that they published a 67-page guide to help schools transfer away from physical books in the hopes that all students in America will use digital course materials in the coming five years. But while the government supports this side of the argument, a recent survey found that 88 percent of professors still favor (and require) traditional textbooks.

Students surprisingly appear to be more aligned with their instructors in this debate, with another study revealing that only 13 percent of college students would rather use digital textbooks than the physical books of old. It’s important to note, however, that this number is rising. What it ultimately comes down to is familiarity. The more professors open up to digital textbooks and e-learning avenues, the more accustomed students will become, as well. As with any type of change, there is a learning curve and a temporary period of adjustment before the value makes itself known.

Regardless of the prevailing sentiments, digital textbooks are here to stay. Parents and students would be wise to research the best options, based on factors like price, specifications by professor, and personal learning preferences. There has never been a one-size-fits-all teaching and learning approach, and it’s important to remember this. Technology is here to improve upon the status quo, and should be maximized whenever possible and practical. However, it is ultimately the student who will be doing the learning and therefore the it is the student who needs to decide if e-reading suits him or her best.

by ·0 Comments

Up until about five years ago, college students accepted the inevitable: Along with tuition and room and board, they were going to have to come up with a few hundred dollars per semester for textbooks. It’s been a rising concern for parents and students, who are already burdened with some pretty exorbitant costs for college.

The cost of textbooks has increased faster than tuition, health care and housing prices, according to the American Enterprise Institute (AEI). In fact, prices for college textbooks are up 812 percent in the past 30 years, whereas college tuition and fees have risen 559 percent in the same amount of time.

The National Association of Colleges Stores reports that the average college students pays around $650 a year on books. Some students can pay much more, if they need to buy brand-new, large books, which can run anywhere from $150 to $300 each.

Just like the housing market, this “textbook bubble” is becoming unsustainable. The costs are just too high, especially when compared with the low-priced and free alternatives starting to emerge.

Buy, Borrow, Rent

Students have been dogging the purchase of new books for years. Instead, they opt to buy used copies where available, or borrow or buy another student’s book who took the class the prior semester. Some students split the cost between a group of classmates and buy only one book, and then copy what they need.

Some students prefer to cut the buy-a-book/sell-it-back routine and rent textbooks. Campus bookstores and sites such as Amazon.com and campusbooks.com help students rent used books, which they can return for a lower total cost than buying the book outright. In fact, according to Student Monitor, about 24 percent of students rented their texts in the spring of 2011, which was three times as many students who bought a digital textbook. In that same year, Google reported a 40 percent increase in searches for “cheap textbook rentals” and a 20 percent increase in searches for “textbook rentals,” insidehighered.com reported.

Why Haven’t Textbooks Gone All-Digital?

One alternative to the costly college textbook is the digital textbook. According to a Book Industry Study Group survey conducted last year, 88 percent of professors surveyed still prefer and assign printed textbooks, and around 32 percent make digital textbooks available as well. The data also says that more than half of students surveyed are more likely to bring a laptop to class than a printed book; however, these statistics are not turning into sales for digital textbooks.

Most students still prefer to use digital or paperless resources, but not necessarily purchase them. The idea is that digital content should be providing an additional educational element along with the text; however, most of the current digital texts are just PDF versions of the printed text. Because of this, many students simply pass along the PDFs to one another and use online backup to store the pages in the cloud for others’ use.

Interestingly, Google reported that searches for “kindle textbooks,” “nook textbooks,” and “ipad textbooks” are up, so even if students aren’t buying yet, they are looking into the idea of digital textbooks. According to Akademos, there has been a 300 percent increase in ebook purchases over the past three years, but ebooks still comprise only 5 percent of overall textbook sales.

Students Seek Alternatives

The main obstacle to offering inexpensive digital textbooks to students is that many publishers do not allow for the resale of an ebook. Once a license has been sold, it cannot be resold, so secondary sales of ebooks is nonexistent.

Book rentals, used book sales and ebook are still out-performing new book sales, and it looks like that trend will continue.

The trend is clear: New textbooks are too expensive, and students are seeking alternatives. College students are tech-savvy and thrifty. They know if they look hard enough or get creative enough, they can get what they need without having to pay a big price tag. If textbook publishers do not figure out a way to decrease pricing, they will end up going the way of encyclopedias when Wikipedia dropped on the scene.

by ·0 Comments

The end of the semester is near and you’ve got a ton on your mind — finals, packing up your room, summer plans, vacations, jobs and internships, the real world . . . We get it, you don’t have time or interest in reading any more than is already on your syllabi, so let’s roll with some straight talk.

There’s no way that any students will keep all of their books and by now, almost all students know that selling those unwanted books back to the campus bookstore will not garner much cash and may even make them feel hostile (the old “I paid $250 for this four months ago. You’re offering me $4 back for it now? Even in perfect condition?”) It sucks, but with a little planning and prep on your part, it doesn’t have to suck so much and you can actually come out in decent shape and headed into summer with 1) fewer books to pack and move, 2) some dough in your pocket. Here’s how:

Time your buybacks. Do not wait until after finals or graduation. Visit the CampusBooks.com selling tool to get your price quotes a few days before you’ll be done with the books. Read the buyer’s terms and see how many days you have to ship your book. Time it so that your quote remains valid for those few days when you still need your book and then make sure that you ship within deadline. Striking this balance will help you secure a higher price before buyers reach their quotas while you keep the book as long (but not longer) than you need it. And the deadline will give you some incentive to follow up.

Speaking of, follow up! Yes, you do have to do a little work beyond just locking in your buyback quote. You actually have to ship the book back. The good news is that it’s never been easier or cheaper to do so. Most buyers provide shipping reimbursement or even a prepaid envelope or label. Most also work with big names like UPS and USPS and FedEx so that you can just drop the package in a dropbox and be done. Remember that a buyback quote is a contract and you only get your cash when you follow the instructions within the time allotted.

Be flexible with payment. Some buyers offer PayPal, others mail checks, still others offer credit for future purchases. Read the terms before you agree and make sure that you provide all the information needed so that they can receive your book, check it in, and get you paid. Make it as easy as possible for them to give you money by following directions and also not shipping them garbage. Nobody wants your beer-stained textbook and no buyer will buy it in that sort of poor condition. If the buyer requires that you include supplements, INCLUDE SUPPLEMENTS. Don’t send back a dodgy book and then wonder why you didn’t get full (or any) value. Don’t select PayPal and not include your email and then wonder where your money is.

Make it easy on yourself and put your smartphone to work. If you have an iPhone or a Droid, grab the CampusBooks.com Mobile App for Smartphones and save yourself the hand-keying. Use our app and your phone’s camera    to scan the barcodes on your textbooks and find the highest buyback    values going. It’s insanely easy and totally on the go.

Take a gander at “Selling Back Books: A Few Simple Rules.” These rules and tips and reality checks will help you get through finals and buyback without losing your mind. Follow these guidelines and you will be well served to maximize your cash back and keep your sanity during a very-crazy end-of-term time. Good luck!

by ·0 Comments

The tradition of spring break is celebrated every year by adventure-seeking young Americans across the nation. Are you familiar with the story of how it all (may have) started? Rumor is, during the winter of 1717, a young Benjamin Franklin was attending formal school in Boston. While he enjoyed his studies, Ben’s curiosity in exploring the world could not be contained to leather-bound books and old professors with white beards. The brutal Boston winters made him yearn for warmer weather, and so he set his sights on the fun and sun of the south. And so, the nation’s first spring break was born (ahem, maybe). Since that time, college students have followed in Franklin’s footsteps by flocking to warm destinations for a little fun and sunshine after the long winter months. Franklin was nothing if not clever and always prepared, so follow in his footsteps and get organized for spring break.

Pack This, Not That: Of course you’ll be spending most of your time in the sun, so beach gear is a must. Sunglasses, sandals, board shorts, bikinis, coverups, beach bags, and floppy hats must make their way into your suitcase. Don’t forget to grab a tube of sunscreen to keep yourself from looking like a lobster after your first encounter with sunlight in months. When the sun goes down, you’ll want to look your best for whatever the night will bring. Dress to impress by bringing along a few items from the fancy side of your closet.

Really? Five Pairs of Shoes? For many, the art of packing is as elusive as constructing those little origami paper cranes. Fear not. First, collect your supplies and prioritize. Start by categorizing the items into three groups: yes, maybe, and no. The essential things should go in the “yes” pile. And then, you know the stuff that looks pretty but will only sit in the bottom of your bag because it doesn’t fit right? Yeah, all that needs to go in the “no” pile. What’s left over is the “maybe” pile. The goal should be to keep everything limited to one suitcase for ease and avoiding baggage fees. If you can manage that, your spring break travel will be lighter and your forearms will be happier. Remember to leave room for any souvenirs and gifts you want to bring back with you.

Mobile: Protecting your mobile devices from surf and sand is imperative. The cellphone accessory market is huge and there is no shortage of sweet T-Mobile accessories that will protect your phone from the elements. Don’t forget a reliable charger for your road trip, either. While you’re at it, put your smartphone to use and download a guide like the Drink Tracker app to easily and accurately calculate your blood-alcohol content (and remember to alternate your alcoholic drinks with water to keep hydrated and avoid a nasty hangover). Finally, make sure you’re prepared to end the night strong. Download the Taxi Magic app to your smartphone to book your ride home quickly and easily.

And Go! So now that you’ve honored the origins of spring break and prepared yourself from head to toe, you’re ready to get outta Dodge. You’ve waited all winter and you deserve this; when you get back to reality, it’ll be time to hit the books again, so go have fun and go make old Ben Franklin proud.

by ·0 Comments

The digital revolution has forever changed how students obtain a higher education. According to U.S. News & World Report, more students are enrolled in at least one online college class than ever before. Then, consider these numbers from the National Center for Education Statistics: In fall 2012, the largest U.S. university campus by enrollment was Arizona State University, which clocked in at 60,169 students. Now compare this to the 380,232 students enrolled in the primarily online University of Phoenix, or the 70,011 enrolled in the all-online Kaplan University.

What’s it all mean for traditional brick-and-mortar colleges and universities? Is online learning poised to become the new norm?

Online Learning Goes Mainstream

It’s doubtful the virtual classroom will replace the physical classroom anytime soon, but the evidence does suggest that distance education will become the predominant form of education in the future. What’s abundantly clear is that traditional universities are offering more online classes in an effort to compete with distance education universities.

For example, in fall 2012 the educational powerhouses MIT and Harvard launched edX, a venture that offers free online courses to anybody with an Internet connection, with the goal of creating an online community attended by millions. Though these particular types of classes, known as massive open online courses (MOOCs), offer no credit toward a degree, they are surging in popularity, and the two institutions expect other respected universities to join in this venture. Similarly, Stanford has Udacity, and Princeton, Yale and Carnegie Mellon are following suit with their own MOOCs. Add to this the number of the nation’s top programs that can be found online, and it’s evident higher education is experiencing a revolution.

The Pros of Getting an Online Education

So what does online education have going for it?

Improves accessibility. Online education makes it easier for everyone to get the same quality of education, whereas attending traditional college isn’t always possible to those from certain geographical areas or walks of life. Disabled students may find access to a higher education is easier than attending college on a traditional campus, and people who otherwise wouldn’t be able to go to college due to work and family obligations can now study on their own time from the comfort of home.

It’s usually cheaper. There are many factors that come into play as far as which is more expensive, online school or brick-and-mortar colleges, including whether a student chooses to go to a public or private institution, in-state or out-of-state, and the amount of financial aid granted. One thing is for certain – the costs associated with attending a traditional college (room and board, commuting costs) are greater than attending college online.

The Cons of Online Learning

There are drawbacks to online learning, as well.

Lack of widespread respect. When it comes to hiring graduates who earned their degrees online, it’s really a crapshoot as to whether the hiring manager will view that degree as valid. Skepticism still exists, especially when it comes to the matter of accreditation.

Lack of “real world” experience. Students are in a more isolated learning environment online. Many cite the inability to exchange ideas with peers and educators face to face as a detraction.

Will State Schools Join the Frenzy?

The prized concept of a free marketplace is playing to the advantage of distance education students. While online schools have high enrollment numbers, state schools are in the position of being able to offer the flexibility distance education provides while still offering degrees held in high esteem by businesses and companies across America. Most states prize education and funnel taxpayer money to their state schools in an effort to reduce the financial burden on students. In cases where a student is pursuing a degree based on a cost perspective, state schools can often be much more affordable.

Online universities are certainly expected to gain more momentum, as people are increasingly interested in going to college exclusively online. How dramatically this will affect higher education as it exists today remains to be seen.

by ·1 Comment

To become an elite fashion designer in the highly competitive fashion industry, student designers need to rely on more than just raw talent and creative brilliance.

Students who are embarking on their education and career in fashion can build upon sketching skills and drawing concepts by studying the following textbooks:

“Fashion Design Essentials: 100 Principles of Fashion Design” by Jay Calderin

Students applying to top fashion design schools can refer to the Fashion Design Essentials to prep for their career in fashion. Jay Calderin’s “Fashion Design Essentials: 100 Principles of Fashion Design” is an excellent resource for inspiration and indispensable information. Calderin, a fashion industry expert at Boston’s School of Fashion Design, offers a plethora of content for young, talented designers who are just starting out. Examiner.com’s book review from Renee Mallett recommends this book as a valuable resource for timeless fashion advice and images that professionals can even use as a guide during any stage in their career.

Designers can expect the book to offer the following:

  • Easy to understand concepts with beautiful imagery
  • Photos of historic, iconic fashions
  • Tips for great fashion using basic wardrobe staples
  • Insight for creating a fashion identity and styling prowess
  • Fashion theories acquired by an esteemed expert whose designs have been embraced by Vogue and Elle magazines

“Fashion Design: Process, Innovation and Practice (2nd Edition)” by Kathryn McKelvey and Janine Munslow

Fashion experts Kathryn McKelvey and Janine Munslow at Northumbria University offer “Fashion Design: Process, Innovation and Practice” as an analytical textbook that focuses on logical processes for achieving commercial success. A student embarking in the competitive world of fashion design will learn about design projects, portfolios and problem-solving approaches.

Students can strive to meet market needs through exercises and learning about:

  • Versatility development and experimentation
  • Computer-aided design
  • Employment opportunities

Kathryn McKelvey, a Northumbrian University Reader, illustrator and designer, has professional experience in drawing and visual communication as well as fashion research and industry forecasting. Janine Munslow runs design label partnership Guerilla Farm with international wholesale and fashion outlets.

“9 Heads: A Guide to Drawing Fashion (3rd Edition)” by Nancy Riegelman

“9 Heads” refines the sketching skills of a novice designer by offering developed thinking and viewpoints. The textbook focuses on black and white drawings and outlines the expectations of an end product and how to achieve design excellence. Nancy Riegelman has taught drawing at top institutions, including the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM), and she’s also head of the Art Center College’s new fashion and fashion illustration department. With her brilliant talent and extensive years of experience, Riegelman offers fashion newcomers a new style of finished drawing. Coincided with her “Colors for Modern Fashion,” Riegelman’s key points include more rendered garment fabrics and drawing elements in modern fashion.

The revised textbook also offers information for:

  • Men’s and children’s fashions
  • Fabric shows and identification
  • Hair, face and hand drawings
  • Modern garment flats and croquis
  • Technical and apparel design

Amazon.com reviewers recommend “9 Heads” for its easy-to-understand instructions, comprehensiveness and inspirational ideas.

“The instructions and the ‘9 heads’ theory (nine heads make up the human body) are very simple and easy to understand. I love that she uses the ‘box’ method to help you draw faces. I have never been an artist and this book helped me to draw some fabulous fashion sketches.”

“This book is great because it helps you understand how to draw details like buttons, zippers and ruffles. My students find inspiration for new ideas here. The best part of the book is all the flats. I also like how comprehensive the book is. It covers children’s, men’s and women’s wear.”

“Colors for Modern Fashion (CFMF)” by Nancy Riegelman

Riegelman’s “CFMF” fosters innovative ideas with expert skills and techniques. The textbook focuses on drawing methods using colored markers, photo sequences and textural explanations. “CFMF” serves as a modern garment drawing guide that incorporates technique applications and photos.

Students can also rely on “CFMF” for:

  • Covering color and design theory
  • Illustrating concepts with fashion examples
  • Explaining how a wide range of fabrics are used in modern design
  • Inspiring future fashion designers of all skill sets and abilities

Amazon.com customer reviewers and fans of Riegelman describe the book as great and very helpful.

“The illustrations are marvelous. The techniques she discusses are easy to understand and use…This is definitely a must have for all illustrators and for people who love to draw.”

“Words cannot describe the amount of inspiration and resourceful information that ‘Colors of Modern Fashion’ holds…Apparently, the rest of the world has caught on [to] this great book because I have seen it throughout my travels in London, Paris, New York, and LA.”

“Fashion Sketchbook (6th Edition)” by Bina Abling

Bina Abling, a previous instructor at the Fashion Institute of Technology and Parsons School of Design, offers “Fashion Sketchbook” for emerging design students. Her sketchbook unveils the fashion drawing process with colorful images and updated instructional text. She easily conveys ideas using simple drawing lessons and easy-to-follow directions.

“Fashion Sketchbook’s” book description tells readers to expect the following subject matters in detail:

  • Men, women and children drawings
  • Figure poses
  • Accessory sketches and garment details
  • Flats and specs preparation
  • Lessons on diverse drawing skills
  • Showroom and runway photos from Women’s Wear Daily

Drawing instructors and fashion lovers refer to “Fashion Sketchbook” as “the ONLY book you will ever need as a designer. This is the Bible of fashion illustration.”

“This is the authority on illustrating for fashion. Abling’s attention to detail and artistic ability make her a perfect tutor on the topic, and every explanation is clear.”

“This is an excellent and comprehensive book for all fashion design students who wish to learn the art of fashion illustration or for anyone who desires to perfect their skills.”

“Fashion Design Course: Principles, Practice, and Techniques: The Practical Guide for Aspiring Fashion Designers” by Steven Faerm

BFA Director of Fashion Design at Parsons, The New School for Design in New York City, Steven Faerm invites the next generation of professional fashion designers into the glamorous fashion design industry with his “Fashion Design Course.” Faerm introduces the content of his book with design principles, a look at the fashion industry’s history and the industry’s most influential designers.

Through tutorials, exercises and more than 450 color illustrations, Faerm offers step-by-step design instruction for:

  • Sportswear
  • Tailored business garments
  • Denim
  • Active wear
  • Cocktail and evening wear
  • Children’s and men’s clothing
  • Accessories

Aspiring fashion designers will also gain expert insight on how to create a portfolio and collection, including advice from industry leaders.

Amazon.com customers who have purchased “Fashion Design Course” highly rate the textbook with the following reviews:

“If you read fashion magazines then you are going to enjoy this book tremendously. FULL COLOR, straight to the point, concise, yet powerful information. It is a book that gives you inspiration and shows you how to think and plan like a fashion designer.”

“As an aspiring designer who’s still in school, I found this book to be a comprehensive book on the study of fashion design. The author’s prolific use of illustrations and photos to visually depict the concepts — and they’re from students! — is very helpful in making sure the reader understands what the author’s talking about.”

by ·0 Comments

About two weeks ago, we posted on the CampusBooks.com Facebook page a link to an infographic titled “Revealing the Business of eBooks.” The visual was created in conjunction between Aptara, a multi-channel digital-content provider heavily involved with in educational publications, and Publishers Weekly, the publishing (and to some extent, bookselling) industry’s leading trade magazine.

The infographic was based upon “The 4th Annual ebook Survey of Publishers” (registration required), which “represents the Consumer, Professional, Education, and Corporate publishing sectors” and was “designed to document the evolving impact of digital media on traditional content publishing and production.” Important results from the survey include:

  • 31% of eBook publishers produce enhanced eBooks, though only 12% correlate the enhancements with a positive impact on sales.
  • Amazon.com is the most popular sales channel, used by 68% of eBook publishers. Apple’s iBookstore comes in second at 58%.
  • Amazon is also the most lucrative eBook sales channel. Publishers’ own websites come in a distant second place for generating the most eBook sales.
  • 4 out of 5 publishers now produce eBooks, a 30% increase in three years.

The survey was completed in April 2012 and the infographic posted on  Aptara’s site on October 4, 2012. Interestingly enough, just two days before on October 2, in remarks addressed to the National Press Club, Education Secretary Arne Duncan called for a speedy departure from printed textbooks in favor of embracing digital ones. In a bold statement, Duncan said, “Over the next few years, textbooks should be obsolete,” citing a need to not only keep up with the times but also with other countries such as South Korea, whose students outperform those of the U.S. and which has set a goal to use entirely digital textbooks and learning solutions by 2015.* “The world is changing,” Duncan said. “This has to be where we go as a country.”

But is it and do we? And is this really the way to do so? Don’t get us wrong, we think digital books have definite advantages and we love enhanced learning solutions that take eBooks from PDFs read on the screen to collaborative experiential environments with all sorts of interaction and quizzes and links and live help. But we see this as more of a complement to print books and reading on the page rather than a replacement. And we’re not alone.

In “Long Live Paper,” his op-ed piece for the New York Times, Tufts University Assistant Professor Justin B. Hollander argues that “While e-readers and multimedia may seem appealing, the idea of replacing an effective learning platform with a widely hyped but still unproven one is extremely dangerous.” Professor Hollander then likens moving entirely to digital books and away from print to “when cars began to fill America’s driveways, and new highways were laid across the land, the first thing cities did was encourage the dismantling of our train systems. Streetcar lines were torn up. A result, for many cities, was to rip apart the urban core and run highways through it, which only accelerated the flow of residents, commerce and investment to the suburbs. But in recent years, new streetcar lines have been built or old systems extended . . . They are casting aside a newer technology in favor of an older one.”

Hollander bolsters his stance by citing examples of how CDs replaced phonographs, digital cameras replaced Polaroids, and cars replaced bicycles and walking . . . only for record players, instant and retro-photography, and bikes to all make comebacks and be hotter today than ever. Sure, people often cite that while CDs may sound crisper, digital cameras have a higher resolution, and cars are faster, there is an emotional and sensory experience that they all lack and that one finds in the older technology they replaced. Something about us just loves putting the needle to the record, shaking a Polaroid to see it develop, and pedaling to create our own motion. And the same is true of the pleasures of holding a bound book made of cloth and paper as you turn pages printed with ink.

Hollander says, “In other words, we shouldn’t jump at a new technology simply because it has advantages; only time and study will reveal its disadvantages and show the value of what we’ve left behind. Which brings us back to paper. With strength and durability that could last thousands of years, paper can preserve information without the troubles we find when our most cherished knowledge is stuck on an unreadable floppy disk or lost deep in the ‘cloud.'” He then elaborates, “Paper textbooks can be stored and easily referenced on a shelf. Data are as easy to retrieve from paper as reaching across your desk for a textbook. They are easy to read and don’t require a battery or plug. Though the iPad and e-readers have increasingly better screen clarity, the idea that every time a person reads a book, newspaper or magazine in the near future they will require an energy source is frightening.”

So says Professor Hollander and so agrees John D. Williams, president and CEO of Domtar, one of North America’s largest producers of business, office, printing, and publishing papers. Williams describes his work as “promoting a reasonable balance of ‘pixels and print.’” And as one might expect from a paper-guy, Williams is in no hurry for digital learning solutions to replace printed textbooks and he’s got the goods to back up his stance. He cites the following (and more) in “Textbooks Should Soon Be Obsolete? Not So Fast, Here’s Why,” his op-ed for the Charlotte Observer:

  • Cambridge University researchers studied the efficacy of learning on screen compared with paper, and concluded that paper is a better tool for fully assimilating information. They based this conclusion on a number of factors ranging from the ease and speed of visually locating content on a printed page compared with a screen, to the distractions of reading online, and the functionality of a screen-based document compared to a printed version (e.g. note taking, document sharing).
  • A recent Kindle DX pilot project, sponsored by Amazon at seven U.S. universities, yielded interesting findings. At the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business, 75 to 80 percent of participating MBA students said they would not recommend the Kindle for in-class learning. Michael Koenig, Darden’s director of MBA operations, explained that the students felt the eReader was too rigid for use in the fast-paced classroom environment, noting that you can’t move between pages, documents, charts and graphs simply or easily enough compared with the paper alternatives.

So it seems that Education Secretary Duncan is correct in his belief that digital textbooks and enhanced learning solutions are very important, but rather as a complement rather than a replacement to print textbooks and reading on the page. Also worth noting is that investing in technology alone is not what will help U.S. students match test scores of South Korean students. That will take a much-larger and broader-scope investment in teachers, curriculum development, parental involvement in student success, and basic school facilities. It’s not about technology so much as it is about total learning and teaching students how to think and solve and continue learning beyond the book, the computer, and the classroom. In the meantime, let’s not deny those students the benefits and pleasures of flipping the pages of a captivating work of English literature or referring to diagrams in a chemistry textbook spread across the desk, beaming bright how elements interact without  needing plugged into an outlet.

*Correction: In its story, The Associated Press reported that South Korea had set a goal to make all of its textbooks digital by 2015. In June, South Korea modified the plan to exclude some grades and to allow paper textbooks to be used alongside digital books while paper books are phased out.

by ·0 Comments

Twenty years ago around this time, I left the gritty urban landscape of Baltimore City for the significantly smaller (and infinitely more small-townish) Beloit College in Beloit, Wisconsin (famous for dairy products, the anthropologist upon whom Indiana Jones is based, turtle-shaped Native American burial mounds, a giant Hormel Chili can, and the Mindset List).

I was an English major and studied with some incredibly smart people as my professors (in and out of the English department) and fellow students with whom I am still close (thank you, Facebook). My advisor at Beloit was Professor Tom McBride. To this day we remain in touch, which means that the minute that the [in]famous Mindset List hits print and pixel, I hear about it and read what Tom and his Beloit cohort Ron Nief have listed as the historicultural background and collective mentality for the year’s incoming freshman.

I graduated from Beloit in 1996, before there was a Mindset List (and accompanying book). Undoubtedly had there been a list for my class, those alumni twenty years my senior would have felt exactly as I feel now when I read the Mindset List — old, very old, and also fortunate, very fortunate to have gone to college and to have done so at a place I loved and that stays with me in the form of still-quirky people, skills and interests and curiosities, and of course the annual Mindset List. That said, enjoy learning about where the class of 2016 is coming from in terms of headspace, and try not to feel too old while doing so. Oh, and take heart, at least we had bound encyclopedias and tan M&Ms.