E-Textbooks

948 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Summary critique the high cost of college textbooks

Digital textbooks are evolving as a viable substitute to costly, hard copy textbooks. E-books are portable, less-expensive, and customizable. Unlike their hard copy counterparts, e-books can be stored on devices such as smartphones, tablets, or laptops. Ergonomically speaking, portable e-books reduce the physical strain of lugging around bulky textbooks to and from various destinations while at the same time freeing up storage space at home. Additionally, since e-books are produced digitally, the marginal production cost is much lower considering the fact that less costly resources are used in the production process—e.g. glossy coating and paper. Another benefit that e-books offer over traditional textbooks is the fact they are easily customizable. For one, e-book companies may offer free trials for users to gauge their affinity for e-books without any financial commitment. Also, some publishers allow users to download individual chapters rather than entire book. Despite these obvious benefits, the big question at hand is “what are some enablers and barriers to successful adoption and commercialization of digital textbooks?” This question will be explored in the following paragraphs.

The increasing trend in smartphone, tablet, and computer sales represents a strong market enabler for the commercialization of digital textbooks. Although originally perceived as tools for communication, leisure, or work, these devices are quickly becoming major resources for tapping into information while on the go. This rapidly evolving interest will serve as a critical stepping-stone for publishers to cross the river into the portable electronic device market. As an example of the already growing interest in digital textbooks, a simple search for ...

... middle of paper ...

... while the survivors are forced to reduce production to remain profitable. Moreover, information from the 2007 Census reveals that only 41 percent of households earning less than $40,000 own a computer with internet access, and this number drops dramatically as income decreases. The possibility that in the long run hard copy textbooks will at least remain at current prices, while any increase is conditional on future market conditions, raises an important question for how low-income students will be able to purchase high-priced textbooks. Here are some important questions: Will the government be forced to step in and change university policies? Will the government be forced to provide deeper subsidies to low-income families to purchase or rent these high priced textbooks? If the former takes hold, then what will be the outcome for the digital textbook market?

Show More
Related

  • Annotated Bibliography

    2265 Words  | 5 Pages

    This source considers the issue of converting to digital books, specifically as it pertains to the effect that this change would have on the global environment. Although the research does recognize that there are disadvantages to not having a physical copy of a book and to abandoning certain platforms that do not transfer well to a digital form, overall, these researchers conclude that publishers should move towards digital products not only for the sake of cheaper long-run costs, but also for the good that going paperless can do for the environment. By displaying a series of graphs, as well as including multiple data sets, the text explains how e-books compare with printed texts; then, analysis of these facts is also included to show the reader the authors’ point.

    Read More

  • Analysis of Chegg

    2116 Words  | 5 Pages

    In a recent study that was conducted the rate of individuals attending college has increased. This increase in students comes at a time when the country has been described as being in a recession. With job losses, companies closing and lack of job availability many people are returning to school. This return to the classroom comes at a cost. The rate of college tuition has risen in the last few years. In my home state of Kentucky, it appears both of the major Universities have asked to raise tuition every other year. When college cost rise so does the tools needed to attend college. One of the most expensive tools is books. Last year I enrolled my son in college when calculating the books for his classes, we soon learned that the cost of his books and the cost of my books were almost on month’s salary. My family soon learned if we were going to be able to not only attend college but have the necessary tools needed, we would have to consider alternatives to buying books. I did some research and soon discovered that technology had again come to the rescue. I found a company called Chegg that is an online book rental company. This company provides students with an alternative to buying books by renting them for a portion of the price. According to their article in CrunchBase named “Chegg edit” the company began at Iowa University in 2005 as a “hyper-local” classified directory. It was not until 2007 that the company introduced their textbook rental service. When looking at the company from an Information Systems standpoint I would say it ranks up there with the creative ideas of the century. You go online type in your order and it is processed within a matter of days. During the next portion of this paper we will loo...

    Read More

  • Why Are Textbooks So Expensive? By Henry Roediger

    1055 Words  | 3 Pages

    This article, “Why Are Textbooks So Expensive?” by Henry Roediger reveals the truth of why textbooks are so pricey. He shows how textbooks prices are costly not because of inflation, corporate textbook companies, and frequent revisions, but because of the sale of used textbooks. The article is elaborating on why used textbooks are the real culprit as well. One main point that is highlighted is that used textbooks are resold for many years. The initial selling of the textbook is the only time the author will make a profit, but the bookstore will make a profit every time they resell a used book. It is essential for the author to raise the price to compensate for the loss of money when dealing with used textbooks.

    Read More

  • An Analysis Of Dwight Macdonald's Reading And Thought

    736 Words  | 2 Pages

    In addition, textbooks are heavy to carry around and it takes longer to find a page. Likewise with digital textbooks they are compatible with tablets, smartphones, and laptops; it’s much easier to carry around and affordable price. However, some people may argue that digital textbooks can be a distraction for people because they would not bother read anymore. The author and poet Dana Gioia argues that electronics alternatives may be a bad influence that will lead society to not read anymore. Gioia complicates matters further when she writes, “While no single activity is responsible for the decline in reading, the cumulative presence and availability of electronic alternatives increasingly have drawn Americans away from reading” (161). I think Gioia is mistaken because she overlooks on electronics being a bad influence; but doesn’t see the benefits of electronics. To demonstrate, most of my textbooks are digital, which I can easily carry my tablet around where ever I go. Also, I save more money on digital textbooks and are simple to annotated the text. Journalist Ellen Lee interview a student from Liberty University, and he states that he prefers digital textbooks because he can tap his iPad, opens the digital copy and quickly open the page. Nevertheless, he also like digital textbooks because it has a feature that allows to highlight and mark the

    Read More

  • Rising Cost of College Textbooks

    1982 Words  | 4 Pages

    Ask any college student to state one of their largest expenses and it would be safe to bet the response would be “Textbook prices!” The cost of purchasing required materials for courses has reached numbers high enough to cause many students to take out second loans. Information released this year by the American Enterprise Institute shows that “College textbook prices have increased faster than tuition, health care costs and housing prices, all of which have risen faster than inflation” (Kingkade, 2013). This information equates to an 812% increase in the cost of college textbooks over what they were just over thirty years ago (Kingkade, 2013). The figure here shows an unusually large increase that has far outpaced that of average inflation.

    Read More

  • Why Are Textbooks Cheaper

    652 Words  | 2 Pages

    In recent years; much attention has focused on the rising costs of going to college. Nowadays, most college students' struggle with college fees in some way. It is hard enough for them to find the money to pay for their tuition fees, but on top of that they also have to find a way to pay for their course-required textbooks. Many do not realize how big of a problem the rising of textbook prices is, so in this paper will find out why textbooks are becoming more expensive, how significant this problem is, and how to fix it.

    Read More

  • College Textbook Price

    1218 Words  | 3 Pages

    According to a National Association of College Stores survey, students, in 2007, spent 702 dollars on textbook. In 2009, the students spent 667 dollars, and in 2011, the student spent 655 dollars (Kestenbaum, 2014). The students are spending less even though the price of the textbooks is increasing. There are a few explanations for this reduction in student spending. One is students purchasing book through other avenues.

    Read More

  • Rising Cost Of College Textbook

    1241 Words  | 3 Pages

    In a study done in 2013 by the U.S. PIRG, they found that 65% of students said that they had decided against buying a textbook because it was too expensive. Instead of threatening student success in the classroom and the accomplishment of a degree, publishers will need to stop publishing new editions so often and stop bundling learning packages with their textbooks while colleges will have to educate their faculty about the rising textbook prices, and implement textbook rental systems. The big picture The rising costs of college textbooks are a threat to the success of students trying to acquire a higher education in the United

    Read More

  • Why Do Textbooks Increase Inflation Rate?

    1513 Words  | 4 Pages

    Background Throughout the years, college students have faced the difficulty of not being able to afford their education. More recently, inflation has caused a college education to become even more of a financial burden (Wadsworth, 2014). Textbooks began costing more than other goods in the early 90’s, but the costs remained relatively stable. Around the turn of the century, the prices increased dramatically (Stephens, n.d.).

    Read More

  • Why Textbooks Should Be Free

    1236 Words  | 3 Pages

    In conclusion, America provides many ways to help reduce the cost of college textbooks but society is still not satisfied with the outcome. The Open Textbook, Affordable Textbook Act, and book store rentals are wonderful programs, but has its disadvantages that hopefully would be resolved in the 2016 presidential elections. The statistics show that many students across the nation benefit from learning with quality of teaching, the amount of accessibility it provides without having to worry about paying off student loans. School administrations should consider about transferring to an act that would benefit both the school and the students, but also provide more equality to the publishers and students.

    Read More

  • Expensive Textbooks Essay

    880 Words  | 2 Pages

    That day I got to know that even the cost of books had a direct impact on how many or which classes students took. Even some students try to get through classes without buying the books, which has affected their grades badly. A 2014 study conducted by the Student Public Interest Research Group found 65 percent of students skipped purchasing a textbook because of cost(Senack11). Along with these problems, some professors demand a specific edition of textbooks which would cost hundreds of dollars more than the older version and the only difference students could find is the physical appearance of the books. The California Student Public Interest Research Group published a study in 2004 that found new editions cost 58 percent more than older editions and newer editions are not that different from previous

    Read More

  • Newer is Not Always Better: Textbooks vs. iPads

    2603 Words  | 6 Pages

    Paper has officially been replaced with iPads. Just kidding, but there are over 1.5 million iPads that are being used in classrooms by students on a daily bases rather than using printed textbooks as main learning resources (Graduating With Technology). With recent advancements in technology, many school districts have turned the focus off traditional learning methods of using textbooks, and are now focusing on integrating the use of tablets and computers as the main means of learning for students. Technology is going to continue to advance throughout this digital age and is going to gain popularity within education, but there are questions arising of how effective technology is when used in the classroom. The opportunity of using new technology to enhance learning should be seized, but textbooks should not become extinct within the education system or become a secondary learning method due to tablets and other types of technology becoming more popular in the education system. Textbooks are reliable, they can be used by anyone, and there are enough textbooks for each student to have their own, and be able to take them home. Also, technology is impacting the way the brain receives information. Reading digital print isn't as productive for readers as printed text, and there is limited access to resources needed for tablets to be effective when used by students. While this is true there are benefits to using tablets and other forms of technology in the classroom. It is easier for teachers to have assignments emailed directly to them, or post assignments on the internet, the use of technology is required in many core classes, and textbooks are easily worn, and expensive.

    Read More

  • Will Digital Books Replace Print Books?

    969 Words  | 2 Pages

    However, iIn spite of the current pre-eminence of e-books, it may be argued that they are not likely to replace print books anytime soon or possibly at all. Both formats have their advantages and drawbacks, which makes for one of them difficult to replace the other. Moreover, they serve differents needs and purposes. E-books are famous for their portability. Hundreds of e-books can be stored on a single device. Thus e-books don’t take shelving space and are convenient to take on travel, while even a few paper books are bulky and quite heavy to carry around. Numerous e-books are in open access, while paper books are not routinely available free of charge. E-books may be acquired and accessed immediately online, a feature I enjoy especially and treasure most: many a time I was able to buy and read an e-book at home within minutes of learning of its existence. Needless to say, e-books are considerably easier to cite and quote than print books, since the copy-paste feature spares us the trouble of retyping the quoted text. Another important advantage of digital books is their specialized software, which makes reading much easier: search and reference tools, changeable font size and day/night mode, dictionaries. Last but not least, e-books conserv...

    Read More

  • Replacing Textbooks with Tablets

    1009 Words  | 3 Pages

    As more people began to access the Internet through smart phones and tablets rather than laptops and computers, it is not a surprise that they would also want to transform the American education system by bringing tablets into classrooms. In fact, a few schools around the country have already replaced textbooks with tablets and have seen improvements in students’ standardized test scores. Using tablets instead of textbooks is not only convenient and helpful, but it can also reduce the amount of paper wastes in school. However, it is not a good idea to completely transform textbooks with tablets with the current technology, for it can not only be damaging to the environment and costly to set up, but also might not be effective in improving K-12 education in the long run.

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast Ebooks Vs Textbooks

    1074 Words  | 3 Pages

    Getting educated is one of the most important things in life when it comes to getting a good future. By developing good knowledge of schooling, it helps establish and maintain new information as needed throughout the real world. As books are one the essential tools in learning, eBooks are being used in a everyday lifestyle. Traveling to get away places from city life, helps give reading a comforting feel. Students that use print books are eventually going to use ebooks in the future. By educating students with ebooks, it is more efficient than carrying textbooks; ebooks is more convenient and reliable to read, write and store notes. Print books are being replaced by eBooks, it helps on keeping files together and it makes notes

    Read More

More about E-Textbooks

Open Document