Primary Research

To create a well-rounded study, a survey was created and conducted specifically for this for this project.

The purpose of this survey was to examine the relationship between college students and their "required" reading materials for their coursework. In this survey they were asked to answer questions on traditional print textbooks and ebooks--even if they have not had previous experience with ebooks.

This survey collected 25 responses from undergraduate and graduate students between November 27, 2011 and December 10, 2011.

Below are the survey questions and their results:

1.  Do you purchase all required textbooks each semester?

2.  If no, what are your reasons for not purchasing all required textbooks?

• A lot of the material is never covered. Why spend the money?
• Sometimes, I just go to the university library during the time I set aside to read a particularly expensive text.
• I'm too cheap, and they are too expensive
• Doesn't appear that the professor relies on it heavily, etc
• I rent my books
• Some of them aren't used in the classes and are more so just a suggestion
• If its not required or the information is available at the library or online
• Some we don't use as much and I can borrow
• Sometimes they really aren't needed

3.  How much, on average, do you spend on textbooks per semester?

4.  Have you had the option to use ebooks rather than print textbooks in your courses?

5.  At 25-50% cheaper would you consider digital textbooks rather than purchasing traditional print textbooks?

6.  What are your concerns with using a digital textbook?

• Harder to flip back to a certain section to review, can't put in little post-it flags on important sections
• None, I've had digital texts assigned to me for other classes and never had any problems
• Access in case I'm not wired for some reason
• Looking at screens for long periods of time tends to give me a headache and makes me more tired. Even though i would love to have a much cheaper option, I prefer to use print textbooks.
• As I don't have an ereader, I'd be using the textbook on my computer and I dont' like reading on the screen for long periods of time! I also like being able to physically highlight passages and make pages. I know a lot of these things are possible with digital books, but the physical act seems to help me remember things I've noted.
• For me there are two types of textbooks in college, there are the ones you are going to keep because they are good books regardless of whether you need it for class or not. And then there are those that you can sell and make some of your money back. Can you really sell an ebook?
• None. Love 'em.
• I like to have a hard copy in front of me to be able to highlight and look back on. I like to be able to have it handy with me during class or where ever i go when I am not able to use my laptop.
• My eyes would hurt from reading it. I would be too distracted because I would be on my computer. I wouldn't be able to highlight or make it as I normally do.
• Possible technological problems
• I don't like reading large paragraphs on my computer screen. I rather have the physical book in front of me.
• Looking at a screen that long hurts my eyes, and its not as easy to flip between sections of a book and compare things.
• I would be concerned about having the option of keeping the ebook permanently or not. When I buy physical textbooks I know I can keep it forever if I so wish. However, a rented ebook might expire after a certain time period. I like to have the option of keeping my books or not.
• It may be easier to take a book somewhere with you (on a plane) and not have to worry about having internet access. Also, staring at a computer for a long period of time can give you a headache.
• Not being able to have a physical copy to highlight and take notes on.
• I don't think I would use it as much as a physical book.
• Devices.
• Accessibility.
• Not being able to write on the pages, flip back and forth, fold pages down
• I can't always take my laptop with me everywhere and I get headaches from looking at the screen all the time.
• I prefer to have the material in front of me and be able to make comments in margins and highlight.
• None really, considering I always have my laptop with me and it's never failed me before.

7.  Explain how you would, or would not, value from a digital textbook in the form of a collaborative wiki that allowed for you and your classmates to make constructive changes and add comments.

• If people where making changes to my textbooks it would confuse me.
• I would be interested as long as the option was always available to read the material without comments. The input would be helpful at times and distracting at times. I like to read the material and form my ideas for response and then read others input so as not to borrow too many ideas.
• I think it would be very helpful as long as everyone was constructive and not abusing it
• I think I would enjoy using this sort of interactive digital textbook - it could act as a live discussion
• For the most part, I see adding a sense of community to anything school related as a huge plus. I figure it would help a lot, especially as it would help the instructor see directly what the students are having trouble with and therefore be able to cover more of it in class.
• I would not value from a digital textbook. I feel like once i have bought my books, I am able to use them as a reference later on.
• I would value from that because sometimes it takes me awhile to comprehend things and if other classmates also have that problem we could help each other get through the reading quicker.
• I would not really value this as a learning tool. I often find it overwhelming to keep up with all of the comments and discussions that take place on the discussion boards of my online classes. Having a sort of discussion board implanted onto my textbook would be extremely distracting. Honestly, I would likely ignore the comments of my classmates and I would not be inclined to participate in such an exercise.
• This would be much more interesting and would provide a greater learning experience that is much more up to date than a regular text.
• I think it would be a big help to have a collaborative wiki that students could actively participate in.
• I would value from their input and push myself to learn more on various subjects.
• I wouldn't want the students that think they know everything to be able to change facts and then my information ending up being wrong. I do like discussion boards and online classes.
• It would make things easier that may otherwise be hard to understand.
• I wouldn't like a digital textbook unless it were available on a Kindle or something of that sort. I don't like reading hundreds of pages of material off a computer screen. I also don't think that other peoples comments would benefit me in any way on textbook material.

8.  Do you think students will feel more obligated to engage in class, especially in a more scholarly and in-depth way, if they were publicly held accountable by their class in a peer-based learning and reading community?

• Yes.
• I'm not sure they would necessarily participate more but I think their contributions will be more thoughtful and critical
• To some extent. When I took a virtual class most people always kept posting what they should and it was scholarly because everyone else could see what they had done too.
• Yes, I think students would feel not only more obligated, but more willing to participate in such an environment. It seems that this social learning technique would make some students feel more comfortable participating.
• I think that the deeper you are into your program, the more this becomes true but unfortunately this is going to be dependent on the value of the class for all students. Whether or not this type of community can succeed I also believe will be dependent on whether the class is a core class for the student's program or if it's just another general education.
• Perhaps. However, you will get those select few that still won't participate in class no matter the type of learning.
• If they are held accountable, sure.
• Yes, I think that they may feel more obligated to participate but this does not mean they're learning more or having a more meaningful interaction. In online classes, I participate on the class discussion board if I am required but I don't feel as if I am getting very much out of it. If professors want to hold students accountable and make sure they are reading the material, they should require them to write meaningful responses about the reading.
• I think it would make them slightly more fearful of getting things wrong if there was marks or significant pressure put on the students to get things right.
• I feel as though students would make more of an effort to help out another classmate and be constructive in helping out contributing towards the class.
• Yes.
• I think students will feel obligated if participation counts towards their grade especially during group discussions. Online classes with discussion boards make the student discuss their opinions on topics and to do that they need to read.
• Most likely.
• Yes.

9.  Would you find the bridge that a collaborative ebook offers from the digital realm to the face-to-face classroom setting helpful or a distraction?

• A distraction.
• Both at different times which is why I would suggest the option of turning comments on and off.
• I thin I would find it helpful as long as it is in addition to the face to face classroom setting.
• I think it would be helpful.
• Again, highly dependent on the class and the value of said class to the student's program. Helpful for a general education class, but I would encourage more face-to-face for core classes.
• I find it to be a distraction. Personally, I like to read by a hard book rather than a digital one. There may be some complications when using technology and knowing that I have the hard copy can eliminate those complications. Also, my eye tends to wanter when I am on the computer and I usually open up other browsers.
• I would say distraction.
• Generally helpful as long as there aren't too many parameters and it's a quite 'free' project
• I think ebooks offer a much more portable solution to students and would make a class more accessible for students in turn helping them put more into the class.
• Helpful. Reading assignments are done at home and not in the classroom. It would be helpful to have someone to turn to for clarification outside the classroom.
• Online classes are distracting to a point when I have to read online because it is easy to look up other websites that are not relevant to the class.
• Helpful as long as the class were to take it seriously.
• I would find it to be a distraction.

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