Discussion Will edtech solve the issue of pricey textbooks?

Will edtech solve the issue of pricey textbooks?


  • Total voters
    4

CourseTalk

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Here & Now reported today on how digital edu technology might help alleviate the problem of costly college textbooks:

http://hereandnow.wbur.org/2015/12/02/high-cost-of-textbooks

But the issue is complicated, with some students preferring to learn from a physical book and many publishers now charging extra for online access.

What's your take? Could MOOCs, e-books and other educational technologies be the answer to rising textbook costs? Textbook prices have surged by more than 1,000% in the U.S. since 1977!
 

MattB

Active Member
I voted "Yes", but it's more complex than just yes or no. With edtech, there are many ways to learn without the need for text books. However, with less people buying physical text books, this may lead to an increase in their cost. Publishing a book digitally has a far lower cost than a physical book, but not everyone has access to a computer or the internet, especially in 3rd world countries.
 

CourseTalk

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I voted "Yes", but it's more complex than just yes or no. With edtech, there are many ways to learn without the need for text books. However, with less people buying physical text books, this may lead to an increase in their cost. Publishing a book digitally has a far lower cost than a physical book, but not everyone has access to a computer or the internet, especially in 3rd world countries.
Agreed, Matt, it's definitely a nuanced issue! It's also worth noting that many MOOCs base their lessons on textbooks, whether print or digital versions. When was the last time you used a textbook?
 

MattB

Active Member
Agreed, Matt, it's definitely a nuanced issue! It's also worth noting that many MOOCs base their lessons on textbooks, whether print or digital versions. When was the last time you used a textbook?
Yes, textbooks are still the basis of most courses, both on campus and online. However, will the new generation of Academics continue to produce textbooks, or will they use edtech to publish their work instead? I believe the latter is the direction it will take due to the reduced costs.
I personally still use textbooks - ones I already possess or those I borrow from others. But I don't think I would buy new ones if the content is available at a lower cost online.
 

Susan

Active Member
I think edtech is more likely to push up the cost of textbooks as they will become more of a luxury as most resources are now available online. Ultimately, the people who are affected by this are mostly the people with the least disposable cash: students & people who don't have access to computers and the internet.
 

Jaffa

Active Member
People will always want textbooks even if they can get similar information online for free.
 

CourseTalk

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I think edtech is more likely to push up the cost of textbooks as they will become more of a luxury as most resources are now available online. Ultimately, the people who are affected by this are mostly the people with the least disposable cash: students & people who don't have access to computers and the internet.
It's definitely worrisome, Susan, that people without Internet are unable to take MOOCs when they're one of the groups who would likely benefit most. We're working with the U.S. Department of State on addressing the issue, particularly in developing countries. See www.coursetalk.com/advancingmoocs. Do you have any ideas for expanding access to online resources?
 
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