Investigating the Perceptions, Use, and Impact of Open Textbooks: A survey of Post-Secondary Students in British Columbia

Rajiv Sunil Jhangiani,Surita Jhangiani

doi:10.19173/irrodl.v18i4.3012

Abstract

<p class="3">Unrelenting increases in the price of college textbooks have prompted the development and adoption of open textbooks, educational resources that are openly licensed and available to students free of cost. Although several studies have investigated U.S. students’ perceptions and use of open textbooks, there are no published studies of this kind in Canada. Similarly, although the negative impact of commercial textbook costs on student outcomes is well documented within the United States, it is unknown whether these trends generalize to the Canadian post-secondary context. The present study involves a survey of 320 post-secondary students in British Columbia enrolled in courses using an open textbook during the Spring 2015, Summer 2015, and Fall 2015 semesters. The survey investigates students’ textbook purchasing behaviours, including whether, where, and in what format(s) they purchase and access their required textbooks; the negative impact of textbook costs on their course enrolment, persistence, and performance; how they access and use their open textbook, including their format preferences and study habits; and their perceptions of their open textbook, including its quality and what features they like and dislike. The study’s strengths and limitations are discussed, along with recommendations for future research.</p>

Highlights

The price of college textbooks in the United States has increased by 129% over the past fifteen years, a rate nearly four times that of inflation (U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2016)
This formula, which assumes that the courses in which respondents were assigned an open textbook carried an average of three credits, yields estimates of the mean ($99.71) and median ($71.43) amounts spent per course on textbooks
When asked to report the number of required textbooks that remained unused during their classes, some respondents reported this as a percentage (M = 50.75%, SD = 27.36%, n = 177) while others reported this as a number (M = 2.99, SD = 2.57, n = 116)

Summary

Introduction

The price of college textbooks in the United States has increased by 129% over the past fifteen years, a rate nearly four times that of inflation (U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2016). According to one survey of 1,350 university students across the country, the median undergraduate student spent $385 during the Fall 2012 semester on required course materials (Usher, 2015). Whereas 82% of students whose textbooks totalled less than $200 bought all of their textbooks, only 48% of those whose textbooks totalled more than $800 did so Another survey, this one of 1,530 post-secondary students in Ontario, found that the median student spent between $301-$400 during the Spring 2009 semester on required course materials, with 47% of the sample agreeing somewhat or strongly with the statement “Buying the latest editions of textbooks is usually a waste of money” and only 19% endorsing the statement “Instructors generally check the price materials before deciding to require them” This one of 1,530 post-secondary students in Ontario, found that the median student spent between $301-$400 during the Spring 2009 semester on required course materials, with 47% of the sample agreeing somewhat or strongly with the statement “Buying the latest editions of textbooks is usually a waste of money” and only 19% endorsing the statement “Instructors generally check the price materials before deciding to require them” (Studentawards Inc. & Stepwise Research, 2009)

Results

Discussion

Conclusion