eText Initiative

Jimmy L. Council, MBA, CNMT

Caldwell Community College & Technical Institute

Hudson, NC

jcouncil@cccti.edu

The NC Community College System Conference

Description

This presentation highlights the current Nuclear Medicine Technology e-Text pilot. Discussion includes research in the electronic delivery of textbook material, hardware platforms, and student / instructor perspectives. The Nuclear Medicine Technology program of Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute (CCC&TI) began its use of e-Text as a means of textbook cost reduction and delivery of content in Spring 2012. Emphasis is placed on difficulties, accomplishments, and current state of the project.

• Economic times• Financial Struggle• Reduced Textbook costs – 30% - 80% ??• Content Delivery – Distance Education• Collaborative Education• Text/content Link• Learning Assessment• Retention• Student Expectations• Going Green

Why eTexts

Why eTexts

Textbook Usage

• US PIRG Survey (2011)

– 7 in 10 students have skipped buying a textbook due to cost

– 81% of students reported being unable to sell back a textbook due to new edition being published

– Textbook costs are 26% of tuition at state universities and 72% of tuition at community colleges

• Indiana University• Daytona State College• Virginia State• California State University System• Cornell University• University of Minnesota• University of Wisconsin• Others

Other Schools

• CafeScribe• Vital Source• Pearson eText• Course Smart• Cengage• Pageburst• Flat World Knowledge• Courseload

Publishers / Platforms

• Dr. David Shockley– Summer 2011

• 2011 – 2013 Cohort• Dr. Rand Spiwak

– October 2011• Sliders Purchased

– December 2011• Adobe PDF Text

– Spring 2012• CourseLoad

– Summer 2012– Fall 2012

• VitalSource– Fall 2012– Spring 2013

Nuclear Medicine Pilot

• Online/Offline Access• Open Device Platform• More Than a “Kindle”

–Word Processing–Spread Sheet–Web Surfing

Hardware Functionality

• Physical Design–Processor Speed–Browser Functionality–Book/software Accessibility–Optional Features

Platform Comparison

• Candidates•Apple – iPad•Tablet•Netbook•Laptop•Desktop

Hardware Platform

Asus Slider - Tablet

Photo: http://usa.asus.com/Eee/Eee_Pad/Eee_Pad_Slider_SL101/

Asus Slider – Tablet

• 10.74 x 7.1 x .71 Inches• 2.1 Pounds• 1 GHz Dual Core NVIDIA Tegra 2 CPU• 8 Hour Battery• 10.1 Inch Display

• Wi-Fi Only Connectivity• Storage Options

• 16GB• 32GB

• Android 3.1 Honeycomb Operating System

• Ports/Interfaces

Asus Slider – Tablet

Adobe PDF

• Cross platform usage• Downloadable• Available offline• Format problems with some devices

1st Survey – Spring 2012

• PDF text• February 2, 2012• Essay/short answer• Not quantifiable• 14 Respondents

1st Survey – Spring 2012

• How much do you use your tablet for this class?– None. I bring my laptop.– All the time.– Every day – on campus and at home– Everyday– A lot, I use it every class and at home for my PowerPoints.– Daily– Two to three times a day.– Constantly– A lot – almost everyday– Every time we meet.– For everything. Slides, book, note taking, internet for questions– Most of the class period, and at home everyday– I use it for the whole class. I download the book and power points on it.– Not much, don’t like it

1st Survey – Spring 2012

• Do you find this device to be helpful with all of your studies?– Yes (x 9)– Yes, it is very easy to look up info.– Yes it could be– Yes, it gives you quick and easy access to books and notes without

having to carry a load of notebooks and paper.– Not really, it mainly just helpful for this class– No

1st Survey – Spring 2012• What is your perception of online texts? Is it

easier or more difficult?– It’s easier to understand and to find more sources.– Easier– Easier– It is easier to access and read. I like having everything in one.– It depends on the class – with this class it is easier with others it could be harder like w/

math.– I find it more mobile– I think it would be a great idea, allowing students to be more attentive to lecture, especially

with PowerPoints, so you can pay attention and not just copy notes all class period.– It’s easier than carrying around 5 different books– It’s ok– About the same– Same as having a book.– Easier, just need to find text that have a digital copy– More difficult– Hard to see OX’s – especially in sunlight - glares

1st Survey – Spring 2012

• Has it enhanced your learning experience?– Yes, it’s easy to carry, store, and transfer data through cloud base

servers. So you can’t say you forgot the info. Saves Money and time. Very easy to find info online.

– Yes (x 8)– Yes!– Enhanced? Idk It’s nuclear medicine, it’s hard.– Yes, it makes it easier and more convenient to study.– It has WiFi – I can search something immediately not have to wait– No – again, rather have the book.

CourseLoad

• Summer 2012• Two texts• Expectations

– 70% reduction in the cost of new textbooks– Accessible through any web-enabled device– Note sharing– Real-time analytics– Incorporates multimedia materials into your course– Moodle integration– Print-on-demand

CourseLoad

CourseLoad

• Initial impressions:– Browser required for access– Unable to use offline with portable devices– Offline usage with Google Chrome plug-in only– Print copy available for one title at approximately 50%

of retail cost– Weak analytics – new revision soon– Students were reluctant to share notes and text

highlights– Moodle integration problematic

2nd Survey – Summer 2012

• Sample size - 11• Age

– 55% 18 - 25– 36% 26 – 35

• Gender– 36% Male– 64% Female

• Which of the following electronic resources do you currently access for academic or personal use?– 100 % Electronic books– 91% Educational websites– 82 % Online reference databases

2nd Survey – Summer 2012• Please indicate which devices your currently own, have

access to, etc.– 100% Smartphone– 82% Laptop– 55% Desktop (PC or Mac)– 36% iPad

• Respond to the following Statements– 100 % I use technology frequently outside of school– 100 % I complete at least 75% of class assigned readings– 91% I keep my textbooks after the class ends– 55% I prefer to read books in print form– 55% I prefer to access class materials and textbooks

electronically

2nd Survey – Summer 2012

• If you were given a choice, which textbook option would you prefer?– 27% Printed textbook– 18% Digital or electronic textbook– 55% Either, depending on price

• Do think electronic books are easy to use?– 100% Yes

2nd Survey – Summer 2012

• Which eText benefits are most important to you?– 91% Cost– 64%

• Weight of books• Ability to search within text• Dictionary and translation access• Instructor annotations

– 55%• Ability to annotate text• Ability to share notes with other students• Sustainability

2nd Survey – Summer 2012

• Did you use the eText offered for this class?– 91% Yes– 9% No

• Did you find the eText for this class useful?– 91% Yes– 9% No Opinion

• If you do not prefer using the eText, would a cost savings compared to printed textbooks make you reconsider?– 36% Yes, if the eText was free– 27% Yes, 50% less than the printed textbook– 9% Yes, 25% less than the printed textbook– 9% Yes, 75% less than the printed textbook– 9% No, I prefer printed textbooks regardless of the cost

VitalSource

• Fall 2012• Student purchased• VitalSource “Bookshelf”

– Mac®, Windows®, – iOS and Android Apps

• Online or off• Print 50 pages at a time• No analytics• No note or highlight sharing

VitalSource

3rd Survey – Fall 2012

• English 111 – 400 Respondents• Health Science – 92 Respondents

– Which benefits are most important to you?• 58% Cost• 51% Ability to search within text• 41% Weight of books• 36% Dictionary and translation access

• Investigate eText Delivery Systems

• Pilot Programs• Provide Student Choices• Promote State-wide

Collaboration • Cost ???

Conclusions

• The Chronicle of Higher Education– http://chronicle.com/article/The-End-of-the-Textbook-as-We/12504

4/

• Inside Higher Ed– http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2010/09/03/daytona

• Daytona State College– http://www.daytonastate.edu/etext/index.html

• Campus Technology– http://campustechnology.com/articles/2011/06/22/get-ready-for-ete

xt.aspx

• eTextConsult– http://www.etextconsult.com/

Resources

• IT Business Edge– http://www.itbusinessedge.com/cm/community/features/interview

s/blog/technology-explodes-on-campus/?cs=42396&page=2

• The Horizon Report– http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/HR2011.pdf

• New York Times– http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/18/business/online-textbooks-ai

m-to-make-science-leap-from-the-page.html?_r=2&ref=textbooks

• Indiana University– http://etexts.iu.edu/home.php

• Student PIRGs– http://www.studentpirgs.org/reports/cover-cover-solutio

n

Resources

Resources

• ACSFA college textbook cost study plan proposal• https://

www.wvhepc.org/commission/Textbooks%20Study/ACSFA%20College%20Textbook%20Cost%20Study%20Plan%20Proposal.pdf

• Net-generation and e-textbooks• https://www.wvhepc.org/commission/Textbooks%20Study/ACSFA

%20College%20Textbook%20Cost%20Study%20Plan%20Proposal.pdf

• Virginia State Moves to Digital Textbooks in Business Program• http://

campustechnology.com/Articles/2010/09/10/Virginia-State-Moves-to-Digital-Textbooks-in-Business-Program.aspx?Page=1

• Format war heats up among publishers of electronic textbooks.• http://chronicle.com/article/Format-War-Heats-Up-Among/64323/

Resources

• Textbook survey finds low price drives sales of • http://www.prweb.com/releases/prweb2012/2/prweb9224315.htm

• New partnership of Barnes & Noble and Microsoft will promote digital textbooks

• http://chronicle.com/article/Barnes-NobleMicrosoft/131755/• E-textbook market remains on course to pass 25% by 2015

• http://www.nextisnow.net/blog/e-textbook-market-remains-on-course-to-pass-25-by-2015.html

• Free digital textbooks funded through advertising• http://

campustechnology.com/articles/2012/06/19/free-digital-textbooks-funded-through-advertising.aspx

• Western Governors U signs textbook pay-for-performance deal• http://

campustechnology.com/articles/2012/06/11/western-governors-u-signs-textbook-pay-for-performance-deal.aspx

Resources

• Textbook alternative• http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2012/05/10/university-minnesota-compiles-d

atabase-peer-reviewed-open-source-textbooks#ixzz1uTh16opu

• ebrary survey suggests student use of ebooks stronger in the UK.• http://www.libraries.wright.edu/noshelfrequired/2012/05/08/ebrary-survey-suggests

-student-use-of-ebooks-stronger-in-the-uk/

• A textbook case of digital disruption• http://www.dailyfinance.com/2012/04/05/a-textbook-case-of-digital-disruption/?sou

rce=edddlftxt0860001

• Apple's new e-textbook platform enters an already crowded field• http://chronicle.com/article/Apples-New-E-Textbook/130399/

Questions ?

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