Beating Skyrocketing

Textbook Costs: Writing Your

Own

Presented at the 19th Annual AFACCT Conference

Session 5.2: January 8, 2009By

E. Joseph Lamp, Ph.D.Professor of Speech

Anne Arundel Community CollegeJanuary 8, 2009

Bought but never opened!

Used

Unopened

Unopened

Used

History• First major speech text – written 332 BC

• What changed in 2300+ years? Not much.

• Fall, 1986 – 1st tier public speaking publication $35 a copy --ouch!

• $141 – 2009 cost

• Teacher heal thyself – write your own

Who might try this?• Professors:

– Teaching “process” or “skills” courses – Using many of their own “tried and true handouts” – Whose institutions are willing to permit innovation

What courses may be applicable?

• “Process or skills” courses with content does not change all that much from year to year.

• Suggested areas:– Speech skills courses (public speaking)

– English composition/grammar courses

– Foreign language courses

– Math skills/problem oriented courses

– Art skills classes

Why do it?• Advantages:

– Huge student cost savings

– Custom tailored to your student audience

– Every page gets used in some manner

– Quickly updated as you see the need

– Complete control of course materials

– Usually no copyright issues

• Disadvantages: – Not as comprehensive or as “glitzy” as a first tier

publication

– Few (if any) ancillary materials

– First attempt takes the most time

What do you need?

• Computer • Word processing package• Scanner• A “photo-fixing” package. • Laser-jet printer

When do you do it?

• Summertime?

• Whenever you can get blocks of time – 3-5 hours at a crack worked best for me.

• Do not try it during the regular semester.

What should be your approach?• **Think small: Use an inductive model as

opposed to a deductive model. • Work from your own handouts.• Ask colleagues for handouts. • Use your own students’ examples of outstanding

work – and screw-ups.

What should be your approach?

• Tailor it to your student audience.

• Make it easy to “find stuff” by:– Making the table of contents very inclusive– Having all the key words/principles/photos

included in the index

• Include a simple syllabus (no dates).

• Add “fun” materials unique to you or your class.

Let’s look at a few examples

The Cover

The local story of Angie and the snake – tied to speech phobia

Let them know it was custom developedfor them.

You may even include a personalized letter.

You can provide a brief custom tailored organizational chart of your content areas.

You can put your course syllabus and policies all in one place so they don’t lose them.

Add a strong table of contents and index making it easy for them to actually “use” the text.

Index

Lots of student driven – “teacher fixed” -- examples carry the day.

And you might add some “fun” things, perhaps tailored to you, your college, or your classes.

Does your system work? Assessing outcomes

Last Words:Don’t freak if it isn’t perfect. My students are thrilled at the price, the simplicity, and that “their teacher” wrote it “for

them.”

Thanks for attending and good luck!

Joe Lamp