E-textbooks a growing part of university education – with mixed benefits
The use of electronic textbooks has grown rapidly since pre-pandemic times, but the return for students is mixed.
"They often expire, so students often have to buy them multiple times. You also can't make your money back because you can't resell them," said Mateusz Salmassi, a vice-president with the University of Calgary Students' Union.
"Studies show that students retain information from print better, so it's overall a worse return on investment."
According to figures from the U of C book store, electronic learning materials made up about six per cent of revenue in pre-pandemic times.
Those same materials now account for about 30 per cent.
The simplest electronic versions typically sell for about 50 to 60 per cent of the cost of a printed text.
The university says that rapid rise started as a response to the pandemic, allowing people access to materials from home while also getting around supply chain problems.
Among students who spoke with CTV News on campus Tuesday, reviews were mixed.
Being able to fit all their course materials onto a single device was a big bonus, but there was a sense that a physical book is easier to study, reference and navigate.
The merits of digital versus paper are one thing, but the cost to students is increasingly on the minds of professors.
Some are now developing their own open educational resources (OERs) to ease the financial burden.
Tenured philosophy professor Richard Zach says his intro course has 500 students a year. His previous textbook cost about $100.
"I just thought it was unconscionable to continue to do that when there are perfectly suitable alternatives that are free for students – and that I can change as I see fit," Zach said.
The U of C's Students' Union has already committed $500,000 to the development of about 50 OERs, but along with administration is urging the province to get involved and co-ordinate the creation of more free materials to be shared across Alberta’s post-secondary institutions.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
'It was joy': Trapped B.C. orca calf eats seal meat, putting rescue on hold
A rescue operation for an orca calf trapped in a remote tidal lagoon off Vancouver Island has been put on hold after it started eating seal meat thrown in the water for what is believed to be the first time.
Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
B.C. judge orders shared dog custody for exes who both 'clearly love Stella'
In a first-of-its-kind ruling, a B.C. judge has awarded a former couple joint custody of their dog.
Saskatoon police to search landfill for remains of woman missing since 2020
Saskatoon police say they will begin searching the city’s landfill for the remains of Mackenzie Lee Trottier, who has been missing for more than three years.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.