Online Textbooks: Translating or Transforming Media?

Primary Presenter: Mark Werner

Co-Presenter: Caroline Sinkinson

Organization: University of Colorado Boulder

Role: Program Manager for Academic Technology Strategy

Track: Research Presentation

Topic: Digital Texts

Level: For Mere Mortals

Abstract: During Fall 2012, seventeen institutions of higher education, including CU Boulder, participated in an electronic textbook study, which was designed to gather a robust view of e-text usage for teaching and learning. This presentation will summarize results from the cross institutional study while also providing a snapshot of e-text use at CU Boulder. The presenters will share their experience with the study as well as the barriers and affordances reported by students and faculty.

Bio: Mark Werner is Program Manager of Academic Technology Strategy at the University of Colorado at Boulder. Previously he Managed Instructional Technology Support Services and served as a technology coordinator for arts and humanities faculty. He holds a Ph.D in Rhetoric and an M.A. in English from Carnegie Mellon University; and a B.S. in Technical Communication from the University of Minnesota. Mark has conducted research into the affordances of e-Texts and social networks in teaching and learning situations. He has developed a rapid assessment evaluation method in conjunction with Diane Sieber and Caroline Sinkinson.

Description: In the spring of 2012, Internet2 and EDUCAUSE sponsored a study of McGraw-Hill electronic textbooks viewed through the CourseLoad platform in classes at UC Berkeley, Cornell, the University of Minnesota, University of Virginia, and the University of Wisconsin at Madison. They found cost, portability, and offline access were the most important factors for adopting e-Texts. A follow-up study was held in the fall of 2012 with seventeen other institutions, including CU Boulder, to gather a broader and more robust view of e-text uses in teaching and learning contexts.

This presentation will synthesize the results of the fall and spring studies while also highlighting e-text use at CU Boulder. Nine faculty members and approximately 729 students from courses including Business, Accounting, Chemistry, Theater, Psychology, Engineering, and Biochemistry participated in the CU Boulder study. Faculty (5) and information technology support staff (4) participated in informal interviews, while students completed an online survey (86) and participated in informal interviews (3).

Attendees will view a demonstration of the e-text platform and will gain an understanding of e-text usability from student and faculty perspectives. Additionally, the presenters will provide broader observations on textbook models and the impact of digital materials in higher education.