Student Views on the Cost of and Access to Textbooks: An Investigation at University of Otago (New Zealand)
<p>The rising cost of textbooks is influencing students’ choice of courses, as well as the quality of their learning experience once they are enrolled in a course, according to recent studies. This paper builds on those studies by exploring the possible effects that textbook costs may be havin...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
International Council for Open and Distance Education (ICDE)
2017-10-01
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| Series: | Open Praxis |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://openpraxis.org/articles/417 |
| _version_ | 1811162070937239552 |
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| author | Sarah Stein Simon Hart Philippa Keaney Richard White |
| author_facet | Sarah Stein Simon Hart Philippa Keaney Richard White |
| author_sort | Sarah Stein |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <p>The rising cost of textbooks is influencing students’ choice of courses, as well as the quality of their learning experience once they are enrolled in a course, according to recent studies. This paper builds on those studies by exploring the possible effects that textbook costs may be having on study behaviours of students at one New Zealand tertiary institution: University of Otago. Perceptions of undergraduate students (n-811) about cost of, and access to, textbooks and possible influences on their study behaviours were gathered through a questionnaire. Results showed that students: are more likely to buy textbooks than access them through libraries; experienced purchasing expensive textbooks that were rarely used; questioned the value of textbooks; described alternative resource-seeking behaviours; and are heavily reliant on alternatives suggested by lecturers. Perceptions about affordability and academic value, access issues and consequential influences on study-related behaviours and attitudes are discussed.</p> |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T06:23:36Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3db7f8e23c514e8fb052dd920c2c4459 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1369-9997 2304-070X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T06:23:36Z |
| publishDate | 2017-10-01 |
| publisher | International Council for Open and Distance Education (ICDE) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Open Praxis |
| spelling | doaj.art-3db7f8e23c514e8fb052dd920c2c44592023-03-01T21:21:15ZengInternational Council for Open and Distance Education (ICDE)Open Praxis1369-99972304-070X2017-10-019440341910.5944/openpraxis.9.4.704376Student Views on the Cost of and Access to Textbooks: An Investigation at University of Otago (New Zealand)Sarah Stein0Simon Hart1Philippa Keaney2Richard White3University of OtagoUniversity of OtagoOtago PolytechnicUniversity of Otago<p>The rising cost of textbooks is influencing students’ choice of courses, as well as the quality of their learning experience once they are enrolled in a course, according to recent studies. This paper builds on those studies by exploring the possible effects that textbook costs may be having on study behaviours of students at one New Zealand tertiary institution: University of Otago. Perceptions of undergraduate students (n-811) about cost of, and access to, textbooks and possible influences on their study behaviours were gathered through a questionnaire. Results showed that students: are more likely to buy textbooks than access them through libraries; experienced purchasing expensive textbooks that were rarely used; questioned the value of textbooks; described alternative resource-seeking behaviours; and are heavily reliant on alternatives suggested by lecturers. Perceptions about affordability and academic value, access issues and consequential influences on study-related behaviours and attitudes are discussed.</p>https://openpraxis.org/articles/417textbookscostaccesshigher educationstudent perceptionsstudent behaviour |
| spellingShingle | Sarah Stein Simon Hart Philippa Keaney Richard White Student Views on the Cost of and Access to Textbooks: An Investigation at University of Otago (New Zealand) Open Praxis textbooks cost access higher education student perceptions student behaviour |
| title | Student Views on the Cost of and Access to Textbooks: An Investigation at University of Otago (New Zealand) |
| title_full | Student Views on the Cost of and Access to Textbooks: An Investigation at University of Otago (New Zealand) |
| title_fullStr | Student Views on the Cost of and Access to Textbooks: An Investigation at University of Otago (New Zealand) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Student Views on the Cost of and Access to Textbooks: An Investigation at University of Otago (New Zealand) |
| title_short | Student Views on the Cost of and Access to Textbooks: An Investigation at University of Otago (New Zealand) |
| title_sort | student views on the cost of and access to textbooks an investigation at university of otago new zealand |
| topic | textbooks cost access higher education student perceptions student behaviour |
| url | https://openpraxis.org/articles/417 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT sarahstein studentviewsonthecostofandaccesstotextbooksaninvestigationatuniversityofotagonewzealand AT simonhart studentviewsonthecostofandaccesstotextbooksaninvestigationatuniversityofotagonewzealand AT philippakeaney studentviewsonthecostofandaccesstotextbooksaninvestigationatuniversityofotagonewzealand AT richardwhite studentviewsonthecostofandaccesstotextbooksaninvestigationatuniversityofotagonewzealand |