Inequitable Impacts of Textbook Costs at a Small, Private College: Results from a Textbook Survey at Gettysburg College
Recognizing that higher education settings vary considerably, librarians at Gettysburg College sought to better understand textbook spending behaviors and the effects of costs on our students. We adapted the Florida Virtual Campus 2016 Student Textbook and Course Materials Survey to suit the contex...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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International Council for Open and Distance Education (ICDE)
2021-03-01
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| Series: | Open Praxis |
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| Online Access: | https://account.openpraxis.org/index.php/up-j-op/article/view/117 |
| _version_ | 1797612716891832320 |
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| author | Sarah Appedu Mary Elmquist Janelle Wertzberger Sharon Birch |
| author_facet | Sarah Appedu Mary Elmquist Janelle Wertzberger Sharon Birch |
| author_sort | Sarah Appedu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
Recognizing that higher education settings vary considerably, librarians at Gettysburg College sought to better understand textbook spending behaviors and the effects of costs on our students. We adapted the Florida Virtual Campus 2016 Student Textbook and Course Materials Survey to suit the context of our small, private, liberal arts college. Most students spent $300 in Fall 2019. Financial aid awards did not cover the cost of required books and course materials for most students receiving aid. Negative effects were more pronounced for first-generation students and Pell Grant recipients, who were more likely to not purchase required books, to not register for a course due to cost, and to struggle academically. Some reported negative effects beyond their academic lives, as well. We recommend adoption of Open Educational Resources as an equity-minded practice that addresses this academic success barrier.
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| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T06:45:54Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a0053d3f01f5474b92df937684eb0cd1 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1369-9997 2304-070X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T06:45:54Z |
| publishDate | 2021-03-01 |
| publisher | International Council for Open and Distance Education (ICDE) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Open Praxis |
| spelling | doaj.art-a0053d3f01f5474b92df937684eb0cd12023-11-17T10:20:10ZengInternational Council for Open and Distance Education (ICDE)Open Praxis1369-99972304-070X2021-03-01131Inequitable Impacts of Textbook Costs at a Small, Private College: Results from a Textbook Survey at Gettysburg CollegeSarah Appedu0Mary Elmquist1Janelle Wertzberger2Sharon Birch3University of Illinois, Urbana ChampaignGettysburg CollegeGettysburg CollegeElizabethtown College Recognizing that higher education settings vary considerably, librarians at Gettysburg College sought to better understand textbook spending behaviors and the effects of costs on our students. We adapted the Florida Virtual Campus 2016 Student Textbook and Course Materials Survey to suit the context of our small, private, liberal arts college. Most students spent $300 in Fall 2019. Financial aid awards did not cover the cost of required books and course materials for most students receiving aid. Negative effects were more pronounced for first-generation students and Pell Grant recipients, who were more likely to not purchase required books, to not register for a course due to cost, and to struggle academically. Some reported negative effects beyond their academic lives, as well. We recommend adoption of Open Educational Resources as an equity-minded practice that addresses this academic success barrier. https://account.openpraxis.org/index.php/up-j-op/article/view/117Textbook surveyOERundergraduate studentsprivate college |
| spellingShingle | Sarah Appedu Mary Elmquist Janelle Wertzberger Sharon Birch Inequitable Impacts of Textbook Costs at a Small, Private College: Results from a Textbook Survey at Gettysburg College Open Praxis Textbook survey OER undergraduate students private college |
| title | Inequitable Impacts of Textbook Costs at a Small, Private College: Results from a Textbook Survey at Gettysburg College |
| title_full | Inequitable Impacts of Textbook Costs at a Small, Private College: Results from a Textbook Survey at Gettysburg College |
| title_fullStr | Inequitable Impacts of Textbook Costs at a Small, Private College: Results from a Textbook Survey at Gettysburg College |
| title_full_unstemmed | Inequitable Impacts of Textbook Costs at a Small, Private College: Results from a Textbook Survey at Gettysburg College |
| title_short | Inequitable Impacts of Textbook Costs at a Small, Private College: Results from a Textbook Survey at Gettysburg College |
| title_sort | inequitable impacts of textbook costs at a small private college results from a textbook survey at gettysburg college |
| topic | Textbook survey OER undergraduate students private college |
| url | https://account.openpraxis.org/index.php/up-j-op/article/view/117 |
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