My last blog focused on the millions of college students who have started college classes this fall. One of the daunting tasks facing college students across America is the purchase of college textbooks. For students and parents who, in many cases, pay for the textbooks, the cost is very high, actually outrageous in some cases.
The College Board reported the average cost for books and supplies for the 2013–2014 school year was $1,207 at public colleges and $1,253 at private colleges. But the cost can vary dramatically between the public and private schools. For example, Harvard University lists on their official website the average cost of books as $3,643 per year, three times the national average. I also looked at a typical public university, Humboldt State University, in northern California and their average cost of books is $1,612, or 56% less than the average cost of books at Harvard and 33% higher than the national average. For additional comparison, I examined the cost of attendance at St. Louis Community College and their website lists the cost of books as $1,000.
The Huffington Post reported that the cost of college textbooks has risen 812% since 1978, compared to medical services at 575%, new home prices at 325%, or the Consumer Price Index at 250% over the same period. Like tuition, the cost of college textbooks has outpaced all other consumer goods.
An important variable that impacts the cost of college textbooks is the discipline. College textbooks for mathematics, the hard sciences, medicine, or law will be much more expensive than books in other disciplines. In other words, a college calculus book will cost a lot more than an introduction to psychology book. For example, a new college calculus book by James Stewart, 7th edition, touted as the world’s best-seller, will cost $285.50 on textbooks.com or less for a used version of the book, depending on the condition of the book. An introduction to psychology book will cost $170.75 new on textbook.com and as little as $25 for a used copy.
Part of what drives up the price of college textbooks is the publisher bundling the books with supplemental material such as work books, study guides or CD’s and access to websites. When textbooks are bundled, a student cannot buy just the text book. Another strategy textbook publishers use to jack up the price is to issue newer editions of the book. It is estimated that new editions of textbooks are released on average every 3.9 years.
I have some solutions to the high cost of textbooks. I have always told my students to buy used books as they will be much less expensive. I have also informed student to buy books from students who took the class previously, assuming the professor is using the same book. I have also suggested to buy a book with a classmate and share it. However, sharing can have it drawbacks, like not having access to the book when you need it. Another option to consider would be to buy the books on-line via textbook.com, eBay, or Amazon. They typically are cheaper than college bookstores. Other options include renting a text book or buying an e-book or electronic version of the book, but you will need to have an e-reader or a computer. However, renting a book may not always be cheaper, as you lose money if you don’t take special care of the rental book when you have to return it. And e-books aren’t always that much cheaper than buying a new book.
I suggest, before renting a book, you should consider the cost of a used book and the money you will recoup when you re-sell it to the bookstore, versus the cost of renting the same textbook. My students, and most students in the different universities with which I have been associated, have preferred used books over rentals or e-books. At the bookstore of one university where I worked, 65% of the books stocked and sold were used, and, as a result, the students at that school wanted more used text books.
Another suggestion is to purchase an older edition of a college textbook since they tend to be cheaper, but one has to be careful that the material has not changed significantly. Also, if it is a mathematics book, the end of each chapter can be different. But that can easily be solved by borrowing the new textbook from a classmate and copying the new problem sets.
One final suggestion and a little known fact that most students on college campuses may not be aware of is that most colleges and universities will place a textbook for their courses on reserve in the library. This is great for students who can’t afford to buy textbooks, but there is a downside. Typically, college libraries will not allow students to check out books on reserve or, if they do allow check-out, it will be for a very short period to time, in some cases only a couple of hours.
I talked to my son, who is a senior majoring in mechanical engineering, and he does not buy e-books, but rather prefers used books and re-sells them to the bookstore if he decides not the keep the book. An informal survey of his friends confirms that e-books are not a common choice. They too prefer used books.
It is worth the effort to do the research and consider all options available before purchasing a college textbook. It will pay off in the short term and may save you lots of money over the course of four… or five….years of buying textbooks.
Thursday, September 11, 2014
Wednesday, September 3, 2014
That Time of Year Again: The Start of College And Getting to Know Each Other
It is that time of year again. Fall is when the summer heat and humidity starts to subside and cool nights begin. It is the start of football season and the Friday night lights or Saturday afternoon games. It is also the time when our society begins one of its most important tasks, i.e, educating our future workforce and our next generation of leaders.
From mid-August through early September, about 22.1 millions students will start college or university classes. In the fall of 2013, public and private two- and four-year institutions of higher education enrolled 21.8 million students: females make up the majority of the students at 12.5 million and males 9.3 million. This fall, The National Center for Educational Statistics projects that colleges and universities will enroll nearly 22.1 million students, an increase of barely 1 percent.
And 1.5 million college professors, or more specifically referred to by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics as post-secondary teachers, will teach these students courses from accounting to zoology and everything in between. A quick glance at course listings of a few colleges reveals some interesting courses such as Elementary Yiddish at UCLA; Tightwaddery or the Good Life on a Dollar a Day at Alfred University; Underwater Basket Weaving, yes folks it does really exist, at Reed College; Introduction to Turntablism, a course to learn how to become a DJ, at Oberlin Experimental College; The Joy of Garbage at Santa Clara University; and my favorite An Introduction to Wines at Cornell University. Why was this course not offered when I went to college? Although, I was not sophisticated enough to be into, much less, enjoy wine.
As a former college professor, one of the common questions you ask yourself is what do you do on your first day of classes. You are obviously an expert in the subject matter you are going to teach. But, on the first day almost all professors do NOT begin teaching. And those that do teach on the very first day are viewed as not being cool by the students. So the pressure it on, what do you do to be cool? Typically most professors will call the roll, review the syllabus, ask if there are any questions and dismiss class. Some professors will even introduce icebreaker games so that the professor can get to know the students and the students can get to know each other.
Josh Boldt, a writer and editor who teaches at University of Georgia, recently wrote an article in the Chronicle of Higher Education on this very subject. After reviewing the syllabus he hands out a note card to each student and asks them to write down three things: 1. their names, 2. where they are from, city and state, and 3. some element of popular culture they currently happen to be following. He tells the students it can be anything like a film, a book, a magazine, a website, a piece of music, whatever they are into at that moment.
This is a very clever idea as it allows the professor to get an immediate glimpse into the personalities of his students and to get to know his students quickly. It also provides some insight into what interests students these days. Given the age difference between the typical professor and his students, this exercise may provide the professor some valuable information about his students.
Once the writing task is completed the students are asked to pair up with another student and share their answers. He then asks the students to trade cards and every student must introduce their partner. Connections are formed immediately as students learn that they are from the same town as another student in the class, like the same TV series or read the same author. It makes it easier for students to get to know each other from the beginning. Students now have an easy reason to approach one another, a valuable tool for the shy or timid students in the class.
Josh ends the class right after the introductions and suggests that students are more talkative on the way out than they were on the way in. And he uses the note cards to take roll until he learns the names of his students. The added bonus is that he quickly learns something about his students that he might not have otherwise known. This creates an instant connection with the student and the professor can use this as a way to interact with his students rather than having to use the course subject matter.
In reading Josh’s article in the Chronicle of Higher Education, it reminded me of what I used to do on the first day of classes. I have used a similar icebreaker and have asked my students to tell their classmates 3 things about themselves, their names, their home town and one interesting tidbit about themselves. But instead of writing the answers, I ask the students to remember the answers. Three items are not hard to remember. The military services ask each recruit to memorize name, rank, and serial number. Psychologists have demonstrated that the human brain can remember up to seven items. That is why telephone numbers are seven digits.
Like Josh, I would ask my students to pair up with another student and share their their answers. I would start the icebreaker by introducing myself, telling my students where I was from and my interesting tidbit that I am an amateur vintner and have been making wine for 15 years. Then each student was asked to introduce their partner. It helps “break the ice” and students in my classes have gotten to know each other. I have found that students will form immediate natural connections as they may be into the same things as other students in the class.
I did a quick search on the internet and found some interesting ideas for icebreakers to use on the first day of classes. Here are some suggestions: 1. Categories, organize students into small groups based on categories such as favorite color; 2. Gotcha, form the students in a circle and have them place the right finger on next person's left palm, the objective is to try to grab a finger before yours gets grabbed; 3. Fears in a Hat, have each student write a personal fear anonymously on a piece of paper and place it in a hat. Each student then randomly selects and reads someone else's fear to the group and explains how the person might feel; or 4. Have you ever? Each student shares an experience and allows the group to celebrate the diversity of students’ past experiences.
In my opinion, the best icebreakers are those activities that allow the students to get to know each other and allows the professor to get to know the students. The activity should draw on the students’ personal experiences, but preferably not something private. The icebreaker should be structured so that it is easy for the students to talk. It should not be about the content of the course you are about to teach. It should help establish camaraderie among the students. I suggest you start the activity with yourself so that students get to know you right away. What do you do on the first day of teaching a college class?
From mid-August through early September, about 22.1 millions students will start college or university classes. In the fall of 2013, public and private two- and four-year institutions of higher education enrolled 21.8 million students: females make up the majority of the students at 12.5 million and males 9.3 million. This fall, The National Center for Educational Statistics projects that colleges and universities will enroll nearly 22.1 million students, an increase of barely 1 percent.
And 1.5 million college professors, or more specifically referred to by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics as post-secondary teachers, will teach these students courses from accounting to zoology and everything in between. A quick glance at course listings of a few colleges reveals some interesting courses such as Elementary Yiddish at UCLA; Tightwaddery or the Good Life on a Dollar a Day at Alfred University; Underwater Basket Weaving, yes folks it does really exist, at Reed College; Introduction to Turntablism, a course to learn how to become a DJ, at Oberlin Experimental College; The Joy of Garbage at Santa Clara University; and my favorite An Introduction to Wines at Cornell University. Why was this course not offered when I went to college? Although, I was not sophisticated enough to be into, much less, enjoy wine.
As a former college professor, one of the common questions you ask yourself is what do you do on your first day of classes. You are obviously an expert in the subject matter you are going to teach. But, on the first day almost all professors do NOT begin teaching. And those that do teach on the very first day are viewed as not being cool by the students. So the pressure it on, what do you do to be cool? Typically most professors will call the roll, review the syllabus, ask if there are any questions and dismiss class. Some professors will even introduce icebreaker games so that the professor can get to know the students and the students can get to know each other.
Josh Boldt, a writer and editor who teaches at University of Georgia, recently wrote an article in the Chronicle of Higher Education on this very subject. After reviewing the syllabus he hands out a note card to each student and asks them to write down three things: 1. their names, 2. where they are from, city and state, and 3. some element of popular culture they currently happen to be following. He tells the students it can be anything like a film, a book, a magazine, a website, a piece of music, whatever they are into at that moment.
This is a very clever idea as it allows the professor to get an immediate glimpse into the personalities of his students and to get to know his students quickly. It also provides some insight into what interests students these days. Given the age difference between the typical professor and his students, this exercise may provide the professor some valuable information about his students.
Once the writing task is completed the students are asked to pair up with another student and share their answers. He then asks the students to trade cards and every student must introduce their partner. Connections are formed immediately as students learn that they are from the same town as another student in the class, like the same TV series or read the same author. It makes it easier for students to get to know each other from the beginning. Students now have an easy reason to approach one another, a valuable tool for the shy or timid students in the class.
Josh ends the class right after the introductions and suggests that students are more talkative on the way out than they were on the way in. And he uses the note cards to take roll until he learns the names of his students. The added bonus is that he quickly learns something about his students that he might not have otherwise known. This creates an instant connection with the student and the professor can use this as a way to interact with his students rather than having to use the course subject matter.
In reading Josh’s article in the Chronicle of Higher Education, it reminded me of what I used to do on the first day of classes. I have used a similar icebreaker and have asked my students to tell their classmates 3 things about themselves, their names, their home town and one interesting tidbit about themselves. But instead of writing the answers, I ask the students to remember the answers. Three items are not hard to remember. The military services ask each recruit to memorize name, rank, and serial number. Psychologists have demonstrated that the human brain can remember up to seven items. That is why telephone numbers are seven digits.
Like Josh, I would ask my students to pair up with another student and share their their answers. I would start the icebreaker by introducing myself, telling my students where I was from and my interesting tidbit that I am an amateur vintner and have been making wine for 15 years. Then each student was asked to introduce their partner. It helps “break the ice” and students in my classes have gotten to know each other. I have found that students will form immediate natural connections as they may be into the same things as other students in the class.
I did a quick search on the internet and found some interesting ideas for icebreakers to use on the first day of classes. Here are some suggestions: 1. Categories, organize students into small groups based on categories such as favorite color; 2. Gotcha, form the students in a circle and have them place the right finger on next person's left palm, the objective is to try to grab a finger before yours gets grabbed; 3. Fears in a Hat, have each student write a personal fear anonymously on a piece of paper and place it in a hat. Each student then randomly selects and reads someone else's fear to the group and explains how the person might feel; or 4. Have you ever? Each student shares an experience and allows the group to celebrate the diversity of students’ past experiences.
In my opinion, the best icebreakers are those activities that allow the students to get to know each other and allows the professor to get to know the students. The activity should draw on the students’ personal experiences, but preferably not something private. The icebreaker should be structured so that it is easy for the students to talk. It should not be about the content of the course you are about to teach. It should help establish camaraderie among the students. I suggest you start the activity with yourself so that students get to know you right away. What do you do on the first day of teaching a college class?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)