By Adriana Garcia
On Thursday, September 27, 2012, Governor Jerry Brown
signed several bills to assist college students (see Huckabee, 2012). Among them were Senate Bills (SB) 1052 and
1053 which will provide free digital textbooks via an online open source
library to lower-division, undergraduate students attending a California
Community College (CCC), a California State University (CSU), or a University
of California (UC) campus.
Though the open source library has the potential to
expand in the future, at present, not all textbooks will be available in the
free digital format. Fifty textbooks will be added to the California Open
Source Digital Library (S. 1052, 2012). According to SB 1052 (2012), the books
will be selected by a council of nine faculty members comprising of three representatives
from each of the CCC, CSU, and UC systems, respectively. Textbook selection
will be based on courses with the most enrolled students, with special
consideration to subjects that require expensive textbooks and whose content is
similar at all three postsecondary systems (S. 1052, 2012).
The implementation of both bills is dependent upon the amount of state and private funding that can
be allocated for them and the amount of support they receive from the CCCs,
CSUs, and UCs (S. 1052, 2012). The bills are not mandates so it is up to each
college and university system to decide if they want to participate in the
provision of digital textbooks and other online educational materials. According
to the bills, faculty will continue to have the flexibility of assigning the
textbooks of their choosing and are not obligated to use the free versions for
the courses they teach (S. 1052, 2012; S. 1053, 2012). Institutions that decide
to participate would be required to ensure that the dissemination and use of
these textbooks do not infringe on copyright laws and are accessible to disabled students in alternative formats (S. 1052, 2012).
In a time of budget cuts to higher education and
tuition increases, the bills provide support to students who are struggling to
manage their higher education finances. Darrell Steinberg, the SB 1052 and SB
1053 author, explains, “Many students are paying more than $1,000 every year on
their textbooks, sometimes having to choose between buying the books they need
or paying for food and other living expenses” (as cited in McGreevy, 2012). Consequently, providing students with
textbooks guarantees that all students will have access to course readings and
reduce the financial strain they experience. In addition, technologically-savvy
millennials will likely welcome the online resources because of the convenience
of accessing information anywhere via their laptops and other devices.
Undoubtedly, students will benefit greatly from these
free digital resources; however, many questions can be posed regarding the
implementation of both bills. What do publishing companies think about
providing students with free digital textbooks and how willing are they to be a
part of this project? How will the availability of free textbooks affect
student financial aid? Will certain majors or subject areas be favored by the
council in selecting the textbooks to include in the digital library? It will
be interesting to see how higher education institutions in California will
address the inherent challenges providing these free resources will present.
References
Huckabee, C.
(2012, September 28). Calif. governor signs bills giving digital textbooks and
other
help to students. The Chronicle of Higher Education.
Retrieved from http://chronicle.com/blogs/ticker/calif-governor-signs-bills-to-provide-digital-textbooks-and-other-help-for-students/49742
McGreevy, P.
(2012, September 27). Free digital textbooks offered as Gov. Jerry Brown signs
bills. Los Angeles Times.
Retrieved from http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/california-politics/2012/09/free-digital-textbooks-to-be-made-available-after-gov-jerry-brown-signs-bills.html
Public postsecondary
education: California open education resources council, S. 1052. (2012).
Retrieved from http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201120120SB1052&search_keywords=
Public
postsecondary education: California digital open source library, S. 1053.
(2012).
Retrieved from
http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201120120SB1053&search_keywords=
This sounds like a great idea, however this is going to be very difficult to implement. California higher education systems have not yet standardized and streamlined their curriculum so how can they come up with 50 books to put into this open source library? Will institutions also need to establish articulate agreements if they are using the same textbook? How does this impact academic freedom? If the open source library needs financial support from the CCC, CSU and UC institutions, what implications does this have for students that are not enrolled in classes that have a "free" textbook? Is this policy equitable?
ReplyDeleteWhile I think this bill is a great idea and would be really beneficial for students, I am not sure how effective it will actually be. From what I have heard about this bill, it will only be funded if every dollar is matched privately. This means that about $5 million dollar must be raised. During this economic recession, I am not certain how easy raising this amount of money will be. Furthermore, I do not think that publishing companies and professors will be pleased with this bill as it will take away from the money they are making. However, if these obstacles can be overcome and the digital library continues to expand this bill would greatly help students.
ReplyDeleteI think that offering digital versions of textbooks is a great idea, and although this bill may not be feasible in its current state, it's a start. This idea could be a positive change for a few reasons. First, the cost of textbooks for students at all levels has become a huge expense, and often a burden for students who are trying to manage a variety of financial commitments while in college. Second, digital versions of textbooks will allow students to engage interactively with the material. In today's world where young people are consumed by technology, this may be a motivator to encourage students to read and engage in the content. Finally, I believe that additional course readings such as articles and book chapters that students are often required to print become a huge waste of paper and natural resources. We have the technological capability to be able to annotate and highlight digital documents and using this strategy could help save resources and money. There are a lot of unknowns about the status of this bill in California, but I think that the lawmakers are taking a step in the right direction by involving three large educational communities in the process. Hopefully, for the reasons above and others to follow, this bill can be successful in helping the college students of today and of the future to save money and become more engaged in their reading.
ReplyDeleteI think this is a great program and an innovative step in the direction of deferring textbook costs while also encouraging the use of technology in learning. However, without an immense e-book library for use, I do not think it will have much impact on student financial standing(as the bill currently stands). As for the publishing companies, they are probably all for this bill as the universities, government and donors would be paying for the digital book rights.
ReplyDeleteI agree that this is a great initiative to decrease textbook costs. However, I wonder how the switch to online textbooks will affect student learning. If campuses do start moving to digital course material, that is great economically and also great for increasing technology's presence in learning. But what about the learning effects? Will student learning be affected by constantly being glued to computers or tablets? Will students be distracted trying to read on a computer, when blogs, facebook, and chats are just a click away? There is something to be said for the traditional use of a textbook, because students can remove themselves from the digital world, sit down, and concentrate with only a book. While I think the issue of textbook costs is extremely important, I also wonder if moving toward all online books is detrimental or beneficial to student learning. Ultimately, I think it depends on the individual learner.
ReplyDeleteBy: Elizabeth Hernandez
ReplyDeleteAs a product of California’s educational system, I applaud the efforts being made at the state level to assist students with the cost of higher education. It is apparent that students are struggling with the rising costs of tuition in addition to affording ridiculous textbook prices. The intentions of the Senate Bills 1052 and 1053 can be the beginning of a turning point for all Californians experiencing a downfall in the economy. Perhaps Governor Jerry Brown is attempting to close the achievement gap that prevents many students from low SES to afford higher education due to the overall financial burden. Ultimately, this measure can change the lives of many students who are currently using other alternatives; such as borrowing textbooks from classmates, photocopying chapters, using course reserves, or simply not purchasing the textbooks.
extbooks and how willing are they to be a part of this project? How will the availability of free textbooks affect student financial aid? Will certain majors or subject areas be favored by the council in selecting the textbooks to include in the digital library? It will be interesting to see how higher education institutions in California will address the inherent challenges providing these free resources will present.
ReplyDeleteI think it would be difficult to implement uniform curricula across higher education systems. Both faculty teaching styles and financial aid are to be taken into consideration with this question. I think that the implementation of the bills would be excellent at the community college level where many financial barriers prevent student from continuing on the pursuit of education. Removing one of the obstacles in purchasing textbooks would be a victory in and of itself.
From my personal experience as an alumna of a community college, buying textbooks and the rate at which I received money to pay for them made the difference in my decision to continue in a course. If a class moved too quickly and I didn't have financial aid for the book, I would be obligated to drop the course. Overall, I am excited for the new initiatives and hope that AT LEAST the community college system figures out a way to incorporate and take advantage of this program.
JUANA ESCOBAR
I admire the initiative that Governor Brown has taken to assist students with textbooks cost. I think that It would be of great benefit to students who have a hard time purchasing books every year. However, I am concerned with the online availability portion of it. We have come to a point in time in which technology plays a vital role in education, and everything we do. But what about those students who still do not have access to the internet or a computer? How will this bill help these students? What if they cannot access these online books? Will they still have to pay full price for hard copies, when their peers will be getting them for free? It seems like a great idea, but what will happen to those students who will be left behind?
ReplyDelete-Rosemary Rangel
What a great bill! I attended a UC for my undergraudate education and I know that textbooks can drain your finances each quarter. Being on the quarter system, you are asking students to buy an increased number of textbooks. From my experiences, not all of your books will be offered on websites like Amazon or Half.com which leads students to high prices at the bookstore. I think that is a wonderful solution to this finanical problem for students. I think as long as the library computers and campus computers in study rooms provide the textbooks online for the students that solves the problem of internet access.
ReplyDelete-Erica Wasserman
One concern I have was with the following text, "Textbook selection will be based on...whose content is similar at all three postsecondary systems." I am concerned that if institutions start to coordinate curriculum that classroom learning will suffer. This reminds me of coordinated curriculum at the K-12 level where public schools teach a provided text. One size does not fit all. Instructors may feel pressured to use the available electronic textbook and in the process stifle their creativity in providing other course materials. On the other hand, I feel as though this bill has some positive implications. For example, instructors who use a book without regard to the cost for students may now realize the financial impact their choices have on students. Also, commuter students will benefit from electronic texts. Riding public transportation while hauling heavy textbooks can be trying. In addition, while I understand the concept of the bill and the issues it is trying to address, I feel as though there are too many burdens placed on the university for the ideal implementation of the bill to be successful. Universities do not have to participate and when they choose to do so, faculty members do not have to participate. Also, it is the university responsibility to figure out how to navigate copyright infringement law. I believe that ultimately this bill will need student organization and government support to be successful.
ReplyDeleteJesse
While I’m not too sure about the feasibility of the bills in their current form, I do think they speak to the technological direction education is taking. While I understand that some people prefer traditional textbooks I’m a big proponent of ebooks and tablets for a few reasons. The main reason is that using tablets allows people to download books and articles and save for later use. This makes learning efficient and portable. There really is no longer a need to carry around bulky books that can be a substantial burden, especially for those students who are commuters and are constantly on the go. I recall my days as an undergrad, lugging around heavy books because I commuted and needed to carry everything with me. Also, apps now make it easy to annotate articles and ebooks. Apps allows people to interact with readings in a manner similar to traditional books. If the digital library can pick up steam it will be helpful to students. They will be able to access books just about anywhere (from their tablet, laptop, or college library) and hopefully save money.
ReplyDeleteGovernor Jerry Brown’s act of signing several bills aimed at assisting Californian college students gain access to materials of learning from online open source libraries in a welcomed move. This comes at a time when treasury is cutting finances on higher education and students pay up to 1000$ per annum for learning materials. Though the bill means well for students, it is not mandatory and is likely to face opposition from publishers…
ReplyDeleteBy Raquel Anderson