Research About Students’ Usage of E-textbooks

A presentation at SCITBy Sam Van Horne, Jae-Eun Russell, Kathy Schuh, and Anna Ketcham

January 31, 2014

RespondentsRespondents to Assessment, by Platform

PlatformBioportal MindTap CourseloadN N N203 108 112

Types of Formats Used

  Platform

Bioportal MindTap Courseload

Count % Row Count % Row Count % Row

E-textbook 9 8.57 20 19.05 76 72.38

Paper Copy

106 71.62 31 20.95 11 7.43

Both 85 52.47 56 34.57 21 12.96

Total 200 48.19 107 25.78 108 26.02

Month Paper Textbook Was Purchased

August September October November

Count % Row Count % Row Count % Row Count % Row

Bioportal 150 91.46 10 6.10 2 1.22 2 1.22

MindTap 73 91.25 7 8.75 . . . .

Courseload 25 83.33 5 16.67 . . . .

Total 248 90.51 22 8.03 2 0.73 2 0.73

Reason: Prefer Paper Textbooks

No YesN % Row N % Row

Bioportal 29 17.37 138 82.63MindTap 12 15.00 68 85.00Courseload 6 20.00 24 80.00Total 47 16.97 230 83.03

Reason: Nervous About Using E-book

 No Yes

N % Row N % RowBioportal 137 82.04 30 17.96MindTap 65 81.25 15 18.75Courseload 26 86.67 4 13.33Total 228 82.31 49 17.69

Reason: Reading E-textbook Causes Eye Strain

 No Yes

N % Row N % RowBioportal 101 60.48 66 39.52MindTap 64 80.00 16 20.00Courseload 20 66.67 10 33.33Total 185 66.79 92 33.21

Reason: I don’t always have access to the Internet

No YesN % Row N % Row

Bioportal 134 80.24 33 19.76MindTap 71 88.75 9 11.25Courseload 23 76.67 7 23.33Total 228 82.31 49 17.69

After Buying Paper, I Preferred Using Paper

I would have preferred to use a paper textbook.

Frequency: Highlighting

Frequency: Bookmarking

Frequency: Sticky Notes

Frequency: Prep-U Feature in Bioportal

Frequency: Sharing Notes Features

Frequency: Using Search Features

Satisfaction with Tools

These tools show the average “Satisfaction with Tools” for students who did not select “Does Not Apply to Me”

Satisfaction: Highlighting

Satisfaction: Bookmarking

Satisfaction: Sticky Notes

Satisfaction: Search Feature

Satisfaction: Videos, Animations, and Other Extra Features

Usefulness for Learning

These slides about “usefulness of tools for learning” show the average value for people who did not select “Does not apply to me”

Usefulness for Learning: Highlighting

Usefulness for Learning: Bookmarks

Usefulness for Learning: Sticky Note Feature

Usefulness for Learning: Search Feature

Usefulness for Learning: Prep U

Usefulness for Learning: Diagnostic Quizzing

Benefit of E-text: I spent less money on books

No YesN % Row N % Row

Bioportal 157 92.35 13 7.65MindTap 82 86.32 13 13.68Courseload 24 24.24 75 75.76Total 263 72.25 101 27.75

Benefit: Had access to material when there was Internet connection

No YesN % Row N % Row

Bioportal 84 49.41 86 50.59MindTap 47 49.47 48 50.53Courseload 30 30.30 69 69.70Total 161 44.23 203 55.77

Benefit: The added resources benefited my learning

 No Yes

N % Row N % RowBioportal 103 60.59 67 39.41MindTap 53 55.79 42 44.21Total 156 58.87 109 41.13

Benefit: I learn better in an online environment

No YesN % Row N % Row

Bioportal 162 95.29 8 4.71MindTap 89 93.68 6 6.32Courseload 88 88.89 11 11.11Total 339 93.13 25 6.87

Benefit: There were no other added benefits.

  AQ_35No Yes

N % Row N % RowBioportal 127 74.71 43 25.29MindTap 72 75.79 23 24.21Courseload 86 86.87 13 13.13Total 285 78.30 79 21.70

I would be interested in using a similar e-text in future semesters.

Conclusions

Need for Training for Instructors How to use the tools effectively How to design learning activities that use those tools How to use online quizzing effectively

Need to Identify Students Resistant to Using E-textbooks Provide interventions designed to help them read and learn online Need to track student’ acceptance of the models