Monday, September 8, 2008
students and textbooks
I hope everyone's semester has started off well - things are great on this side. Just interested in hearing some other thoughts about one small matter. A large number of students this semester (as compared to others) are asking me if they should buy the textbook or if they can "get by" with just the class notes that I make available. I dislike that students are gouged $130 for a textbook...apologies to any of you textbook writers out there. So, I feel their pain, but I tell them that I can't be held responsible for any test or assignment questions they get wrong because they didn't have the textbook, and that I cannot advise NOT buying the book as their professor who selected the book for a reason and purpose. That said, they could definitely get a C (or even a B) if they didn't have the textbook and just came to class regularly, paid attention, and studied my notes (I don't vocalize this). Some are fine with getting at least a C and maybe even a B and saving $130 on a textbook. Growing up, I always bought the textbooks because it was too important for me to earn an A and a lower grade just wouldn't do. Some students just want to get the C that it takes so that the course counts towards the major, and don't really care about anything except that minimum standard. Do you feel I respond properly? Is there a better way to say it? Should I even care that students have to drop so much money for textbooks, since I had to? Thanks in advance for your thoughts.
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5 comments:
I think it is disrespectful for a student to even ask if they need to buy the book. Why would you assign it if it was optional? Everyone knows that some students can get by without picking up the book - but that doesn't mean we should advocate that they don't have to(either directly or indirectly). Just make sure you are using the best book out there and not requiring students to buy unnecessary text's...
I always put one or two copies of my books and readings on reserve at the library. That way, students can save the $100 if they want to, but it just takes a little more effort on their part. A friend of mine in college had very little means, and he did all of his reading in the library from books on reserve.
I try to head off the issue the first day by telling them they need to have lawful access to the books. Beyond that, I don't care if they buy, share, get at the library, etc.
Velma's idea is helpful, at least if you are at a school that offers that service. I'll confess its not something I've done in the past, primarily because I doubt enough students (i.e., any) would partake so as to make it worth my while.
And I'm with you, Patch. Asking the prof that question is akin to the old "I wasn't in class last week, did we do anything important" query.
I put books on library reserve, too, but I also like Cranky's approach -- just be sure you have "lawful access" to the text(s).
I do bristle at the "do I need to buy the book" question (as well as the "did we do anything important in class?" question). When I am asked this I usually say, "Yes you need the book, or else I wouldn't have assigned it. But, I'm not your mother -- it's your choice whether to buy the book or not, but be ready to accept the consequences of your decision."
BTW, this semester I am teaching a special topics course that only meets once a week, and between cancelled class periods for Thanksgiving and ASC we have only about 14 classes all semester. Given the specialized course topic and the small number of class periods, I decided to use a coursepack of journal articles and book chapters rather than a textbook, and I put PDF files of all the reading materials on the course Moodle page. As a result, my students didn't have to pay a cent on books for my course. Not surprisingly, they were exceedingly grateful. I'm wondering if, especially for special topics courses that don't lend themselves well to textbooks, free online readings will begin to replace print coursepacks...
Books are just an unforunate reality to college. In some ways its like asking, "do I need to pay my tuition bill?" First, who actually asks the professor that?!?!?! Second, isn't it a simple stupid answer? If you want to get copies from friends, do it but use your discretion. There is a more important question here....should you just fail someone for asking such a stupid question? Contrary to popular belief, there are such things as stupid questions!
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