With each passing year, more students and instructors have incorporated e-books, online documents and media into lectures and homework. The materials open up new ways, such as real-time note sharing or interactive content, to learn. They also offer a more cost-conscious option than buying a new or used physical textbook.
Research suggests the shift from print to digital is indeed happening. A July report from the National Association of College Stores, or NACS, shows 6 in 10 college students used at least one digital component, such as an e-textbook or online reading material, in their studies last fall. The same report said 75 percent of respondents have used a digital learning component in college.
"Students will grow more receptive to e-textbooks and access codes through use, and preferences will shift toward digital due to widespread exposure in many K-12 environments," said Elizabeth Riddle, NACS research department director.
However, progress on the digital transition has not been consistent among all higher education institutions.
On the local front, Central Washington University, Heritage University and Yakima Valley College generally lag behind other colleges and universities in embracing e-textbooks and online resource libraries, even though digital instruction materials are readily available, generally more convenient than physical textbooks, and more affordable. The three institutions represent a mix of progress and having some work to do -- some have adopted pilot e-book programs while at least one is grappling with how to better offer those options to lower-income students.
CWU, for instance, has a pilot program involving e-books. This summer, one management course piloted an e-book system for 65 students, and in the fall the number of courses will grow to six -- one math, one physics, three geology and one industrial and engineering technology courses.
The average cost of the book and access code is about 40 percent less than a new, physical version, said Joel Klucking, CWU's chief financial officer. Prices do vary, though, but e-book prices are generally more affordable. For example, an introduction to physics e-book at the CWU bookstore costs $79 compared to the new textbook price of $132.
"The professors seem to really like the idea," he said. "So now we're trying to expand the option."
Physics professor Bruce Palmquist will be a part of the pilot this fall. He likes the interactive nature of digital or online content because it allows him to "write" notes on the books and share them with his students.
He also appreciates the lower cost -- the online book and additional content cost about $90. A traditional textbook would be closer to $200, Palmquist said.
"For a typical student, it's a good deal financially, plus they can have their materials on day one," he said.
The program is supposed to prepare CWU for the shift from traditional "hard copy" textbooks -- university officials expect e-books will be half of the textbook market in five years.
E-books have several pros: They tend to be cheaper, are often available before the first day of classes, can have additional digital content that is unavailable in print and can be accessed from almost any tablet, laptop and smartphone.
In addition to e-books, another popular and growing option is the use of free digital content made available to students by various groups. For instance, the nonprofit OpenStax created its own line of more than 20 openly licensed textbooks that are now used to some extent on campuses everywhere, including CWU, Eastern Washington, the University of Washington and Washington State University.
Among the state's community and technical colleges, a vast network exists of free resources that garnered attention worldwide. The Washington State Board for Community & Technical Colleges created the Open Course Library in 2013, which is mostly free and provides materials for 81 courses with the highest enrollment in the state. They include principles of accounting, general biology, economics, U.S. history, calculus, among many more. The library is not only open to Washingtonians but also to students and instructors in other states and countries.
Instructors can use the material to whatever extent they may please -- whether it is for one assignment or an entire course. Projects such as Open Course Library have become "a national movement, effectively using technology to develop and share educational resources," said Nicole Allen, open education director for SPARC, or the Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition. The organization promotes the use of free and open material in higher education institutions "in order to democratize access to knowledge, accelerate discovery, and increase the return on our investment in research and education."
Allen said college is already expensive with tuition, fees, transportation, housing and food. Adding books to the list of expenses only hurts students more financially.
"It's an alarming situation because students are going deep into debt to invest in their education, and then it comes down to textbooks, and it's the straw that breaks the camel's back," she said.
There can be some downsides to digital content, though. As some administrators and students pointed out, it lacks a physical feel.
According to the National Association of College Stores report, 40 percent of college students still prefer a hard-copy textbook.
Heritage University student Suzet Teodoro said she has used e-books in the past -- for biology, specifically, but prefers physically holding a book. "I like actually having a hard copy, highlighting the text," Teodoro said.
The other issue with e-books and free online resources is they may only work with a strong internet connection. In the rural communities within the Heritage community, some internet speeds still lag behind more modernized systems in urban areas, said provost Laurie Fathe. Given the significant percentage of low-income and rural students attending Heritage, some students also may not have internet access in their homes.
The issue working against Heritage is digital content and its enhanced features. While some books could be easily downloaded to a computer from the university's wireless network and taken home, there are books that require more than just a simple download, such as those with video or note-taking abilities.
"Those are not necessarily a good fit in a locale where internet or reliable high speed internet is hard to come by," Fathe said.
Fathe conceded, though, Heritage should step up efforts with internet providers on expanding high-speed internet access in the Lower Valley, She added Lower Valley districts and the Yakama Nation could join in on efforts, too.
At the moment, though, Heritage has no projects or initiatives in place to expand digital material such as e-books on campus. However, Fathe said students and instructors are encouraged to use e-books and free resources if need be.
Like other colleges and universities, Heritage wants to reduce prices of books and instructional material. Some courses are using older versions of textbooks -- "an intro to physics book is not evolving as fast (as other subjects)," said Fathe. Other courses have shifted to more online work, such as in education.
The full-blown awareness of digital books and content remains a work in progress as well. According to a summer report unveiled by the Babson Survey Research Group, 42 percent of higher education faculty surveyed last school year were either "very aware," "aware," or "somewhat aware" of free, licensed online materials.
Yakima Valley College, for instance, is still not keeping track of just how many students or courses are using either e-books or free licensed material found online. YVC spokeswoman Niki Hopkins said some instructors have been trained on how to use the Open Course Library, but the institution has no way on how to track who is using what.
"Everyone is invited to use (digital resources) -- how they use it is up to the instructors," she said.
In a separate response, YVC administrators said a new partnership with book retailer Barnes & Noble could help students in the long run -- the well-known book purveyor took over the college's bookstore this summer. "Our faculty are sensitive to the financial struggles of our students and always look for opportunities to keep instructional material costs low," the statement said. "We purposely contracted with Barnes & Noble College because they made more low cost options available to students through digital textbooks, used textbooks and textbook rentals."
It is the goal that the shift away from physical textbooks will ultimately reduce book costs, whether digital or in print.
A spring report from the independent group Student Monitor said students spent an average of $600 on course books last school year. Meanwhile, The College Board estimates students should budget about $1,200 annually for books and supplies.
Teodoro said she spent $800 on books last year. Years earlier, the psychology major was in nursing and said those books were even more expensive -- one cost as much as $500.
Toppenish High School student Sky Silva learned this past year just how expensive college books can be, as well as the options available to her. Silva, 17, is already enrolled at YVC through Running Start, the program which gives high schoolers an opportunity to earn some college credit before graduating high school.
Silva spent $160 on math books for the summer quarter. Fall and winter expenses were even higher, at about $300 per quarter.
"They're books for class, yeah, they help out," said Silva, "but they shouldn't be this expensive."
©2016 Yakima Herald-Republic (Yakima, Wash.), distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
