My solution was a textbook website that has all of your textbooks available for you and you pay a flat rate fee to have access to all of them. It will standardize the format, location, and lower the price.
These students felt that they do not need this because all students are different, some do not need the textbook and some like to find other alternatives. They like to use the library or they find pdf files for free. However, there are some students that might need a service like this but there are some factors that make it not as good for students, also not having the other options can be a problem.
https://soundcloud.com/kayla-moore-113914090/interview-1
https://soundcloud.com/kayla-moore-113914090/interview-2
https://soundcloud.com/kayla-moore-113914090/interview-3
https://soundcloud.com/kayla-moore-113914090/interview-4
https://soundcloud.com/kayla-moore-113914090/interview-5
| Inside the boundary | Outside the boundary |
| Who: Students who need the textbook and find it inconvenient to search for cheaper prices for a lot of books. | Who is Not: Students who have other options and might not need the textbook |
| A cheaper, standardized system. | What the Need Is Not: No need for standardization because professors teach differently |
| Students are on a budget and also don't have the time to search for cheaper prices on textbooks for hours | Alternative Explanations: Cheaper textbooks all around, More fit to students need and how much they use their textbooks |
Hi Kayla,
ReplyDeleteI think this is an interesting idea! I personally don't think I have this problem because I prefer to rent books off of sites such as Amazon or Chegg and have physical copy. I also feel that an issue that may be present would be that some required books are "UF edition" and only available at the official bookstore. However, with more development, I feel this could be a great opportunity! Good work!
-Kimberly
Hi Kayla,
ReplyDeleteI can see some of the concerns the other students would have. I personally do not get textbooks for classes very often so I would probably not use that. Although another cause for concern is the books are expensive especially when online books so giving access to all these books for one low flat fee may actually cost you more than you can make.
Hey Kayla,
ReplyDeleteRenting books is a common thing for many students. I think if you are able to somehow change the way renting textbooks is operated then you may have a successful solution. In the past, renting textbooks for me were somewhat of a hassle. I ended up having to renew the rental a couple times because the rental didn't cover the whole semester. I think tailoring it to college students would be a good idea.
That's a great idea as someone who has to pay ridiculous amounts for textbooks. I definitely think that seems like a good idea. The only thing I would see might be problematic is publishers rules and copyright infringements. How much do you see charging students for? Will there be an app available? Just things to consider.
ReplyDeleteKayla,
ReplyDeleteGreat investigative work. I am one of those students that likes to find the books themselves, so I understand some students not finding a need for this service. I also wish it took me less time so the idea of having them all in one place for convenience, sounds awesome. I will ask though that with this idea the boundary of student might change. Also think about the distributors of the textbooks that have copyrighted these books. Part of the reason UF has trouble is the University has contracts with the companies to sell and use their books. Just something to keep in mind as you move forward in the process. Great effort though and I think it is an overall great idea.
Kayla,
ReplyDeleteI think this is a good concept, but not sure how plausible it is. Like you mentioned, many teachers don't require textbooks but more note packets from Target Copy. Like your second interviewee, I don't really have this need because if I happen to need a textbook and the book is expensive, I would looks for a used book from a friend or classmate.
Hey Kayla,
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of having a website where you can purchase access to all textbooks, but I think it would be fairly difficult to implement. For instance, if I were to pay a website a flat rate for access to a bunch of textbooks, I would naturally be pretty upset if I took a class where the textbook wasn't available on the site. Textbook prices are definitely a problem though and ideas like this are a step in the right direction! Here is my blog: http://jaredpape.blogspot.com/
Hey Kayla,
ReplyDeleteI think your idea for having a standardized website/mobile application would be a good idea. It might be hard to implement because of copyright issues, different textbook companies, and so on. Aside from that this will be a good alternative for students who normally buy their books for the full price. The only thing is things like renting the book through Amazon or pdf files is growing as people realize that there is not need to dish out $300. I like your idea and your interviews were interesting, keep developing that idea. Nice work. Check out my blog at http://jpmorgan15.blogspot.com/.
Regards,
Juan Parra
Hello Kayla!
ReplyDeleteI would definitely benefit from your idea. I find it tedious and expensive to find and buy books for each class. It would be much simpler if I could just find them in one place. If enough students are willing to use your website, then its definitely an idea worth pursuing. But you might have some problems with publishers and copyright issues. Have you thought about how you would approach getting the textbooks?
Here is my blog: http://nehalava.blogspot.com
I will start by saying I really appreciated the fact that you came right out and admitted that your idea had some flaws and that several people didn't see a need for it rather than lie and say people thought it was great. Now I'll move onto your idea itself. It is good in theory, but with old editions being cheaper, people getting hand me downs, and free pdf files it would be a very competitive market as well as problems with licensing the textbooks themselves. I love your unbiased approach to your idea though!
ReplyDeleteKayla,
ReplyDeleteI have always rented my text books from websites like Amazon because it is easy and relatively inexpensive. I think if you were able to come up with an idea that would make textbook purchase easier while also making it less expensive could be a very profitable opportunity. Online textbook rentals have started to take over the textbook market. It’s only a matter of time until something better comes along, and maybe that something better starts with your opportunity.