BP Human resource management

What is the future of the college and university textbook? We know the past, it's on paper. Is the practice of learning with an instructional manual destined for the recycle bin? With so much of the world being available online now, it would be very easy to assume the way of the book is in danger of becoming outmoded. On the other hand, we all know the dangers of assumption.

There are two avenues for the future of the textbook, and both are already in play. The first is in the form of interactive, constantly updating electronic textbooks. In September of 2011 Nature Publishing Group (NPG) released Principles of Biology, the world's first high quality interactive digital college-level textbook. It contains 175 interactive lessons in which users can manipulate illustrations to better learn function and data analysis. The cost to students is just $49US, a fraction of the usual cost of biology textbooks. With their purchase users receive the right to print the text if they desire. NPG has already announced the release of other titles in related subjects in coming years, making interactive texts part of the future of the textbook.

Avenue two for the future of the textbook is steeped in nostalgia, force of habit and perhaps a wee bit of resistance against innovation. Let's face it; there will always be those who prefer the purity of the hard copy book. For some it's the smell of the paper and ink, the tangible nature of holding a book; or perhaps the simplicity of making notes within the margins, highlighting text and marking important pages. With so much push to use technology and the internet, many feel a need to take steps back and work to retain some of the 'old' methods. In this way, the use of hard copy textbooks will always be present.

Now let us look at cost. As stated above, the cost of NPG's Principles of Biology is just $49. The cost of a college-level general biology textbook can cost up to $200, according to California State University. An electronic textbook that is just one third the cost of a hard copy text is certainly something to take notice of, especially when it is constantly updating. On the other hand, that is just one textbook amid thousands of others needed by students. If they were all $49 no matter what the format, well then there would other subjects to discuss.

For those students choosing to study with actual books, cost is a subject not discussed without a certain amount of frustration. Once again according to California State University, the average student spends "upwards of $1000 just on textbooks" per semester. Now, to be fair those dollars go towards the cost of research into the subject material, paying the great minds who wrote the book, buying copy writes to illustrations, etc. From the end user point of view, a thousand dollar bill is still a pretty jagged pill to swallow no matter how understanding you are.

There is a middle ground, where electronic textbook users and hard copy die-hards can find solace. The textbook rental market has become the financial savior for post-secondary students. Many campus bookstores and online booksellers have begun to offer textbook rental programs in which an entire year's worth of books can be used for just a fraction of the price of buying books. The Student Public Interest Research Group reports students only have to spend between $130 and $240 per year for textbooks. Granted, the books need to be returned in good condition, but the cost savings far outweigh the use of a few extra pieces of paper for external notes.

The future of the textbook is not desolate. Students will always need an instructional manual to build their knowledge from. Whether that manual is in electronic or hard copy form is really based on two factors: cost and the personality of the user. Keep the cost of download or book rental low, then everyone's needs will be met.