Digital Content Opportunities
It
isn't often that I find a published article that fairly and comprehensively
covers a subject, but a recently published article in EDUCAUSE Review about
digital content is one that is well worth reading. Although the orientation
is understandably towards technology, many stakeholder perspectives are
represented.
Here
are some highlights which I think are worth consideration:
1. Course Materials Committees — although the focus is exclusively
on e-content, the importance of establishing a "Course Materials
Committee" is reflected throughout the article — engaging students,
faculty, library, IT accessibility, and business professionals in an open
dialogue. Many campuses have done this and I recommend the group not
limit the discussion to e-content, but include textbook affordability and other
course material and content alternatives.
2. Varied Options & Partners — repeated in many ways is the need
to test the waters with a variety of pilot programs, various content platforms,
and different business models. College bookstores have been engaged
in digital content initiatives since at least 2005 and continue to seek new alternatives
including the Campus e-Bookstore digital content platform. Campus CIOs have also been actively engaged
in the process, as evidenced by the Internet2 pilot programs. But the campus libraries also need to be engaged
in one, coordinated discussion in the context of the e-resources they provide.
3. Assessment of Success — assessing the results of pilot programs
is important to determine the most successful options for students and faculty
in terms of learning outcomes as well as affordability, but there are also
enrollment management implications when considering the metadata that may be
available with e-content. Data collected about how the e-content is used
can indicate to an instructor when a student is not using the materials or
otherwise challenged.
4. Institutional Collaboration — the opportunity to form
partnerships with other institutions of higher education on e-content programs
will not only help satisfy central system directives to collaborate with other
schools as a way to save costs. It also has the potential to pool
resources and expertise while leveraging buying power that can help to reduce costs
for the institutions and their students.
The
full article can be accessed at the following link:
Enjoy
this article and consider how your bookstore is engaging with the many
stakeholders to this important discussion about improving
learning outcomes, textbook affordability, and ultimately — student success.
Written by Guest Blogger, Jeff Nelson, Director, Bowling Green State University
