The VitalSource Resource

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, enrollment in two- and four-year degree-granting programs rose from 13.2 to 17 million students (an increase of 30 percent) between 2000 to 2015. That number is projected to be 19.3 million by 2026.

This is great news as more students are investing in their futures. However, it comes with a tradeoff: rising cost of attendance and future student loan debt. Based on statistics published by the College Board, the average published tuition and fees at public four-year colleges and universities increased by 9 percent in 2016 over the five years from 2011-12 to 2016-17, following a 29 percent increase between 2006-07 and 2011-12.

Editor’s Note: This is the third of three posts on VitalSource’s recent study conducted by Wakefield Research.

Even as students are growing more disappointed with the state of technology in their classrooms, digital textbooks are proving to be an outlier as a trusted learning tool, according to a recent survey of 500 college students.

Not All Tech Created Equal
Digital textbooks are bucking the disillusionment trend current classroom technology is facing:

Editor’s Note: This is the second of three posts on a recently-conducted research study commissioned by VitalSource.

At VitalSource, it is important for us to understand the wants, needs, attitudes and concerns of our users. To that end, we commission a yearly study to “take the temperature” of college students regarding technology used in their education.

According to the 2016 survey, the high cost of college, including textbooks, is causing students to make unreasonable sacrifices. More than ever, students are waiting to purchase required course materials until after the beginning of classes or not purchasing them at all, even though many know it is affecting their ability to succeed academically.

No one doubts students live increasingly digital lives. Devices are ubiquitous and “screen time” continues to rise. Schools and campuses are wired, courses are online, and distance education opportunities are exploding at every level. A generation of learners today is more likely to think of “libraries” as online portals for accessing collections and searching databases than quiet halls for study, exploration, research, and reflection.