BISG: Higher Ed Student Attitudes to Content Research Report

The BISG has released a second volume of its research into student attitudes toward content.  Here is a summary from their press release:

The first installment in Volume Two of the Book Industry Study Group (BISG)'s ongoing Student Attitudes Toward Content in Higher Education survey shows that students are rebelling against the rising costs of textbooks in a variety of ways. Some students are settling for older editions of assigned textbooks. In fact, less than 60% of surveyed students purchased current print editions -- new or used. The frequency of illicit behavior such as photocopying (measured for the first time in this survey) is less than expected. Still, it remains an issue with 4.1% of students saying they engage in these practices frequently and almost 25% saying they do this occasionally. Among the legal, low-cost alternatives students are exploring are textbook rentals, which 11% of respondents report using, a significant increase over the past year.

Student Attitudes Toward Content in Higher Education focuses on college student perceptions related to educational content and presentation media in the higher education marketplace. Volume Two is powered by Bowker Market Research and sponsored by Baker & Taylor, Cengage Learning, Chegg, CourseSmart, Follett Higher Education Group, Half.com, Kno, the National Association of College Stores (NACS), and Pearson.

"College students are reacting to high textbook prices by changing how they think about what's acceptable and what isn't," said Angela Bole, BISG's Deputy Executive Director. "When you pair this with the impact of rapid changes in technology, you have all the elements needed to create a confusing landscape. The motivation behind BISG's ongoing student attitudes survey is to eliminate this confusion. The report harnesses hard data that accurately plots trends, identifying both threats to business as well as the inevitable opportunities that emerge in dynamic marketplaces."

You can buy the report here.