scholarly journals Remember When Ebooks were all the Rage? A Look at Student Preferences for Printed Text versus Electronic

10.28945/3731 ◽  
2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vicki L Gregory ◽  
Kiersten L Cox

Aim/Purpose: In many public and academic libraries, ebooks are being pushed on users mainly due to budgetary and space needs even though readers are still showing a strong preference for print books. Background: Many librarians are focusing on how to get readers to use ebooks when they really should be considering how ebooks fit into learning, whether formal or self-learning, and the preferences that readers show for one format over the other. Library collections since the 1960s have generally focused on a strategy of “give them what they want,” but in the case of ebooks, there seems to be a trend of trying to force ebooks on users. Methodology: A survey was given to undergraduate and graduate students at the University of South Florida. Contribution: Our research findings fit with current data that shows a decline in popularity of ebooks and a continued popularity of print books. We would like to convince members of the academy to think about this issue and question the ebooks plans that libraries have on their campuses. Findings: Both undergraduates and graduates strongly preferred print over electronic in the case of textbooks and books for leisure reading. Only journal articles were preferred in electronic form, but from the comments it was evident that articles were printed out and the student used the print copy for studying and research purposes. Reference books were split 50/50 in preference for electronic versus print. Recommendations for Practitioners: Librarians and teachers cannot assume that just because students use their smart-phones that they prefer ebooks. Recommendation for Researchers: More research is needed on this subject before libraries become too dependent on purchasing large ebook packages from vendors rather than the selection of print books. Future Research: Now that this paper has advanced our understanding of user preferences for books versus ebooks, we wish to expand our research to faculty and widen the geographical areas covered.

2011 ◽  
Vol 24 (XV) ◽  
pp. 113-127
Author(s):  
Anan Sutisna

The purpose of this research is to unveil the instructional model which can strengthen the self-learning competence of the university students. A peer group instructional model is choosen as the alternative model to develop. The research findings indicate that (1) the university students’ learning tends to be textbook centered based instruction and does not motivate the students to develop their learning strategy, (2) peer group instructional model can improve the students’ competence in self-learning, formulating the objectives, planning the strategy, utilizing learning resources, using media, comprehending the main ideas in the learning materials, exposing ideas, understanding learning networks, and measuring learning achievement.


2016 ◽  
Vol 92 (01) ◽  
pp. 53-56
Author(s):  
George Sterling ◽  
Amy Goodbrand ◽  
Sheena A. Spencer

Tri-Creeks Experimental Watershed was initiated to compare the effects of logging and riparian buffers in three subbasins (Wampus, Deerlick, and Eunice Creeks) and to evaluate the effectiveness of timber harvesting ground rules in protecting fisheries and water resources. The watershed study was terminated in 1985 shortly after the harvest. In 2015, the University of Alberta re-established groundwater monitoring, hydrometric, and meteorological stations in Tri-Creeks Experimental watershed. Future research will utilize the 20-year historic data set and current data to study the the effect of forest cover change on the streamflow regime and fish populations. The objective of this paper is to summarize the novel results and available data from 1965–1987 for the Tri-Creeks Experimental Watershed.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zurika Robinson

Owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, more education will be conducted online worldwide. Problem-solving initiates alternative assessments such as e-portfolios and continuous assessments. The Public Economics module for third-year students at the University of South Africa has gone fully online with e-portfolios from 2021. This strategy has been implemented as a follow-up to the research findings of Robinson. The findings suggest that the final marks of Microeconomics have a significant impact on the results of the final-year students in Economics. Other factors such as assignment marks and module repeats played a role. The results reaffirm the importance and influence of Microeconomics as base knowledge for undergraduate and future postgraduate work. In addition, the findings indicate that the more the students tend to repeat or qualify for supplementary examinations, the higher the probability of them not progressing. The conclusion reaffirms the importance and influence of microeconomics as base knowledge for undergraduate and future post-graduate work. The importance of assignments emphasises the use of continuous assessment and thus e-portfolios in Economics. Future research entails further econometric and empirical work on the impact of the e-portfolios on third-year student success in Economics. E-portfolios are beneficial; if kept simple, they can provide students with continuous learning. However, e-portfolios need more lecturer feedback and self-directed learning for students to succeed.


Author(s):  
Semih Caliskan ◽  
Andrey V Korzhuev ◽  
Yulia B. Ikrennikova ◽  
Svetlana V. Efimushkina ◽  
Lyudmila Zh. Karavanova ◽  
...  

Among the tools used in teaching and learning, computers are very im-portant. Determining what kind of computer-related studies are carried out in the learning and teaching processes for university students will contribute to future research. In this context, the aim of the study is to examine university students’ documents related to computers in teaching and learning, scanned in the Web of Science database, thematically and methodologically. The study was designed by adopting the case study method from the qualitative research models. A sample was not determined for the articles to be included in the study but it was aimed to reach the whole population. In this context, all documents in the Web of Science database have been accessed through the library system of the university. In the document search, the keywords ‘learning and teaching’ and ‘computer’ were searched in all areas, and the studies were found by searching the keyword ‘university student’ within the title. All the studies were analysed by year, document type, Web of Science category, country and language of publication. The findings obtained from the research are explained in detail by content analysis method. A total of 305 documents were reached in the research findings. The findings obtained as a result of the research carried out are given in detail in the findings and results section.


2013 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 233-243 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jason L. Simms ◽  
Margarethe Kusenbach ◽  
Graham A. Tobin

Abstract Students have been described as being both particularly vulnerable to natural disasters and highly resilient in recovery. In addition, they often have been treated as a distinct, homogeneous group sharing similar characteristics. This research tests these ideas through an examination of hurricane-related perceptions and preparations of students in a hurricane-prone area. A survey of over 500 undergraduate students (15% on-campus residents, 85% off campus) was conducted at the University of South Florida, a large, metropolitan-based university located in Tampa Bay, Florida, near the Gulf Coast. Following Mann–Whitney and Kruskal–Wallis tests, results showed that students were ill prepared for hurricanes and lacked specific knowledge of the risk. There were small but statistically significant differences in mean responses with respect to gender, age, and ethnicity on specific questions, while ethnicity most strongly warrants future research. Whether the magnitude of statistical differences results in behavioral differences is unclear. Using discriminant function analysis, attempts to identify heterogeneous subgroups based on gender, ethnicity, and age likewise found weak to moderate significant differences, supporting the contention that students are largely homogeneous with regard to certain aspects of hurricane perceptions and preparedness, though again ethnicity demands closer attention in subsequent studies.


EDIS ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sonja C. Crawford ◽  
Christa L. Kirby ◽  
Tycee Prevatt ◽  
Brent A. Sellers ◽  
Maria L. Silveira ◽  
...  

The University of Florida / IFAS South Florida Beef Forage Program (SFBFP) is composed of county Extension faculty and state specialists.  The members, in conjunction with the UF/IFAS Program Evaluation and Organizational Development unit, created a survey in 1982, which is used to evaluate ranch management practices.  The survey is updated and distributed every 5 years to ranchers in 14 South Florida counties: Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Highlands, Hillsborough, Lee, Manatee, Martin, Okeechobee, Polk, and Sarasota.  The responses are anonymous.  


2019 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 32-39
Author(s):  
LaNada War Jack

The author reflects on her personal experience as a Native American at UC Berkeley in the 1960s as well as on her activism and important leadership roles in the 1969 Third World Liberation Front student strike, which had as its goal the creation of an interdisciplinary Third World College at the university.


2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (5) ◽  
pp. 265-271
Author(s):  
Jyotishna Mudaliar ◽  
Bridget Kool ◽  
Janice Natasha ◽  
Judith McCool

Introduction: A barrier to local investigator-led research in low income settings, is the limited availability of personnel with appropriate research skills or qualifications to conduct the type of research required for evidence-informed policy making to improve access and quality of health care. In response to this, Fiji National University’s College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences in Fiji, collaborated with academics based at the University of Auckland, New Zealand to deliver a series of research capacity development workshops in Fiji. Methods: Participants who attended any of the nine workshops (n=123) were contacted via email to take part in a brief survey regarding their perceptions of the effectiveness of the research capacity building workshops. Of the possible 123 participants, 80% (n=76) completed the questionnaire.  Results: Findings demonstrate that the majority of participants reported that they had gained research skills from the workshops (75%) including proposal development skills (68%) and knowledge of appropriate research methods (59%). Furthermore, 70% agreed that the workshops built their research confidence.  Since attending a workshop, 18% of respondents had successfully applied and received funding for research grants and/or fellowships.  Barriers to conduct research included workload (75%), lack of research knowledge, experience or skills (51%), and lack of institutional support (41%). Suggestions for future workshops included: more focus on data analysis, regular courses rather than ‘one offs’, and preparation of research findings (e.g. publications). Conclusion: Our findings indicate that research workshops of this nature may increase individual research capabilities but sustained, locally led initiatives, backed by institutional and supplementary technical support are essential.


10.28945/3529 ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
pp. 217-226 ◽  
Author(s):  
Helen L MacLennan ◽  
Anthony A Pina ◽  
Kenneth A Moran ◽  
Patrick F Hafford

Is the Doctor of Business Administration (D.B.A) a viable degree option for those wishing a career in academe? The D.B.A. degree is often considered to be a professional degree, in-tended for business practitioners, while the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree is por-trayed as the degree for preparing college or university faculty. Conversely, many academic programs market their D.B.A. programs to future academicians. In this study, we investigat-ed whether the D.B.A. is, in fact, a viable faculty credential by gathering data from univer-sity catalogs and doctoral program websites and handbooks from 427 graduate business and management programs to analyze the terminal degrees held by 6159 faculty. The analysis indicated that 173 institutions (just over 40% of the total) employed 372 faculty whose ter-minal degree was the D.B.A. This constituted just over 6% of the total number of faculty. Additionally, the program and faculty qualification standards of the six regional accrediting agencies and the three programmatic accrediting agencies for business programs (AACSB, IACBE, and ACBSP) were analyzed. Results indicated that all these accrediting agencies treated the D.B.A. and Ph.D. in business identically and that the D.B.A. was universally considered to be a valid credential for teaching business at the university level. Suggestions for future research are also offered.


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