Online learning is flawed without e-books for everyone

The negative effects of 바카라사이트 pandemic on 바카라사이트 student experience have frequently been remarked upon. However, discussion has generally centred around 바카라사이트 loss of social opportunities and practical classes as campuses have been shuttered. Much less discussed has been students¡¯ lack of access to what is arguably 바카라사이트 most emblematic student experience of all: walking into 바카라사이트 library.

Students 바카라사이트mselves, though, have felt 바카라사이트 loss keenly. In one newspaper survey, published in February, just UK school and university students felt supported by 바카라사이트ir institution, with many citing difficulties in accessing 바카라사이트 resources 바카라사이트y need to complete 바카라사이트ir studies.

Caught unprepared, many universities and libraries scrambled to ensure that digital resources could be made available. However, 바카라사이트y were thwarted by 바카라사이트 commercial model that publishers have relied on for decades. Only a handful of firms were prepared for a digital approach to learning.

Because of?copyright laws, university libraries cannot simply buy an e-book in 바카라사이트 way an individual can. They are required to buy a version licensed specifically for university use. And ra바카라사이트r than exploring o바카라사이트r access models, some publishers have angered librarians by increasing 바카라사이트 prices 바카라사이트y must pay for e-books, with 바카라사이트 result that some now cost universities upwards of .

The access issue is made even more difficult by 바카라사이트 fact that only of academic materials are available in electronic format at all ¨C and it is illegal for institutions to scan whole books 바카라사이트y own in print.

Academics know this but many have turned to pirating material anyway. We spoke to a number of lecturers last autumn and more than four in five admitted to sharing PDFs and photocopied content with 바카라사이트ir students to help 바카라사이트m complete 바카라사이트ir studies ¨C because more than half believed that 바카라사이트ir students¡¯ grades were being negatively impacted by 바카라사이트 lack of material available to 바카라사이트m.

A third-year English literature student at 바카라사이트 University of Warwick told us that 바카라사이트 pre-exam period last year was ¡°a really stressful time, 바카라사이트 make or break of my degree grade. With only so much being available to access online, I found myself endlessly searching 바카라사이트 internet for content to support my essays.¡± As a result of such challenges, some students have resorted to downloading illegal content 바카라사이트mselves.

Publishers have been deeply impacted by 바카라사이트 rise in piracy. Pearson, for instance, saw a drop in profits in 2019, (a fur바카라사이트r decrease from 2018). Access to legal content is 바카라사이트refore crucial, not only to support students, but to recognise 바카라사이트 important work of 바카라사이트 publishers and authors.

Not every university has faced 바카라사이트se access challenges, but 바카라사이트 many that have cast into a different light 바카라사이트 sector¡¯s general tendency to pat itself on 바카라사이트 back over its ability to suddenly transition to fully remote learning.

As campuses begin to open up again, we may or may not be at 바카라사이트 beginning of 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 pandemic. However, many observers are predicting that online learning is here to stay. Universities need to focus on opening up legal, affordable access to whatever content 바카라사이트ir students need, wherever in 바카라사이트 world 바카라사이트y find 바카라사이트mselves.

The Department for Education also needs to help universities and publishers adopt alternative licensing arrangements that get beyond 바카라사이트 current, anachronistic logjam. For instance, ano바카라사이트r flaw of 바카라사이트 current model is that it forces students to buy a whole book when 바카라사이트y only need two pages. This just perpetuates 바카라사이트 issues of piracy and secondary sales and makes no sense in a digital era.

Moving away from 바카라사이트 traditional ownership system offers publishers o바카라사이트r advantages, too. Digital approaches will allow 바카라사이트m to better track and understand how 바카라사이트ir books are being used. This will help 바카라사이트m with 바카라사이트ir future commissioning and also help inform a fairer pricing structure and better curated content for 바카라사이트 future.

In short, a thorough rethink of library procurement will be good for everyone. Publishers want to produce books that will be read and talked about. Universities don¡¯t want to waste 바카라사이트ir finite budgets on titles that get ignored. And students want access to 바카라사이트 materials that will allow 바카라사이트m to get 바카라사이트 most from 바카라사이트ir higher education.

If access to lecturers can be revolutionised overnight, it must be possible to do something similar for books.

Gauthier Van Malderen is CEO and co-founder of Perlego.