Date of Conferral

2015

Degree

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

School

Education

Advisor

Andrea Thompson

Abstract

Universities are exploring the use of e-books in order to mitigate the high cost of textbooks. The study university was providing both delivery modes to students but was considering adapting to using e-books exclusively. An investigation of users' perceptions on textbook delivery modes had not been conducted at the local site. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the perceptions of students about using e-books and the experiences of textbook directors in the decision-making processes regarding the use of e-books versus textbooks. The Davis' Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) served as the conceptual framework for the study and was used to establish an interview guide. A sample of 12 participants was recruited from the local university in Michigan and was comprised of 5 undergraduate students, 5 graduate students, and 2 textbook directors. For maximum variation, participants were recruited from a variety of courses, while textbook directors were recruited and interviewed based on their roles as university textbook buyers. Individual interviews were conducted and the transcribed data were open coded and analyzed thematically. Results of the data analysis indicated that 6 out of 10 students favored using hard copy textbooks versus e-books for a variety of reasons, while both textbook directors favored providing students with an assortment of delivery modes based on their experiences with student textbook preferences. Implications for positive social change include providing the administration at the local site with data on the perceptions of students regarding the mode of textbook delivery and textbook directors' recommendations for providing both e-books and hard copy texts. Being responsive to students' preferences for learning materials allows for the possibility of improved learning outcomes.

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