academics faculty members policy makers education activists funders and others in the Higher Education arena How the Higher Education textbook industry adds value Publishers and booksellers are a ID: 201809
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Slide1
A guideline for lecturers, academics, faculty members, policy makers, education activists, funders and others in the Higher Education arena
How the Higher Education textbook industry adds valueSlide2
Publishers and booksellers are a key cog in the value chain to help deliver tertiary education.
In a changing and digital age, there are many options available to educators who seek to enable post-school students with knowledge & skills.
We believe that
publishers & booksellers are a vital part of this education process
, & and will remain
so.
T
his
presentation provides greater insight into the value
added
and the role played by
publishers &
booksellers in the education chain.Slide3
What do we mean when we say, ‘Textbooks are an educational tool for students’?Textbooks ensure that a certain standard of learning
is guaranteed as there is a rigorous publishing process in
place – for
students and academics.
For
students
:
Textbooks are written according to
curricula
in this country, by Southern African
academics. Where required, they are supported
by textbooks sourced internationally.
They
include appropriate
learning support, language levels
, and opportunities to
practice
skills
.
Students
– particularly those
entering higher education from schools which gave unsatisfactory
education – need
support
with literacy and study skills
.
Textbooks
also
provide students with appropriate perspectives and
ways of thinking
. They assist students to understand
local and global perspectives
.
For
academics:
The guaranteed standard of textbooks also helps academics to ensure that they are teaching at the right standard or level.Slide4
How exactly do textbooks add value for lecturers and academics?They support lecturers by ensuring that the content, data, reference material
and applications are
at the right level/standard.
They create revenue for academics
.
I
n
2011 **, Academic authors earned R57m in royalties.
They create capacity for
academics
to research and consult instead of preparing lectures and creating related materials themselves.
**
Publishers’ Association of South Africa Annual Book Publishing Industry Survey Report 2011Slide5
Let’s talk more about textbooks. Surely it’s really easy. Anyone can write and publish a textbook!
Yes
, but what about quality & appropriateness? Textbook
publishers don’t regurgitate unedited
manuscripts
:
They do research.
They commission books to be written.
They ensure the books are p
eer reviewed.
They ensure the books match
local requirements
They distribute the books.
In 2011, 248
new
books and new editions of Academic, Professional and Scholarly books
were published for the first time **.
** Publishers
’ Association of South Africa Annual Book Publishing Industry Survey Report 2011Slide6
But what about Open Education Resources (OERs)? What are OERs?
OERs are teaching, learning & research resources.
They reside
in the public domain
, or have been
released under an IP licence that permits their free use or repurposing
by others.
OERs include full courses, course materials, modules, textbooks, streaming videos, tests, software, or any other tools, materials or techniques used to support access to knowledge
The Hewlett Foundation (www.hewlett.org)Slide7
Our stance on OERsWe believe there are excellent OERs that can be used at a post-grad level and are often a source of material for research purposes.There is
a place
for OERs / OA materials as
a platform for research
to be made available for debate and discussion –
no doubt, the ideas and content will
eventually end up in
textbook after a thorough process!
They may well serve as
aids to a lecturer or student
in addition to mediated content
and pedagogy in
the form of a textbook
.Slide8
The potential downside of OERsThey aren’t really free to all – OER materials aren’t free to produce.
The
curriculum content is not
ringfenced
, nor is it guaranteed
to be updated.
Despite some high-quality
publishing
,
many OERs have not been quality assured
– or proven to be fit for purpose.
Given the wide range of OER materials
available,
an uninformed individual is
often
not able to differentiate between what is considered good versus what is considered poor material.
In
SA,
we have the added challenge that not all students have easy access to the
web. Slide9
Textbook publishers create value for SA students, lecturers and academicsTextbook publishers
contribute to the delivery of education in the tertiary education sector, by
publishing & selling local textbooks
and
distributing suitable
imported textbooks & educational resources in SA.
They serve as a key conduit to getting
suitably vetted material published
and made available to students.
They provide
the necessary
support to lecturers and academics
as part of the education value chain. Slide10
Apart from the learning materials, what other value do publishers add?
Employment
The
textbook industry is a contributor to
employment
in South
Africa. Like education, it is a pillar
of the National Development Plan.
The annual turnover in
2011 from
locally published
textbooks was R489.5m
**.
Academic
publishers
employed
513
people on a permanent basis in
2011 **.
They
also create
employment for
South Africans in the
freelance editorial sector
, and by extension, in the
printing and bookshop sectors
.
** Publishers’ Association of South Africa Annual Book Publishing Industry Survey Report 2011Slide11
What role do Academic booksellers play in the value chain? Set
up
retail outlets in convenient locations for students and lecturers.
A
ggregate
supply from various publishers.
Provide the
capital outlay
to finance
stock.
C
ollate
and analyse
booklists from institutions to check which books are prescribed,
student
numbers, & ensure sufficient stock is always available.
F
acilitate
the
i
mportation of the correct titles
(freight & customs).
D
istribute
stock between stores &
from
warehouses
to
stores to make books readily available throughout the country.
I
nteract
with
academics about
textbook changes
& student feedback.
G
ive
publishers feedback from students,
to improve the books.
M
arket
s
pecific products & titles.
Provide ancillary
services and products that students need for their education.Slide12
What value do booksellers add for students?Provide students with easy access to textbooks through
well-established, conveniently-located
stores
and on-line purchasing.
Provide professional advice and guidance to the students.
F
inance
debtor
account
sales, allowing
students access to credit facilities
so they can purchase
their textbooks when needed
.
P
rovide
aftersales service and support
Make
supporting
educational
resources available
eg
. Dictionaries, reference works, stationery and digital tools, available in
one
location.
Maintain the
information technology
systems for administration of bursaries and student
funding.Slide13
What other value do Academic booksellers add?The textbook retail industry comprises 21 booksellers operating 94 bookstores in every province and servicing higher education students, lecturers and professionals.
The annual turnover in 2011 of South African academic booksellers is estimated at R753m ***. Note this is all books sold by academic booksellers.
*** South African Booksellers Association Book retail Industry survey - 2011Slide14
Conclusion:Textbooks – whether in print form or digital form – and written to support South African syllabi – are a valuable tool in the delivery of education to undergraduate students.Booksellers facilitate access to education through stores on campus, & financing.
In a world of changing options, publishers & booksellers, the textbooks they create & distribute, are a vital part of the education chain in post-school Southern Africa.