A guideline for lecturers - PowerPoint Presentation

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.