Re: book sharing (was: Re: Pedagogy)

[Bob LaMontagne <rlamont@POSTOFFICE.PROVIDENCE.EDU>]

?????? The $125 shouldn't be compared only to the yearly
tuition. What about lifetime earning potential changes
related to the doors that are opened by higher grades? This
is the typically short sighted attitude that pervades the
actions of the students. We are malfeasant by encouraging
this. On the other hand, we can to some degree assist the
students by not changing texts or editions without careful
thought so students can sell back the texts that they don't
need.

I assume that Pamela was simply stating that she is
comfortable with students choosing not to buy the required
text and was not arguing against reading quizzes.

Bob at PC

*********** REPLY SEPARATOR  ***********

On 5/4/2004 at 1:30 PM Pamela L. Gay wrote:

> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Larry Smith" <larry.smith@SNOW.EDU>
>
> > > Physics Teachers Unite!  Let's all give daily reading
quizzes as Bob
> > > mentions.  Maybe we can head of this cultural trend
(book sharing) at
> the
> > > pass by united action.
>
> I must disagree. While $125 seems to be an insignificant
amount compared
> to the $1000+ in tuition a state college student may pay
or to the
> $40,000+ a private school student may pay, that $125 may
be the amount
> that breaks the camel's financial back.
>
> That $125 your student is spending on 1 book may be 4
weeks worth of
> food, or a significant portion of one month's rent, or
their entire
> clothing budget for the semester. For many students, every
dollar they
> spend is a dollar they have to earn. The $125 book may be
10+ hours
> spent working instead of studying. It is also only 1 of
many books they
> may be asked to purchase.
>
> Don't forget, there are students whose parents aren't
helping them who
> can't get FinAid because their parents earn too much (The
Gov't asks how
> much your parents make, not how much they're willing to
share).
> Scholarships exist for the needy who make good grades, but
if you have
> to work full time, how can you get good grades? Do we want
to burden our
> students with debt? Do we want them to have to work full
time while
> going to school?
>
> The example of the student living in the college library
in NYC should
> be a constant reminder that some students are doing
everything they can
> to get an education, but everything they can just isn't
enough to make
> ends meet.
>
> Instead of punishing our students for finding ways to not
go as much
> into debt, perhaps a better solution would be to
distribute lecture
> notes and urge publishers to lower book costs any way they
can (do we
> really need so many color images?). I've worked in
publishing and
> understand the problems turning a profit in such a narrow
market. I
> still feel that many ways to lower book prices exist.
>
> Sincerely,
> Pamela Gay