College Textbook Forum

One of the main problems that occurs in college students is a lack of a teacher/student bond that will not only help them succeed in the current course they’re in, but can be used for reference later in life. This lack of connection that the student has decreases the participation and productivity within that course. One of the main aspects that students frequently choose not to participate in is reading the assigned texts that the course requires. This absence of participation outside the classroom directly correlates to the student not being able to participate when class is in session because they are not properly prepared for lecture. The purpose of my suggested forum is to increase student participation in reading assignments in college, not only for the purpose of a grade, but because they will gain important reading skills through the completion of texts, such as critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

Not only will this allow for singular student success, but the increase in participation for reading would assist the entire class to flow more smoothly. When more students understand and engaged with the text, the more conversation will spring and matters will be discussed, so that not nearly as much talking is done by the professor.

One of the most prosperous forms of participation with assigned texts is annotation. The concept of annotation is to stop each sentence, or each paragraph, and think critically about each word and its relation to the next, and commenting, highlighting or starring certain important sections for later conversation. In an article on Teach HUB, it is said that annotations can be an extremely useful tool for students to document their thoughts during a reading.

“Annotations record your thinking during a reading. Whatever you think after reading something, write it down.”

The audience I am targeting is mostly college students, because the assigned reading list for the secondary-school level can be extensive. According to an article from the academic newsletter The Conversation, the average 12^th grader and above spends about 6 hours a day texting, on social media, and online during their free time (The Conversation). The plan for my application/software would be to increase digital media usage, but less for the leisurely use of social media and more for reading articles and textbooks.

As an English major, I had to read 5-6 articles a week between three different English classes when the semester got into full swing. The accomplishment of these readings allowed me to be prepared for not only the upcoming class, but for written assignments and possibly pop quizzes. However, it was not every reading that followed with a gold star, a grade. With the College Textbook Forum, students will be graded based on their engagement with the assigned text. It will not be based solely on the amount of time spent of that specific section of the section, so students will not be able to just try and skip out of reading, which can be accomplished by leaving your laptop open and gaining time spent. But it will include a graded portion based on the engagement of the text, for example, if they highlight a sentence or word.

These engagements with the text will not only provide involvement with the assigned text among students, but the administrator of the class, or the professor, will be able to monitor students’ activity and answer questions, and most importantly, help them structure the next class. The importance of the spontaneity that this forum can create for professors cannot be overstated. Each student learns at his/her own pace, and if there is a roadblock, teachers can point to it using this online application and create a lesson plan around student issues.

I plan to model this plan on all MAC/IOS devices, as well as Sony and Microsoft products for initial testing of the forum. Students will be able access the forum from a plethora of different platforms. First, an application will be created for cellphone users who enjoy their texts or books on their phones. This application will count for the same usage as any other platform as far as grading, and can be accessed for Android and Apple users to start.

The application will extend to larger laptops/computers and tablets. This is where it is expected that most users will access their online readings. I found it most useful to read assigned texts on tablets, as this platform will allow scrolling and engagement will your fingers and can be very easy to get work done when it comes to annotations and commenting.

The last platform will be the good old textbook. Students also have access to the physical copy of their textbook even though all of it will also be on the online forum. This will satisfy the students who enjoy reading their texts up close, however they will have to specify that their readings were done through the textbook, and they will be expected to annotate and comment on classmates’ questions on the online application.

In a CBS article titled, What’s behind the soaring cost of college textbooks, it is explained that the “bundle package” which includes a physical textbook in addition to an access code that allows students to access the textbook online, have soared textbook prices (CBS). This package normally equates to students spending upwards of $100 per textbook. Numerous students now opt not to even bother purchasing the textbook, and rather take the chance to use a classmate’s textbook.

This increase in textbook cost, along with the students having to pay for tuition and room and board, has caused students to cut the cost of textbooks out of the equation. This, in turn, has caused students not to do assigned readings, which makes them ill-prepared for lectures and in-class participation. The hope is that this application will significantly decrease the cost of textbooks students are stuck having to purchase, and just making their entire course catalog available on one site.

The plan is to make the access to the application about $60-$100 per semester, which not only includes all their textbook access, but access to the grading platform and annotation tools that will guide their reading. This product will be marketed toward college students aged 18-whenever who have multiple courses they have to take, and numerous required texts they must purchase

The long-term vision of this product is to expand to every single field of study known to modern education, and have an online forum which has millions of textbooks stored, waiting to be utilized by a college student who has access. With the access to the online forum, hopefully student participation will greatly in terms of reading the assigned texts, and also bring structure to the upcoming classes for the course’s instructor. Teachers should have the ability to adapt their class to suit the needs the students, especially when the classes are smaller. Each student learns differently and hopefully this platform will bring them the confidence to ask questions that they normally would not speak up about in class.

This product should also make classes more engaging, especially when all the students are knowledgeable about the text that is in discussion, which is a rare case in any class. Also, if students are frequently engaging in commenting with the class online, they are more likely to be compelled to have discussions with those students when they are back in the classroom.

My product should change the way college students go about reading. The will not look at annotation as tedious, unnecessary tool, but with the help of the forum, it should help them understand annotation as useful tool for ANY type of reading.

Prototype Proposal:

College textbook forum prototype done (1)

Works Cited:

• • Catapano, Jordan, “How Annotations Reshape Student Reading,” com, http://www.teachhub.com/how-annotation-reshapes-student-reading – Date accessed 5 May 2019.
  • Kristof, Kathy, “What’s behind the soaring cost of college textbooks?” CBS News, CBS Interactive Inc. 26 Jan. 2018. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/whats-behind-the-soaring-cost-of-college-textbooks/ – Date accessed 5 May 2019.
  • “Why it matters that teens are reading less,” The Conversation, 20 Aug. 2018. http://theconversation.com/why-it-matters-that-teens-are-reading-less-99281 – Date accessed 5 May 2019.