New Textbook Integrates Electronic Enhancements
Thompson Higher Education has released its MKTG textbook offering for college-level marketing classrooms, which provides a slimmer print publication that focuses on core concepts, paired with electronic learning assets such as online content, mobile phone quizzes, MP3s, and printable flash cards.
To create the materials, instead of first consulting with professors, the Belmont, CA publisher met with more than 150 students to determine why, among other things, some of them didn’t even purchase textbooks. Then it created a prototype based on that student input and presented it to 75 Marketing instructors to obtain and integrate their feedback.
What students said:
- They prefer that print publications be paired with digital tools.
- Most survey students (90 percent) juggled school with part- or full-time jobs, while studying 31 hours a semester, so they needed easier to digest texts, as well as flexible e-content formats.
- They had strong concerns over price, but still wanted quality content.
What educators said:
- They expressed concern that some students don’t buy textbooks or read assignments, and exhibit a lack of engagement with the course material in general.
- They supported a shift in textbooks toward the learner, but still require tools such as instructor’s manuals, slide presentations and test banks.
- They also want textbooks to cost less, but maintain quality.
Thompson leveraged that input to create a textbook that totaled 350 pages, rather than 700-plus pages; provides 19 chapters adapted from Lamb/Hair/McDaniel that include all learning outcomes, key concepts and terms; provides “chapter in review summaries,” prep cards and news feeds for instructors; is supported by various electronic content; and sells for a suggested $49.95 retail.
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About the Author
David Kopf is a freelance technology writer and marketing consultant, and can be reached at david@dkcopy.com.
