As part of contextualizing the findings of this project, a literature review was conducted on the topic of digital textbook use in a Canadian postsecondary context. This review consisted of a search of both peer-reviewed and grey literature. ERIC, Education Source, and Google Scholar were searching using variations of the following terms: textbooks, computer uses in education, electronic textbook, higher education, electronic publishing, digital textbook, inclusive access model, e-textbook, postsecondary education, achievement, cost, Canada. Few peer reviewed studies focused on digital textbook use solely in the context of Canadian post-secondary education; thus, the search was expanded to include non-Canadian contexts. The findings of this literature review have been summarized and broken down into the thematic categories of: achievement; benefits of digital textbook use; challenges of digital textbook use; student preference and choice.

Achievement

Overall, the literature reported mixed findings regarding levels of achievement between those who used digital textbooks and those who did not. Several studies used controlled experiments to test for academic differences between students who used digital textbooks and students who used hardcopies but found none (Giacomini, Wallis, Lyle, Haaland, Davis, & Comden, 2013; Van Horne, Henze, Schuh, Colvin, & Russell, 2017).  One study found that participants using an e-text performed significantly better than those using paper textbooks (p=.047) but that students perceived paper textbooks to better meet their learning needs (Dennis, McNamara, Morrone, & Plaskoff, 2015).

Other variables corresponded to student achievement rates regardless of whether they used digital or hardcopy textbooks. For instance, Daniel and Woody (2013) found that student GPA was a significant predictor of overall quiz score, regardless of the method used to review material (digital textbook, PDF, hard print textbook). They also found that students who read in a lab environment performed better than students who read at home.

Benefits of Digital Textbook Use

The literature reported several benefits of using digital textbooks. Digital textbooks are portable and enhanced with visuals, animations, quizzes, and other features to engage learners (Algonquin College, 2014). Students have reported positive feedback about the convenience of access and the search function (Giacomini et al., 2013). Further, electronic content allows opportunities for instructors to communicate with students as they use the textbook; instructors can annotate and share comments with their students, thereby scaffolding students’ learning experiences (Dennis et al., 2015). DiGiuseppe and Carliner (2015) indicated that students who use digital materials strengthen their information retrieval skills and increase their use of digital informational resources. Finally, Ye (2015) found that students appreciated digital textbooks because they eliminated several frustrations with the current book-buying process, such as worrying about the bookstore running out of stock, waiting in lines, searching for the cheapest books, and dealing with third-party websites.

Challenges of Digital Textbook Use

Despite the previously mentioned benefits associated with using digital textbooks, several challenges also arose in the literature. Notably, some students found it difficult to refer to their textbook on their computer while also completing homework on their computer (Algonquin College, 2014). Further, many studies reported that students took substantially longer to read digital textbooks than students who read the paper version (Daniel & Woody, 2013; Robinson, 2010). Part of the reason for this time discrepancy may have to do with distraction, as students who read digital textbooks reported having a roommate/family/friend around more often, responding to instant messaging/email more often, and using social media more often while reading (Daniel & Woody, 2013). Dennis et al. (2015) also identified that students were unaware of the annotation and collaboration features of the digital textbooks.

On a more macro level, challenges related to digital textbooks stemmed from agreements with publishers. An article from Inside Higher Ed, an online publication related to higher education news, discusses the issues of inclusive access as being a misnomer since the concept is premised on publishers controlling when, where, and how long students can have access to materials. Some publishers do not allow students to access the digital textbooks after the semester because they are tied to the course learning management system (LMS) and therefore expires after the publishers’ subscription ends (Bossaller & Kammer, 2014).

Student Preference and Choice

Another major theme in the literature related to student preference. Digital textbooks received mixed reviews from students, as represented in the literature. An article in the Toronto Star indicated that 22 per cent of University of Toronto students said they would likely use a digital textbook as a primary text during their time at university while 78 per cent of students did not think they would use a digital textbook. At the University of Washington, despite the fact that all students were provided digital copies of their books, over a quarter of students indicated purchasing a hard copy of the textbook (Giacomini et al., 2013). Ditmyer et al. (2011) found that students given digital textbooks still printed portions of the book to read offline. Dennis et al. (2015) found that 60% of students at Indiana University preferred the electronic textbook to a paper textbook but that this choice varied dramatically from course to course. They also found that students were more likely to prefer digital textbooks when the instructor actively used the textbook and when the students were aware of the interactive and collaborative features of the book.

Dobler (2015) conducted a qualitative study of student perceptions of digital textbook use. She included several quotes that highlight student preferences:

• “An e-textbook can often lead me to distraction (Facebook, Pinterest, etc.). Also, there is something about print textbooks that just put me in the mindset of study.”
• “I like highlighting and putting sticky notes in my [print] books. When done electronically, the physical movement is absent.”
• “My own reading habits worsened while reading this e-textbook. I am used to skimming on the computer. I carried the same habit to the e-textbook. It was difficult to get absorbed in reading.”
• “The linked definitions are extremely helpful. This allows for reading fluency as I don’t have to access another source or turn a page to find a definition. I really liked the search function because it took you right to where you needed to go.” (p. 487-488)

Algonquin College has advertised their digital textbook program as being about student choice. Students receive digital textbooks that are theirs to keep, they can insert notes where they like, and if students would like to print or buy the regular textbook, they can still do that for a fee (Algonquin College, 2014). While other schools and programs that provided digital textbooks to their students were discussed in the literature, few articles cited examples of how student choice for printed materials was addressed.

Cost

Cost is frequently discussed in the literature related to digital textbook use in postsecondary education. That said, it is a difficult variable to measure based on the literature since the reported figures are vastly different in every article. This variance makes sense given that every school has different arrangements with publishers to allow access to digital content.

Bossaller et al. (2014) indicated that a bulk purchasing scheme negotiated at the university level can create lower prices for students but as demonstrated in the student preference section, some students still choose to purchase higher cost hardcopy books. Bossaller et al. (2014) also found a higher net cost for digital textbooks since students could not benefit from selling their books back to the bookstore for resale. Van Horne et al. (2017) found that the more affordable a digital textbook is compared to the paper version, the more likely a student is to purchase the digital textbook.

According to Jhangiani and Jhangiani (2017) and a survey of 1,350 university students across Canada, the median undergraduate student spent $385 on textbooks during the Fall 2012 semester. Two thirds of these respondents indicated purchasing all their required textbooks but the proportion of students doing so dropped as textbook cost rose. When asked to estimate a fair price for their open textbook, respondents’ mean estimate was $63.45. BCcampus estimates that from their digital textbook program’s inception to February 2017, the program has saved the 34,000 students who have used open textbooks in BC postsecondary education institutions between $3.3 million and $3.9 million (Bowness, 2017). Similar savings have been realized in Saskatchewan where the University of Saskatchewan says its use of open textbooks has saved 2,750 students a collective $275,000 in the 2016-17 school year and more than $400,000 since it launched in 2014. At Algonquin College in Ontario, students are charged for the resources through a course ancillary fee and the college directly pays the publishers for the digital textbooks for 100 per cent of students still registered after the first 10 days of class. The goal is to provide the required textbooks at 50 per cent of the price of the print version and in September 2013, with 34 programs participating, Algonquin College estimated that students saved about $250-$300 each per semester, or about $1 million overall (Algonquin College, 2014).

Evaluation Feedback

Only one report indicated any impact of digital textbook use on evaluation feedback. BCcampus (2016) found that faculty using open educational resources (OER) reported personal experiences that students like the online material and have better questions. Some of the faculty indicated that students commented in evaluations that they liked the diverse materials used for teaching in the classroom and that student feedback surveys suggested an increased level of engagement.

Use of Open Educational Resources

Very little information about OER use was provided in the literature. According to BCcampus (2016), regardless of institution type (i.e., predominantly research or teaching), the top three reasons faculty reported using OER were for ideas and inspiration, to supplement existing coursework, and to prepare for teaching. The most frequently used types of OER were videos, images, and open textbooks. The main challenges reported by BCcampus (2016) were faculty finding suitable resources in their subject area, finding high quality resources, and knowing where to find resources.