After discussing the reading summaries my students are (in theory) going to be handing in, one of them came up to me after class and expressed doubt as to whether he'd be able to complete them all as required.
"I don't know if I'll be able to check the book out of the library."
I pursed my lips and narrowed my eyes while considering this. I wasn't sure I was getting the connection between his library issues and his predicted troubles with turning in the assignments.
"I mean, I don't want to buy the book," he clarified, laughing.
This was obviously something he considered frankly outlandish.
I assured him that he was responsible for the reading assignments regardless.
He looked puzzled. "But... I wasn't planning on buying the book," he said. He seemed shocked that it had come to this.
I firmly assured him that he wouldn't be able to complete the coursework adequately without the book.
He looked annoyed. "Hm... I didn't want to have to buy the book," he said testily.
"That's unfortunate for you, then," I offered.
He left, jamming his headphones into his ears in a little hipster snit.
Is this common?
I logged a lot of library time as an undergraduate reading materials that were available *only* on 3-hour reserve. The only other option was to photocopy them -- in the days before library photocopiers had document feeders, so, even for things other than books, that took nearly as long as just reading the darn things.
ReplyDeleteI can't imagine how today's student would react to that situation. Then again, my classmates and I lived on campus, and worked a maximum of 10 hours a week for pay.
On the other hand, until 5-10 years ago, the trend seemed to be in the direction of buying the book but not reading it (a practice which I'll admit to occasionally being guilty of myself). I suppose this is the natural next step -- and a not-surprising response to textbook publishers' gouging coupled with way-above-inflation tuition increases. In addition, their resistance is validated by legislative efforts to reign in textbook costs, or at least make them more transparent.
But how in the world are we supposed to teach them to think if they don't have a common text, or common something, to think about?
I had one of these students a couple of years ago.
ReplyDeleteShe seemed stunned when I mentioned to the class that students should look into getting a copy of the book we'd be starting in a couple of weeks (as mentioned on the syllabus, the reading schedule, and shelved with the other coursebooks in the bookstore).
"We have to read another book?" she interrupted to ask, blinking and confused. When I replied in the affirmative, she continued, "So, I have to get this other book?" (Yes.) "Oh, then I should get the book, right?"
I don't know if she ever did get the book; she flunked the course. In her defense, I think she was on drugs.
I think it's very common for students not to buy required reading. What's uncommon is for a student to brazenly and unapologetically assert to the professor that it is perfectly reasonable for them not to.
ReplyDeleteWhat I appreciate is those particular students letting me know how little they value me & my choice of texts. That's always handy knowledge when constructing quizzes.
ReplyDeleteIs this common?
ReplyDeleteYou mean, like, with college students?
Is this, like, your first day?
Yes, students do this constantly.
I love when they tell me they can't afford the book while texting on a Blackberry or pulling out an iPod. I find it strangely ironic.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteOne can acquire an ipod for much less money than many textbooks today. And one is far less likely to get a textbook as a gift than an ipod.
ReplyDeleteNow, a smart phone with unlimited data plan... that's a different story.
Yeah (what both Stella and Reg said)...
ReplyDeleteA lot don't buy the book OR they try to use the sole library copy (there's usually at least one copy in the library).
I had a student this semester (as well as last summer) who clearly hadn't bought the two books (everything else were journal articles). Their digressions in their assignments were pretty sad.
My solution? Find a good red pen and practice writing 0s (not alpha Os either!).
Wylodmayer- What are you? Dense? As the instructor you had one of two options:
ReplyDelete1. Give him a book you selfish, knowledge-withholding, elitist; or
B. Excuse him from assignments that use that book you dogmatic, oppressive, dictator.
That's what he's thinking, anyway.
"Give him a book you selfish, knowledge-withholding, elitist."
ReplyDeleteEvery so often, I get a student who I'm certain is thinking exactly this. I've even had a couple of students ask outright to borrow my copy (answer: no).
This term I had a student approach me after class to let me know there were no more copies of the book in the campus bookstore, and asked what he should do. Aside from the fact that the book -- a general-readership one, not a specialized textbook -- could easily be found on Amazon and probably most larger local bookstores, it was also our final week dealing with the book, after studying it for more than a month.
I understand the reality that some students will always be lazy and negligent about their reading; that's been true from the beginning of time, no doubt. What I don't understand is this level of shamelessness about it.
Credit the "customer is always right" that they've been hearing since birth. They're customers, and if they don't think they should have to buy the book, then they shouldn't.
ReplyDeleteWhat's wrong with you that you don't get that?
Seriously though, I have this too. Sometimes it's legit (many of my students have to wait til their fin. aid money comes in, which is why most of my assignments during the first 2 weeks of the semester are available on our course website). Many times, it's sheer laziness. I had a student tell me about a classmate who hadn't bought the book(s). I said Really? That must be why Student X failed so miserably.
To avoid any confusion, I've begun telling my students at the start of the semester that if they don't plan to buy (or read) the books, they shouldn't plan on passing the course, because EVERYTHING that's graded is related to the books.
@BurntChrome - Re: financial concerns. That part is understandable. But everywhere I've gone to school, it's been the usual practice for an instructor to put at least one copy of the book on reserve at the library. If students are really that hard up for money (and, truly, some are), they might at least check out that copy and read or digitally scan the assigned chapters for free.
ReplyDeleteI don't buy the financial reason. At least not in one of classes, where the text costs a whopping $35. I did have a student in that class tell me they couldn't afford the text. I wanted to tell her that if she skipped her super giant Starbucks "coffee" drink for 2 weeks (or even just switched to 7-11 coffee, which is better in my opinion anyway) she could easily afford it.
ReplyDeleteOf course, yesterday I had a student who bought the book but then admitted to me that he hadn't opened it all semester. Which explains why he is failing my class so spectacularly. He looked at me like I had three heads when I suggested that he read the book and THEN come back to office hours for help with the concepts he was struggling with. Oh, and that he should come to class for lecture covering said concepts. Because no, dude, you don't get a private lecture.
ATTENTION SNOWFLAKES: USE TO LEARN THE FRACKEN INTERWEBS.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.bookfinder.com/
http://books.google.com
http://aceonlineschools.com/25-free-sites-for-reading-books-online/
If it's not there for free (and most of your books will be), then just break down and buy the work.
I had a genius this semester who didn't buy the book, and then was stumped by the problem of the correct way to cite his pirated copy. I know, you are all going to say "at least he read it". Yes. It was a work by Dr Suess. Yes, that Dr Seuss.
ReplyDeleteIf you teach in California then, sadly, this is very common.
ReplyDeleteOne of my classes requires the book for use in class. I have had so many problems with this that I've added a line to my syllabus stating, "If you don't have the book by the end of the first week of the semester, you will be dropped." I end up dropping one or two, and the rest bring their books.
ReplyDeleteIf he can afford headphones (and whatever they're plugged into) then he can afford the book.
ReplyDelete@Lord Somber
ReplyDeleteA common mistake in math, especially when it comes to conservatives observing the behavior of poor people. Frequently, by choosing the buy said headphones, the student has forsaken the possibility of buying the book. And the headphones give him much more pleasure, in undergrad terms, than reading for that one pesky assignment.
*pfft*
ReplyDeleteIt's a relatively cheap book (~$45.00) and it's the only one they have to have.
And, yeah, this is the first time any kid has actually SAID this to me. I ASSUMED they were doing it before, but they just didn't TELL ME.
Frequently, by choosing the buy said headphones, the student has forsaken the possibility of buying the book. And the headphones give him much more pleasure, in undergrad terms, than reading for that one pesky assignment.
ReplyDeleteWell, flunking that student's entitled ass gives me much more pleasure than grading that one pesky assignment.
It's a win-win!
And by the way, in the sciences we don't assign a book for just one assignment. It's the whole flippin' term. And there are still students who don't buy the book and expect to get by somehow.
ReplyDeleteIf we were doing one reading per assignment, they'd be journal articles that the students can go look up in the library.
Confession:
ReplyDeleteI bought the book for a sophmore-level Physical Geography course that I took when I was a senior. It was shrink-wrapped. I didn't break the seal before the first test and made low "A." I returned said book, got all my money back, ate and drank copious amounts that weekend with my friends and made a solid "B" in the course. No, I wasn't a geography/geology major. No, I didn't borrow anyone else's book or refer to any book for the course. Yes, I went to class. Everything was laid out in lecture. No additional materials were necessary.
"And by the way, in the sciences we don't assign a book for just one assignment. It's the whole flippin' term. And there are still students who don't buy the book and expect to get by somehow.
ReplyDeleteIf we were doing one reading per assignment, they'd be journal articles that the students can go look up in the library."
Yeah, this IS the book for the whole term. The first few weeks have been theory lectures with supplemental readings out of the first couple of chapters of the book, but the latter half of the course is all applied stuff, with a lot of readings assigned, and they're responsible for detailed summaries of at least one of those readings a week.
Plus, the term paper will be written relying on still other readings from the book.
introvert.prof, don't I WISH I could find some sense in what this student was doing...
Sawyer, your logic is flawed. You cite one course. What did you do for MOST of them?
ReplyDeleteI teach a certain low-level class where the students can, if they take good notes, earn an A just via studying and paying attention -- without reading the book.
Can most do it? No.
Do I use the book? Extensively.
Have I given up the idea that most of the students will both buy and read the book? You betcha.
Every single little grade grubber I have ever encountered always failed to grasp core concepts of the class that are explained in the book and highlighted by me in class. Not ironically, they were often absent on the days those topics were covered in class, so it seems pretty clear to me they never read the book.