Assessments of Textbook Usage and the Relationship to Student Course Performance

by R. Eric Landrum, Regan A.R. Gurung, Nathan Spann

Abstract

The authors conducted two studies regarding student textbook preferences; the first developed an original measurement tool (the Collegiate Student Assessment of Textbooks [CSAT]), including an examination of the relationship between student textbook preferences with learning- and grade-oriented attitudes. The second study was a large-scale national study administering the CSAT and the Textbook Assessment and Usage Scale (TAUS; Gurung and Martin 2011) to introductory psychology students; a portion of the study includes actual student course performance data. CSAT and TAUS subscale comparisons indicate (a) converging validity, (b)
significant relationships to percentage of textbook read, and (c) relationships between GPA and expected course grades. An indirect link appears between the effect of pedagogical aids, percentage of textbook read, and actual course outcomes. The authors discuss a possible moderating variable and the potential benefits from continued study of textbook pedagogical aids and student performance.

Keywords: course performance, measures of textbook preferences, pedagogical aids, reading

8 pages, ebook

Published January 1, 2012

About the author

Ronald Eric Landrum is a professor of psychology at Boise State University.

Reviews

[Alejandro Teruel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting paper on a surprisingly little explored topic -how appealing and how useful is a textbook and what do students think make it appealing or useful? The study is limited to introductory textbooks on psychology.

Well worth reading.