| The issues raised by the increasingly higher prices of | | | | can be easily attached to the sponsors' websites. In |
| college textbooks have drawn the attention of many | | | | fact, they can even be interactive, enabling video or |
| parties, hundreds of faculty chairmen and government | | | | taking users to a series of websites or other online |
| representatives nationwide currently working as a | | | | resources. These advertisements can be placed at |
| team in an attempt to find appropriate solutions for the | | | | the beginning and ending of a book chapter, at the |
| disproportionate costs of today's student study | | | | index, summary, homework section, as well as at the |
| materials. However, the most efficient and applicable | | | | very end of the textbook. The ads can belong to |
| solution to the crisis has been proposed by an | | | | multiple sponsoring online advertising agencies or a |
| unexpected category: online publishers. Their approach | | | | single sponsor, taking various shapes according to |
| to the problem has surprised everyone through its | | | | advertisers' specifications. These types of ads can |
| simplicity and practicality, being quickly embraced by | | | | also be easily included in print versions of e-college |
| both faculty leaders, government authorities and other | | | | textbooks available for purchase both online and offline |
| competent parties. | | | | (in traditional bookstores). |
| This recently presented solution basically consists in | | | | At present, the main college textbook topics chosen |
| publishing college textbooks online and relying on | | | | by online advertisers are: accounting, financial |
| advertisers to drag down the costs of such study | | | | management, mathematics, computer applications and |
| materials. In theory, this method could actually be | | | | psychology. Sponsors may later decide to cover up |
| considered infallible, as both students and Internet | | | | other topics too if the initiative achieves the expected |
| advertisers would greatly benefit from the process: | | | | result. |
| students would be able to purchase their college | | | | In addition to regularly used, curriculum-required college |
| textbooks online, in exchange for considerably smaller | | | | textbooks, other study materials such as course |
| fees, while advertisers would achieve great exposure | | | | supplements, supplementary readings and laboratories |
| and popularity for their brands, thus increasing their | | | | may also be sponsored by online advertising |
| profits. | | | | companies. At first, the advertisements can be |
| The method described by online advertisers basically | | | | introduced locally, in randomly chosen schools from the |
| acts like this: advertisers cover the costs of publishing | | | | US, in order to test the efficiency of the method. If the |
| online college textbooks, while students purchase | | | | initiative proves to be successful, it can later be applied |
| these ad-containing online textbooks instead of their | | | | on a national basis, targeting educational establishments |
| more expensive counterparts and thus become the | | | | nationwide. Although the project is still under |
| targeted market segment for various advertising | | | | development, online advertisers are very optimistic, |
| agencies. Seen through this perspective, the college | | | | already taking pride in having found an effective |
| textbooks of tomorrow will be available under the | | | | solution for bringing down the prices of college |
| form of software products and will contain various | | | | textbooks. |
| advertisements. The advertising campaigns promoted | | | | So if you want to find out more about textbooks and |
| with the means of online college textbooks will be fully | | | | especially about college textbooks, follow these links, |
| customizable, accounting for the features required by | | | | you will also find information for the Dutch versions |
| brand owners and advertisers. | | | | – studieboeken. |
| Ads can contain static images, video and audio and | | | | |