NACS Faculty Report: Use of Digital Course Materials Changes as Campuses Reopen

Contact: publicrelations@nacs.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

OBERLIN, OHIO (March 24, 2022)—Many colleges and universities switched to online courses and digital materials during the pandemic. Now, as classes resume in-person instruction, some faculty appear to be returning to the course-material formats they used before the pandemic, according to the Faculty Watch™: Attitudes and Behaviors toward Course Materials 2021 Report, the National Association of College Stores’ (NACS) annual survey of higher education faculty members.

After a rise in 2020 in the use of digital formats such as e-books and content in learning management systems (LMS), faculty usage of these formats fell back to levels before the pandemic, while faculty preference for print materials has remained unchanged. At the same time, more faculty are aware of the availability of open educational resources (OER) and inclusive access options for their course materials.

“In a surprising turn from the growing comfortability with digital content, 2021 saw decreased levels of comfort with digital content compared to prior years,” said Brittany Conley, research analyst, NACS OnCampus Research. “Perhaps unsurprisingly, faculty who are uncomfortable with digital content are much more likely to prefer to use print materials, and it’s worth noting the first year that saw comfort with digital materials decline is also the first year that print preference did not decline.”

Faculty Watch™ is developed by OnCampus Research™, the research arm of the National Association of College Stores. Other highlights from the report, which compiled responses from approximately 1,650 faculty members at 19 two- and four-year institutions in the U.S. and Canada between October and November 2021, include:

• Digital usage decreased. After having the largest growth in 2020, faculty usage of e-books and learning management systems returned to prepandemic levels (or lower). In 2021, 54% of faculty used e-books, down from 62% in 2020 but about the same as 2019’s 53%. Using content in the LMS had an even bigger swing: 64% in 2021, 84% in 2020, and 78% in 2019. This is a strong indicator that the sizable increases in digital course material usage in 2020 was only a temporary spike while courses were held online.

• Digital comfort dropped. For the first time, 2021 saw faculty expressing a lower level of comfort with using digital content than before, with just 46% being very or extremely comfortable using digital content compared to 60% in 2020. At the same time, in another first for Faculty Watch, there was no decline in 2021 in the number of faculty who prefer using print materials, remaining at 42% for either standalone print materials or print combined with a digital component.

• OER awareness grew, while use remained unchanged. Awareness of open educational resources (OER) increased, with more than 90% of faculty having at least heard of OER. Despite awareness actual usage of OER remained flat at 37%, growing only 4% since 2018. More faculty are planning on using open resources in the future.

• Inclusive access usage increased again. Inclusive access continues to grow. More than half of faculty have now used inclusive access in at least one course, up from 21% in 2020 and 12% in 2019. (Inclusive access programs, also known as instant access or day-one access, enable students to access course materials by the first day of class at a reduced cost, usually through an optional fee or charge.)

• New technology rose. More faculty (82%) used new technology in their instruction in 2021 than in 2020. The vast majority of those who used new tech plan to continue with at least some of it in the future, even without the pandemic being a factor.

• Fewer course materials assigned. Faculty required fewer course materials in 2021 than they have since Faculty Watch began tracking the number in 2016: 4.1 materials for 3.8 courses, versus 6.0 materials for 3.8 courses in 2020. In addition, more faculty felt the number of assigned materials was affected by the pandemic.

• Faculty seek help from campus bookstores. Faculty are more interested in help from campus stores this year, such as understanding affordability of selected course materials and learning about alternative course material models.

Members of the media interested in a copy of the report should email publicrelations@nacs.org.

About The National Association of College Stores: The National Association of College Stores (NACS) is the professional trade association representing the collegiate retailing industry. NACS represents campus retailers and industry-related companies that supply course materials and other merchandise and services to campus stores. NACS provides education and other resources that help its member stores support student success, the campus experience, and the missions of higher education institutions.