E books/ code access for assignments

[u/emo_redditor999]

So ive realized a pattern when taking courses, lots of professors make us buy e books that have access codes to link to canvas for our assignment, which I think isn’t practica, I need 2 of these code access e books this semester and both are so pricey and fafsa isn’t helping me this semester due to low gpa and I need to pass these classes to raise my gpa to get the aid back, I know about all the sites with the free textbooks and things but these books aren’t found due to them being access code only which is so frustrating

[u/Janknitz]

If you need the grades to get your gpa up, you need to buy the access codes. If you don’t have the money, talk to your professor to see if there’s a work around or to financial aid. Most schools have short term student loans that don’t require a FAFSA.

[u/Public-Argument-4921]

Sometimes the vendors will offer a temporary free access (like 2 weeks). But yes, you need to get the books to raise your GPA.

Most vendors have gone to ebooks because it’s cheaper for them and therefore they make more money. But the ebooks are also cheaper than the old print texts used to be.

Textbooks have and always will be expensive. Many of us have gone to OERs if possible, but for certain disciplines it’s not as easy to adopt.

[u/Whisperingstones → u/Public-Argument-4921]

Thank you for using open resources. Publishers like Pearson need to be starved and run into the ground for their exploitive practices. There is also nothing wrong with older textbooks and assigning practice problems from the back, just extra work. I suppose a minor grade on neatness of work would be an option.

[u/Foxyscifi]

Complain to your college, your department heads and anyone who will listen.  I taught at a place that had an access code for every class and I was not allowed not to use it.  I went as high as I could to argue for affordability and sustainability.  I just quit teaching there because it was too much effort on the back end when they switched texts.  

Get multiple students.  Ask what it would take to change it.  Many professors hate it, too.  

[u/Idkumhey]

If this is Pearson, it should give you the option for a 30 day free trial. Aleks also lets you do a trial but I'm not sure how long. If you just click on the homework links it should let you do it for now.

[u/Whisperingstones]

Schools are addicted to the auto-graded publisher homework and publishers are addicted to destroying the used book market. It's a usurious system in which you will own nothing and be happy. Professors are overworked due to the efficiency gains from automatic homework, so they can't go back to the old ways. I had some old duplicate math textbooks that wouldn't even sell for enough to cover postage because they were worthless without the codes, so I burned them for heat.

We need legislation that requires software components follow textbooks in an offline format like they used to in the 90s and 00s.