A: Richard
T. Hull, TAA Executive Director:
Richard T.
Hull |
"An ethical issue
sometimes arises regarding teaching from your own text. The professor
who does so is sometimes accused of using the power of their text selection
to 'force' students in his or her class into paying for a text that
benefits the professor through royalties.
Some have dealt
with this appearance of self dealing by writing a check to each
student in the class (who has actually bought a new textbook copy!)
that represents the royalties earned on each sale. (That can
come back to bite the professor, since a student who buys a used
copy will feel out. On the other hand, that might create a 'teachable
moment'.)
Others make their
texts optional so as to avoid the coercive appearance. The flip
side of the ethical question is this: should you avoid requiring your own
text if you genuinely believe it to be the best available for the subject?"
A: Rebecca
Plante, PhD, Assistant Professor & Chair, Personnel Committee, Sociology
Department, Ithaca College, Ithaca, NY:
Rebecca
Plante |
"I teach with
two of my texts - I have to, as long as they're in print, or
it would look really bad ('You don't use your own books!!?').
My editor would have a hard time working with me if I refused
to assign the text I wrote on sex...in my sexualities class.
If I don't believe in the text enough to adopt it, why would
anyone else?
In my case, my
books will be OOP soon enough, and then it will be back to the
drawing board and some other author will earn their $2.50 a copy
for the books I assign! I guess I see the ethical issue differently
- from my end, as a person in a kind of relationship with my
editors (and the publisher, ultimately). Then again, I've never
had a student express qualms to me...who knows what they're saying
otherwise or elsewhere, when I'm not around!
I've found that
my arguments and ideas have continued to expand past what's in
the texts. One of the books is an edited reader, so it's easy
to use because the articles are from a variety of sources. My
textbook was completed in late 2005, so I definitely have continued
to evolve my ideas on what's been printed there.
I try to supplement
with others' statistics, updated studies, newer pop culture references
& items; TV and film clips; refocused discussion topics and Socratic
questioning for the students. I also supplement all my teaching
with a very specific method of teaching critical thinking skills,
so I can always reframe a discussion or presentation around students
doing close reading and analysis (using these critical thinking skills). I
teach sexuality and gender though, so all of the above is not just possible
- it is vital.
I would have
qualms about assigning my book in a peripherally- related course,
requiring it, and then using only one chapter of it. (This happened
to me in grad school and seemed like a patently obvious attempt
to increase sales.)
I'd be happy
to share with my students what I earn for each book. They are
shocked to know that I get less than $2.50 for each new book
and $0 for their used copies. The advance was three big fat figures.
They have no idea how piddling the $$ really is, at least for
my kind of textbook publishing."
A: Kevin
Patton, Ph.D., Professor of Life Science, St.
Charles Community College, Cottleville, MO:
Kevin Patton |
"For my text,
there is no way that I can fit everything in that I'd like. So my
classes give me an opportunity to expand on a topic. Also, my
text (anatomy and physiology) often focuses on the mainstream theories--but
I'd like to bring up some of the more interesting (and sometimes
more plausible) alternate theories. Especially as a counterpoint to
get the students thinking for themselves. That's not something that
would always be appropriate in a text that must be usable in
a broad market. Nor could I include in my text the latest breakthrough
from that week's issue of Nature or Science.
However, I can bring those newer things into my class for discussion.
My students often
appreciate the fact that reading their textbook 'sounds like
I'm talking to them' because I guess my voice carries through in both media.
Although I'm somewhat amazed that they are in fact reading the book! And
of course, I know the book more thoroughly than if it was someone
else's book so I can more effectively use it as a teaching tool.
Another way teaching
from your own text can be useful is to bring up those examples
of how you may have struggled to find a way to present a topic. That
is, explaining how you solved a writing or content-choice dilemma
may be a good starting point for a class discussion of that topic.
For example, 'most texts explain this concept that way but I think
this other approach works better--what do you think?' Or,
'given limited space (and a limited budget), which view of an
organ (only being able to use one view) best portrays the characteristics
of this organ?'
Often my students
DO find out that their teacher 'wrote the book' before they come
to the first class. And I hear (directly or indirectly) that they
think that I'm going be especially tough on them. Sometimes,
they bring it up on the first day of class. In their minds, if
I wrote the book I must be astoundingly brilliant and that I
must demand that my students also be as brilliant and prolific
as I must certainly be. It intimidates them.
Luckily, I've
developed some skills at reassuring them early on that I'm there to
help them along, not trip them up, and I expect introductory level
work in an introductory level course. I patiently explain that
their original assumptions are not accurate, nor is their logic
sound. And enough of them have heard enough positive stuff from
former students about my course that it helps balance out their
fears.
The issue of
'teaching from your own text' came up in a recent sabbatical
proposal that I submitted in which I was to address potential conflict
of interest if I use my sabbatical to write a new textbook that could
be potentially be used in a class I teach.
My statement
cites an AAUP position that stipulates that such activity is
not considered a conflict of interest, as long as adoption decisions
allow for some level of departmental voice or approval.
See: AAUP.
(2004). On Professors Assigning Their Own Texts to Students . Retrieved
Sep 12, 2007, from American Association of University Professors: http://www.aaup.org/AAUP/comm/rep/owntexts.htm
It would have
been great to have another 'expert body' to give witness to the
ethical considerations . . . I wonder if TAA should have a published opinion
on the matter that we could use in defense of the practice [See TAA's Position
Statement on the Academic Value of Textbooks: Click
here]."
A: Gary
Musser, Professor Emeritus, Department of Mathematics, Oregon State
University, Corvallis, OR:
Gary
Musser |
"Although I am
retired now, I taught using my mathematics for elementary teachers
textbook for many editions and many years. It was clearly the
best textbook available - that's why we wrote it - so I would
be remiss if I chose a lesser book. Using my textbook was NEVER a
problem with my students, the department, or the administration.
One way I and my students had fun was that I paid anyone who
found a typographical error in the book - it was many years ago
and I paid them a quarter, but now I would give them a buck.
I currently make an annual contribution to my former mathematics
department to allow folks teaching this course to buy special
materials for in-class work.
To answer the
person who started the thread on teaching from one's own book,
I always felt that I humanized my book and hence students bonded more
with the book, the course, and me. Since I did a lot of research
for the book, I always had many interesting ideas that I could
share with the class that were not in the book. Teaching from one's
book is the only way to go in my opinion."
A: Steven
E. Barkan, Department of Sociology, University of Maine, Orono,
ME:
Steven
E. Barkan |
"To avoid the
appearance of a conflict of interest when I've used my texts in my
own courses, I tell the students on the first day that I will be donating
my total royalties from the copies they buy to my department's gift
account, which is used for student needs--travel, awards, etc."
A: Seth
Maislin, Managing Partner, Potomac Indexing (www.potomacindexing.com):
"I think calling
this an ethical question is, in some ways, a hostile interpretation.
This could just as easily be interpreted as a business opportunity
for some individuals -- usually those who are not faculty,
or at least are not teachers above all other careers.
Seth
Maislin |
As an adjunct
professor (one who teaches in academia only 'on the side'), using
my own materials is often viewed as insightful. I am fond of bringing in
examples from my working life, and in fact asking students to attempt
to reproduce things that I have done in my business -- sometimes
with better results, too, which is a joy. I always make it clear
that the examples are my own, and give any history to clarify
that (a) I'm not using the students as resources in my business, and/or
(b) that my own work is just as suspect as anyone else's here.
This latter is a valuable point, in that it shows the lack of
a right answer, and opens up discussion. Students appreciate seeing
'the real thing,' and I appreciate being able to use my job as a jumping-off point
for education.
As an adjunct,
teaching from my own materials is a wholly positive experience
for everyone involved. The 'ethics' that Richard [Hull, TAA's Executive
Director] talks about seems to be something that affects full
professors only. It might be an extension of how we think of
professors in general, in our culture. In fact, I'd like to hear
if these biases are more prominent in certain kinds of academic
settings -- universities vs. community colleges, or United States vs.
abroad."
A: Kimberly
Ann Davies, Chair & Associate Professor, Department of Sociology,
Augusta State University, Augusta, GA:
Kimberly
Ann Davies |
"I told my class
what I make on each book and told them that was all that I was
being paid for the class since I am teaching the class as a FREE
overload. Not sure how I'll handle it in future if/when I don't teach
it as an overload but I look forward to hearing what all of you do."
