The perceived value of textbooks and supporting material in higher education in South Africa

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to determine to what extent academics in South Africa use textbooks and supporting resources in curriculum development and teaching, as perceived by academics and students. Academics and students from all the academic institutions in South Africa participated in this survey-based research. Quadrant analysis was used to determine students' and lecturers' agreement (satisfaction) with and perceived importance of textbook characteristics. The results indicate a strong reliance on textbooks as a teaching resource, with limited differences between Unisa (the University of South Africa), as an open distance learning (ODL) institution, and the more traditional universities. The research also indicated a strong relationship between the perceptions of academics and students regarding the use and characteristics of textbooks. The results offer a number of proposals for the use and development of textbooks and supporting resources.