A professor of economics, John Bouman knows how quickly college textbooks can deflate students? savings.
Bouman, a professor at Howard Community College, recently authored two electronic college textbooks ? “Principles of Macroeconomics” and “Principles of Microeconomics.”
Bouman, originally from Holland and entering his 25th year at HCC, tired of teaching from generic economics textbooks 12 to 13 years ago. He solved the problem, writing his own collection of notes for his students.
“I found the textbooks wordy and very expensive, and they?re even more expensive now,” Bouman said.
His students appreciated the notes, and one suggested Bouman create an electronic version of the teachings on CD-ROM.
Last year, with the success of the electronic notes, Bouman decided to go all out and write two comprehensive textbooks to be sold at college bookstores nationwide.
With help from his son, Danny, an information technology specialist, Bouman has put together two textbooks, each more than 300 pages and equipped with hundreds of sound files, animations, graphs, charts and quiz games.
Each book fits on one CD, and each CD will sell for $23. The price should ease the overall cost of textbooks for students ? students spend $700 to $1,000 annually on textbooks, according to the Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance of the U.S. Department of Education.
Bouman?s students have used the books, which are being sold at HCC?s bookstore. The publisher, Bent Tree Press of Reno, Nev., will promote the books nationwide in the fall.
“I don?t think print is going away, but this is another option,” said Jon Fuller, publisher of Bent Tree Press. “We may find that people want a print option, but this is an option in which people can spend less.”
Bouman completed the books while on sabbatical during the spring semester of this year. He used the time to review other economics texts and make his books more comprehensive.
“John is one of our master instructors, and this is just a technological extension of his instructional capabilities,” said Jerrold Casway, chairman of HCC?s social sciences division.
“The students have been very, very responsive to his ideas and how he presents those ideas.”
