"While many colleges and universities turned to digital course materials to serve the needs of remote learners during the pandemic, faculty usage of e-textbooks and other digital content has decreased now that classes have resumed in-person instruction, according to the latest "Faculty Watch" survey from the National Association of College Stores. In 2021, 54% of faculty respondents used e-books for their courses, down from 62% in 2020, and 64% used digital content in the learning management system, down from 84% in 2020. What's more, faculty members' comfort level using digital content has also gone down: In 2021, just 46% reported feeling very or extremely comfortable with using digital content, compared to 60% in 2020."—Source: Campus Technology
WHY THIS MATTERS:
This may come as a surprise after the pandemic necessitated the use of digital materials two years ago, but faculty use of digital materials for courses is on the decline, per a recent Faculty Watch survey. In addition to this usage trend, faculty also report feeling less comfortable with digital content.
