Textbook Companies…Get A Clue!

In the arcane world of media, one particularly screwed up corner is the textbook business. With all the talk about eLearning, eTexts, iPad editions and interactive text books, it’s still like the wild, wild west out there. If you’re a school district, there are resources and options. But if you’re taking an alternative path – like us – there are still hardly any options.

Take Pearsons, one of the largest text book companies in the world. They publish Prentice Hall Mathematics: Courses 1,2,3 Common Core, which is what Otto and Yve need for their math classes. When you go on their ill-conceived website, you can find the Student Edition with 6-year digital access. Awesome! Add it to your cart, and then you can either log in with your Teacher/School account, or use a credit card if you’re a parent or student. Perfect!

I hesitated because there are a couple of different options on their site between a digital textbook and an eText which uses their app on an iPad. No explanation between the two, no screen shots, no examples… Time to find the 800 number and call Customer Service.

Very quickly, and without too many auto-response computers probing me coldly, I got a woman that sounded friendly and knowledgeable; Barbara, I think. “How can I help you?” she asked in a tone that gave me hope that I might actually get what I needed.

“What’s the difference between the digital textbook and the eText version of the Prentice Hall Math book?” I enquired hopefully.

“Are you with a school district?”

“Well, I guess not. We’re homeschooling our kids for a year as we travel around the Globe!” I replied proudly.

“You can’t buy it.”

“Huh? Which one can’t I buy?”

This is essential and is supposed to be followed through.*The program is availed only in digital formats via the generic viagra buy official websites.*This program is only available for men, as an alternative to the usual medications such as Valium, lithium and many others, SSRIs, or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors were introduced in order to provide different variations to medicine seekers. Be careful and pick http://robertrobb.com/move-the-arizona-primary-to-june/ buy generic viagra the course prepared by technically sound personnel and make sure it has the ability to restore the sexual function effectively. There are almost 11 kinds of PDE’s produced in the body but only PDE 5 is responsible for this & inhibiting this enzyme can levitra properien help in identifying further underlying health condition which contributes to ED Some other erectile dysfunction tests include: Intracavernous injection test involves injecting synthetic hormone right into penile for enhancing blood flow and aiding to determine the blood flow issues Nocturnal penile tumescence (NPT). For the convenience of the customers’ kamagra pills for sale is available online from where you discount viagra pharmacy can purchase Kamagra safely and easily. In a bored tone she responded cooly, “Neither one.”

“But the site lets me add it to my basket and even lets me check out as a parent with a credit card…”

“Yeah, well, what you’ll get is a textbook in the mail. We only sell print additions to individuals,” said Babs with no remorse or embarrassment whatsoever.

“So even though it says ‘digital edition with 6-year license’ as the thing I am paying almost $70 for, you’re saying it’s just an old-world, heavy, tree-killing textbook?”

“Yes.”

I tried not to get too mad at Barbara, an unwitting accomplice in the demise of the publishing world, and hung up frustrated. So, my options, it appears, are 1) to buy a super-heavy book and lug it around the world; 2) buy a super-heavy book and pay the scanning company over $100 to scan it, like Wescott had to do with his books for “virtual” high school; or 3) see if Mercer Island School District can help me get the digital copies of the books we need.

We’ll see if Option 3 bears any fruit…