Thanks James; very helpful feedback.
Rick

----- Original Message -----
From: James Funk <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Monday, May 17, 2010 8:56 am
Subject: Re: Feedback Requested

> We use Cross & Miller's, Legal Environment of Business.  We've 
> tried the
> Cengage Now product (Aplia's cousin) for a year.  The two 
> motivating factors
> in adopting this product were (1) the possibility of tying chapter
> activities with immediate access to the text and (2) the 
> accumulation of
> assessment data.
> 
> Summer quarter will mark the end of this experiment for the following
> reasons:
> 1. The costs associated with acquiring the access codes have not been
> justified in terms of student learning.
> 2. Every quarter there have been mix-ups with the bookstore in 
> terms of
> access codes.  Cengage develops a different ISBN depending upon 
> whether the
> material is purchased through the bookstore or through the online 
> bookstorethat Cengage sponsors.  We've even had the representative 
> speak with the
> bookstore to make certain that the correct materials are 
> purchased.  This
> has not resolved the problem.  (Cengage also has different ISBN if 
> you'reusing the product as stand alone or in junction with 
> BlackBoard or WebCT or
> whatever.)  Good grief ... five weeks into a quarter class and 
> there are
> still access codes issues.
> 3. The students are not using the materials to review and/or 
> enhance the
> materials in the text.  No one has used the individualized study plan
> features in a year.
> 4. It is difficult to evaluate essay questions through the product and
> provide feedback.
> 5. In an accelerated session, I gave the option of using simply the
> materials through Cengage Now instead of purchasing the textbook 
> since there
> is an online version of the text included the access code.  
> Allegedly this
> was going to be a cost saving measure; the students found this format
> difficult to use.
> 
> Fall quarter we will fall back to using simply the textbook.  
> Because of the
> initial problems, we never got around to looking at assessment data.
> 
> 
> James C. Funk, Esq.
> Professor of Business Technologies
> Marion Technical College
> 1467 Mt. Vernon Avenue
> Marion, OH 43302
> 740-389-4636 x 230
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Academy of Legal Studies in Business (ALSB) Talk
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Richard L. 
> CoffinbergerSent: Friday, May 14, 2010 3:04 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Feedback Requested
> 
> I am considering adopting Aplia for my legal environment course. 
> If you have
> used the Aplia product with your legal environment course, I would
> appreciate your evaluation of it. My direct e-mail address is
> [log in to unmask]
> 
> Thanks,
> Rick
>