Kansas State University Academic Advising Graduate Programs

By Patrice Scott

A College of Education faculty member created an e-book that is saving graduate students the cost of two textbooks.

Doris Wright Carroll, associate professor of special education, counseling and student affairs, developed an e-book for multiple sections of the course “Multicultural Aspects of Academic Advising.” Carroll received a $5,000 award from the university’s Open/Alternative Textbook Initiative to develop the resource. Over the course of the academic year, the e-book is saving approximately 120 students $13,500.

“Because I teach graduate-level distance courses, my motivation for doing this was to help the students who are taking this course around the world,” Carroll said. “I routinely have students enrolled who are in Canada, South Africa, Europe and on Army bases around the world. This population of students experiences a number of challenges when ordering textbooks and very often would not get their books until week four of the course or would incur additional costs.”

Carroll earned her doctorate degree in counseling psychology from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. She has been on faculty at K-State since 1999 and conducts applied research in student affairs practice and higher education administration, with special focus on online graduate education. Carroll’s current research focus is on cultural competency development.