Fing Textbooks
Problem
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

Students having difficulty in finding their specific textbooks for specific subjects at
the beginning of an academic year due to shops that sell them constantly being out
of stock or stocking the incorrect edition of the book.
The affordability of hard copy textbooks.
Textbooks often only include half the solutions to the questions in the book.
Solution
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
As Fing textbooks, we are looking to create an application which will search for your
specified textbooks based on your current degree and the courses you are studying
as well as find the cheapest prices and have them conveniently delivered to your
current address or let you know where you can pick them up from.
It will also include electronic copy search results
System Requirements
Functional
 As a first time user, you will be required to register with us by providing us with
relevant personal details including the University you are studying at, your degree
you are studying as well as your year of study you are in, you may also tell us the
course codes for the subjects you’re looking for.
 You will also be able to purchase your prescribed textbook as an e-Book if you
prefer.
 We will also provide all solutions to questions in your prescribed textbooks.
 Users will be able to list used textbooks that they wish to sell and set their own
prices.
Non-functional
 Our app will then search through every database of every bookstore in South Africa
as well our own catalogue of books being sold by other students to find all your
prescribed and recommended textbooks based on the information provided.
 The application will group them according to prescribed vs recommended according
to the best deals that Fing Textbooks can find.
Interviews
Interviewees
I1)
I have interviewed my father who lectures at Wits University. He is from the
chemistry department - Riaz (472268).
I2)
Marc "Mkwanazi" Shapiro (BSC Chemistry With Chemical Engineering) –
Russell Cowan
I3)
Khumbulani " El-Sabio Wiseman" Sikosana (BSC Chemistry With Chemical
Engineering) – Russell Cowan
I4)
Lindelwe Mdlopane (Wits Student) - Refiloe Molapisi
Where do you currently get your textbooks from?
I1)
I get my textbooks from the chemistry department . Other than that I also get
online versions of these textbooks from Pearson etc. since I am an instructor.
I2)
second hand bookstores
I3)
the internet
I4)
van Skyk, here on campus
On a scale of 1-5 (1 Very Hard; 5 Very Easy): How hard is it to find the textbooks you need?
I1)
I would say 4. since the process isn't entirely effortless
I2)
3
I3)
4
I4)
3
Would you prefer a hard copy or an eTextBook?
I1)
I am from the old school so I prefer hard copies
I2)
Hard Copy
I3)
Hard Copy
I4)
Hard Copy
If you would use an eTextBook would you prefer to use it on:
a.
Your PC
b. Your Tablet or
c.
Your Smart Phone
I1)
b.
I would prefer tablet purely for legibility.
I2)
a.
I3)
b.
I4)
b.
Do you have?
a PC,
a Tablet and/or
a smart Phone
I1)
All of the above
I2)
All of the above
I3)
PC
I4)
PC, Smart Phone
What would you like to be able to do with a TextBook app?
I1)
from a lecturers point of view I would say that I would like to be able to see
students coming together to share common misconceptions and problems
that they face with the subject matter. Perhaps a forum where students
could share their answers in a "forum" of some sort.
I2)
Uploading course outlines, test dates and tutorials for the specific course that
you are doing
I3)
None
I4)
I'd like it to highlight the text and also for me to write notes.