An Investigation of Textbook Purchase and Usage Patterns among Undergraduate Students at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana
Michael Ato Essuman 
, Twene Ampofo , Harry Barton Essel , Francis Nimo Nunoo & Reuben Agbelengor Glover
Issue: Vol.6 No. 7 2025 Article 4 pp.459 – 477
DOI : https://doi.org/10.38159/jelt.2025674 | Published online 28th July, 2025.
© 2025 The Author(s). This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
A textbook is a printed or electronic material that serves as a guideline for instructors and students in the form of a schoolbook, coursebook and workbook. This study investigates textbook purchase and usage patterns among students at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. The study is a quantitative observational study. Data were collected using the Collegiate Student Assessment of Textbooks. A convenience sampling technique (N=674) was used to recruit first-year undergraduate students from KNUST in Ghana to complete an online questionnaire using Google Forms. Descriptive statistics were used to examine the demographic data using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) for Windows Version 26.0. The data consisted of responses to the CSAT, using reliability analysis (Cronbach’s Alpha & McDonald’s Omega), and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) to validate the measurement model. The findings revealed that the cost of textbooks did not seem to affect students’ textbook purchasing intentions. Textbook usage is positively influenced by features such as study guides, chapter summaries, and alignment with instructor use. In conclusion, this study provides a quantitative examination of the complex factors that influence the purchase and use of textbooks among students at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. We recommend that Departments and libraries within the University, work with publishers to co-create textbooks that fit the local context, curricula, and students’ learning needs. This study will serve as a resource material for policymakers, universities, publishers and libraries in textbook development.
Keywords: Textbook Purchase, Textbook Usage, Higher Education, Undergraduate Students, Collegiate Student Assessment of Textbooks
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Michael Ato Essuman (PhD) is a senior member (Lecturer) at the Department of Publishing Studies, KNUST. He holds a BA in Publishing Studies, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, and a PhD in Art Education with specialization in Textbook Development and Evaluation with Art and Information Design. Currently, He is the industrial internship coordinator in the Department. His research focuses on Art and Design, Textbook development, Education, Industry / academic collaboration , Traditional/ Contemporary symbols development and Digital humanities.
Ampofo Twene is a Teaching Assistants who is skilled data analyst, researcher, editor ,web developer and teacher with success in analysing and interpreting data to foster the growth of industries as well as educational institutes. He has completed B A Publishing Studies.
Harry Barton Essel (PhD) is a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Educational Innovations in Science and Technology, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. He also services the Department of Publishing Studies and, Integrated Rural Art and Industry. He was born at Koforidua in the Eastern Region. He had his basic and Junior High School education at Seven Day Adventist Demonstration School (SDA) at Koforidua. He proceeded to Pope John Secondary School – now Pope John Senior High School, where he pursued Visual Art. After his secondary education, he furthered his studies at the Department of Publishing Studies at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology located in the Ashanti region (Kumasi). After his first degree, he had the opportunity to enrol in the Art Education Program at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology – where he earned his Doctor of Philosophy.
Francis Kofi Nimo Nunoo is a senior lecturer and publication designer specialising in book layout and typesetting. He has collaborated with both local and international publishers and focuses on the intersection of design and publishing. His research interests encompass reading analytics, print production, and the application of technology in education. He is dedicated to functional aesthetics in publication design and to mentoring future professionals.
Reuben Agbelengor Glover is a senior lecturer in the Department of Publishing Studies, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana. He holds an LLB (Substantive Law), BL (Professional Law), an MFA and a BA Art from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana and Ghana School of Law, Accra. He is also a certified teacher with Teachers Certificate ‘A’ (Post Secondary) S.D.A. College of Education, Asokore-Koforidua, Ghana. His research interests include Intellectual property law, visual culture, cultural policy studies, design and illustration.
Essuman, Michael Ato, Twene Ampofo, Harry Barton Essel, Francis Nimo Nunoo, and Reuben Agbelengor Glover. “An Investigation of Textbook Purchase and Usage Patterns among Undergraduate Students at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana.” Journal of Education and Learning Technology 6, no. 7 (2025): 459–77. https://doi.org/10.38159/jelt.2025674.
© 2025 The Author(s). Published and Maintained by Noyam Journals. This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
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