Boundless Blog

Boundless in the News: Digital Textbooks Make a Splash at BU, FSU, and Northeastern

Jessica — Fri, 17 May 2013 15:19:26 +0000

This week, Boundless announced the growing popularity of our digital textbooks at colleges across the US. Our huge growth this semester was nationwide, but at schools in Massachusetts, Florida, and Illinois we saw some great stats. For example, Boundless textbooks were used by 61% of students in intro-level psychology classes at Northeastern!

Some local reporters picked up on this exciting news. Lauren Landry at BostInno wrote,

At Boston University, Boundless has seen a 290 percent increase in student usage since launching on the campus in the fall of 2012. More than 20 percent of the school’s introductory financial accounting classes feature Boundless materials, according to data the team pulled based on users self-reporting which classes they are in.

Kyle Alspach at Boston Business Journal also included a note about our textbooks. He said,

Boston online textbook startup Boundless said Monday that Boston University and Northeastern University are both seeing a high degree of usage of its online materials for courses including accounting and psychology.

In related news, our CEO Ariel Diaz published a guest post today in MOOC News and Reviews in which he outlined free ebook sources for MOOC students. He writes,

Connextions, Creative Commons and OER Commons are just a few of several open resource repositories where instructors can find free learning materials for their courses.

Boundless has online textbooks for loads of popular subjects and have a built-in suite of study features like flashcards, quizzes and highlighting

Saylor.org also has a library of open-license free ebooks available for download, online reading and sharing.

Find more free ebook resources in Ariel’s guest post here.

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Summer Reading List from Boundless HQ

Shoshie — Thu, 16 May 2013 13:09:05 +0000

As you may have seen from our tips for summer savings, curling up with a book is a great way to spend a beautiful summer day! To get you started, we’ve put together a summer reading list of some of our team’s favorites for your reading pleasure, all of which you can download to your e-reader!

(photo credit: Nicole Lee cc)

End of Eternity – Isaac Asimov

“It’s a great book, well written, and relatively short. It deals with time travel and social engineering. In the book, you follow a fellow whose job is to make the ‘least possible change’ to make the future a little better while minimizing bad side effects. Lots of twists and turns, some interesting thoughts on time travel and societies in general, and a fun read on top of it all.”

- Kevin Mook
Engineering

Oryx and Crake and The Year of the Flood – Margaret Atwood

“Post-apocalyptic science fiction love story and really interesting imagination of Earth’s future. These 2 are part of a trilogy (the 3rd book will be out next year) that includes such gene spliced creatures as the rakunk (raccoon/skunk hybrid) and the pigoon (a commercial pig with human genes).”

Goat Song: A Seasonal Life, A Short History of Herding, and the Art of Making Cheese – Brad Kessler

“If you didn’t know, I’m obsessed with goats. This books tells the true story of leaving city life, for a life of herding and cheese making. What could be better?”

- Heather Sternshein
Content

Kicked, Bitten, and Scratched: Life and Lessons at the World’s Premier School for Exotic Animal Trainers – Amy Sutherland

“It’s an awesome view into all it takes to become an animal trainer. These students dedicate two years to learning all aspects of animal training – from maintaining zoo cleanliness to teaching animals tricks. Plus, it’s riveting to see how the students and staff react when a natural disaster creeps dangerously close to their training zoo.”

- Jessica Owen
Marketing

Of Mice and Men – John Steinbeck

“It’s a fantastically well-written bittersweet story which is super depressing in parts, but I can’t get over how beautiful Steinbeck’s descriptions are, how well crafted his narrative and how absorbing his characters are. It’s a way to sit back, dream the American Dream and be transported by a beautiful novel.”

- Gemma Fay
Marketing

Nothing on this list tickle your fancy? Check out some of these top summer reads or find the right book you based on your personal reading preferences.

Want to get an early start on course readings? Stock up on Boundless free textbooks for your fall semester classes!

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A Snapshot of the Class of 2013 [Infographic]

Jessica — Wed, 15 May 2013 14:09:07 +0000

Who is the Class of 2013? These soon-to-be college graduates are popping into the job scene this spring – and here’s what to expect!

SpareFoot created this infographic that has a great look at the Class of 2013 that we just had to share! Interesting that 75% of graduates plan to relocate outside of their college town. We were thrilled to see our hometown Boston listed as one of the best cities for new grads, along with DC, Atlanta, Houston, and Denver. See more stats about the Class of 2013 in the infographic below!

Still have some time before graduation? Save money on your textbooks and study tools by using Boundless!

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Boundless Textbooks Surge in Popularity for Spring Entry Level Courses

Jessica — Mon, 13 May 2013 17:53:44 +0000

Today, Boundless announced the growing popularity of our textbooks in entry level classes at major universities across the US. This semester, we saw huge growth at schools in Florida, Illinois, and Massachusetts. At the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Boundless textbooks were used by a whopping 45% of students in intro-level psychology classes! Check out more stats about how students are using our books in the press release below.

Boundless Textbooks Surge in Popularity for Spring Entry Level Courses

College Students at Northeastern, Florida State, University of Illinois and More Choose Affordable, Interactive Alternative to Printed Textbooks

BOSTON, MA–(Marketwired - May 13, 2013) - For decades, college students have resigned themselves to spending hundreds of dollars on textbooks. But now Boundless, a learning company offering online textbooks and study tools, is completely challenging the traditional cost structure for university-level knowledge. Today, Boundless revealed the rapidly growing popularity of the company’s online textbooks and study tools in entry level classes at universities across the U.S. Boundless’s textbooks are affordable, high-quality alternatives that use expert-curated open educational resources (OER) found online to replace the expensive books typically assigned for classes.

Boundless’s online textbooks and study tools have been available since 2012 to students in all states. These books are now being used widely across campuses, with the latest Spring 2013 data showing:

Boston University: Since Fall of 2012, Boundless has seen a 290 percent increase in student usage. Notably, over 20 percent of BU’s introductory financial accounting classes have gotten the Boundless textbook and study tools. (All usage statistics are based on users’ self reporting that they are in particular courses, as compared to data provided by schools as to the number of seats in these courses.)
Florida State University: From Fall 2012 to Spring 2013, the Florida State Boundless user base has grown by 150 percent. In the intro level microbiology courses, 28 percent of students have registered to use Boundless.
Northeastern: As a whole, student use of Boundless’s textbooks at Northeastern has increased by over 600 percent since Fall 2012. For example, the majority — 61 percent — of students in Northeastern’s intro level psychology courses have registered for Boundless. The same goes for Northeastern’s intro level accounting courses, where half the students are using Boundless’s text. Student users of Boundless’s text in the macroeconomics class is at 27 percent.
University of Central Florida: Boundless has seen 160 percent growth in users since Fall 2012, with 19 percent of the introductory level microeconomics courses using its textbook.
University of Illinois: Across all classes, University of Illinois – Urbana-Champaign has seen over a 1000 percent increase in student users. Intro-level psychology courses boast a 45 percent Boundless book usage rate — a nearly 30 percent growth from the Fall 2012 registration for the same course.

“Young, mobile college students demand low-cost, accessible, interactive content,” said Ariel Diaz, co-founder and CEO of Boundless. “Boundless gives students a high-quality alternative to the books they’re traditionally assigned. We bring to life content that was once static, allowing students to highlight passages, share digital notes with classmates, and have more dynamic learning and studying experiences. We expect our growth to continue into the fall semester, since 95 percent of our users from the previous semester told us that they got the grade they expected or higher in our satisfaction survey.”

Boundless works by giving students access to high quality, digital textbooks curated by experts that can be used in place of or as a supplement to the traditional textbooks assigned by professors. Students in introductory courses can find textbooks and study tools in “aligned” textbooks, that map to specific, traditional books and editions assigned by the professor. With Boundless, students now have a choice — they can go with traditional, tired textbooks, or enjoy the freedom of free and low cost, digital textbook alternatives with integrated study tools.

Check out Boundless’s digital textbooks and study tools here.

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5 Ways to Save Money This Summer

Shoshie — Fri, 10 May 2013 09:40:50 +0000

Spring semester is either over or just wrapping up for most of you collegiates out there, and it’s about time we had our dose of summertime! There are endless opportunities for some fun in the sun now that you have some time to breathe. But be careful—it’s easy to lose track of budgeting while you let loose in the summer sun. So before you start planning your summer activities, check out some ways to save money this summer!

(Photo credit: Bonita Sarita CC BY-NC-SA)

1. Movie night

Gather a group of friends for a rotating movie night! Ditch the routine of going to expensive movie theaters and organize a weekly movie night, hosted by a different friend each week. If you’re like me and love the coming attractions, take a solid 15 minutes before you start the movie to check out iTunes movie trailers! There’s nothing like having the perks of a movie theater in the comfort of your own home.

2. Discount websites

Don’t let frugal spending limit your summer fun! Stay updated on websites like Groupon and Gilt City for discounts on restaurants, trips, and activities. It’ll be easy to save money and keep your summer action-packed with these great online deals.

(photo credit: shelfappeal cc)

3. Be your own chef

Ditch the restaurant scene entirely by cooking at home! You’ll save a ton of money budgeting on groceries instead of frequenting restaurants, especially when you split the cost of groceries with friends. Kick off the summer by trying out some fun new seasonal recipes!

4. Hydrate with H2O

Summer brings about the peak time for dehydration, so stay healthy and remember to drink water! You know what the best part about water is? It’s free. So if you’re feeling ambitious, try cutting out other drinks and stick to water! You’ll stay hydrated in the heat and save a whole lot of dough!

(photo credit: SimplySteff cc)

5. Dive into a good book

Now that school is over, you have some quality time to read for pleasure! Take out a book from your local library or borrow from a friend, and you’ll have hours of enjoyment that doesn’t cost a dime. If you need a reccomendation, check out GoodReads for some suggestions that cater to your reading preferences.

With these helpful tips, you’ll be able to save money this summer without compromising your summer fun!

Looking to the end of summer purchases, don’t forget to stock up on Boundless free textbooks for your fall semester classes!

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How Boundless Looks from an Outsider’s Perspective

Jessica — Thu, 09 May 2013 13:15:50 +0000

Being a block away from one of the Boston’s largest transportation hubs means our team at Boundless sees its fair share of people who are confused or lost, and sometimes these individuals make it to our door to ask peculiar questions. Though their questions may seem random and uneducated at the point of contact, their outside perspectives tell us a lot about what our office and company culture looks like from the street.

With our huge first floor windows opening out to the street, passersby have ample opportunity to peek inside and decide for themselves what it is we do. Oddly, several are bold enough to walk right up to our door or or poke into our open window and ask probing details about Boundless. Check out these random questions our team has gotten from our perch in the Leather District.

Is this an Internet cafe?

With so many travelers wandering around Boston’s South Station, it’s inevitable a confused lad or lass will pour over onto our block. As it turns out, some of them are seeking ze ol’ web. The overabundance of Apple products in our office may look like a sophisticated Internet cafe, but really we’re all stationed here full time, not just to check out hostels and tourist spots in Beantown.

Is this a furniture store?

The bright orange couch in our lounge is as eye-catching as they come. We know our standing desks look inviting from the outside too, but we aren’t an IKEA retailer (just an office of IKEA fanatics). If you want free digital textbooks for your home coffee table, we can help there.

Can you fill up my water bottle?

Maybe we just look well-hydrated from the outside. Or maybe we just look super hospitable. Whatever the case, our friendly engineer Adam obliged and returned a full bottle of water to the thirsty guy outside.

Can I talk to whoever manages your copy machine?

Boundless doesn’t do paper. Our free textbooks are completely digital, which means we have zero need for a copier. When we collaborate with teammates, we either do it digitally—through Dropbox, GoogleDrive, or Trello—or whiteboards during meetings.

Is this the restaurant?

While we pride ourselves on our culinary variety and availability of healthy snacks (or hey, leftover Easter candy), our team is too swamped right now to double as waitstaff. We understand our mounted TVs might remind you of that sports bar you went to that time and our beer fridge looks tempting, but you’ve arrived at the wrong spot. We send any restaurant-seekers to the diner next door to enjoy some of that bacon we keep smelling.

Is San going to be here today? I’m stalking him on Twitter.

Yikes, this one could have prompted us to call the cops if we hadn’t just put out a call for San and his Coffee Trike on Twitter. Now, how this passerby found Boundless tweeting with San about bringing coffee to our office we’ll never know. Either way, we must look like caffeine addicts.

Do you know where I can get eggs around here?

Well, this one we can’t really explain, but there is a convenience store down the block.

Have you ever gotten strange questions about your office? Share them in the comments or tell us on Twitter @GoBoundless!

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#BoundlessFinals Contest Winners

Shoshie — Tue, 07 May 2013 13:35:19 +0000

We recently asked you to send in your best finals tips for a chance to win a Boundless care package, and we received some awesome entries! Since the contest is officially over, we wanted to give you a chance to see the winning tips. The winners’ entries in particular were incredibly helpful and creative, so we sent some treats and Boundless swag their way!

Check out the winning tips:

Aliza Miller
Alizamiller25:

Cassandra Nicholson
Adurableheart:

Of course, if you don’t have gummy bears or a bowl of flowers handy, you can always follow some of these simple finals tips:

When it comes to finals prep, repetition is your best friend. Review your notes until you feel comfortable and confident with your course material!
Prioritize your studying schedule so stress doesn’t get the best of you.
All of your hard work will be for nothin’ if you don’t treat your body right! Sleep and eat well so that you have the energy you need to ace exams.

Missed the contest but still have some tips to share? Hashtag your tips with #boundlessfinals for a chance to be featured on our Facebook page!

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Boundless Gets a Magical Makeover

Jessica — Mon, 06 May 2013 17:39:17 +0000

Our engineering team at Boundless is always iterating our app to make the learning experience efficient and fun. They’re focusing on the “fun” part recently, and have taken it to the extreme. Here’s a sneak peak at the Boundless app with a magical makeover.

Though the presence of unicorns and rainbows hasn’t been scientifically linked to better learning outcomes, we think it makes a difference! At a bare minimum, it adds some sparkle to your studies—and who wouldn’t want a little bedazzlement? Add some more magic to your online experience by checking out Cornify.

While these magical updates might not make it to your textbooks in the fall, you can check all Boundless free textbooks anytime.

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Campus Marketing All-Star: Vivian Zhang at UConn

Jessica — Fri, 03 May 2013 13:08:04 +0000

Spreading the word about free textbooks at colleges around the country is no easy job—but luckily, Boundless has an awesome team of student marketers to help out! Meet Vivian Zhang, a sophomore at University of Connecticut connecting her classmates with Boundless free textbooks. Vivian was one of our top Campus Representatives this spring. Her commitment to the role has propelled her to the role of Campus Marketing Manager for next fall. As our CMM, she’ll manage a team of reps at UConn to spread the Boundless brand. Read more about Vivian in the interview below!

How did you decide on your major?

I love working with people and ideas. I know I need to work in an atmosphere that is constantly changing and improving. Business as a major is a perfect fit for me. It gives me a chance to do what I am good at! In the end I hope it will give me many opportunities to travel.

How do you decide what internship or club is right for you?

I think it is all about fit. Having a good group of people around that you enjoy is the difference of having a job and loving a job. You don’t want to be in an environment that you’re uncomfortable in.

What past experiences helped you become a killer Campus Rep?

Being a waitress has made me unafraid to put myself out there; it’s also helped me become a very outgoing person. A huge part of being a waitress and a campus rep is not taking anything too personal. You are going to have people who are discouraging, but you can’t let them affect you!

What’s been your biggest learning as a Campus Rep so far?

That hard work really does pay off. I started off as a Campus Rep and am going to be the Campus Marketing Manager in the fall! I’m happy I’ve proved that I can handle the extra responsibilities and I am confident I am ready to take on the new role!

What are you most excited about for your role as Campus Marketing Manager in the fall?

I’m excited to get an awesome team together and take over UConn! As a college student, I am sick of spending crazy amount of money on textbooks and I know the rest of the campus feels the same way.

What advice would you give students looking to balance an internship or leadership role on top of other commitments?

Know yourself and how much you can handle. The last thing you want is to do is pile on too much and end up dropping it all. I know I am the type of person who loves to say yes to everything, but now that I’ve had more commitments I’ve learned to prioritize what to say yes to and what to say no to.

What’s your secret to juggling school and outside commitments?

Lots and lots of sticky notes and a planner. My life would be in a shamble without those little post its. Not only is it great for keeping little things in mind, but also feels great to cross things off your list!

What’s your favorite study hack?

My favorite study hack is to nap for 20-30 minutes. In general I just love naps, but sometimes you just need a break! I would rather lay down and relax than try to struggle through studying.

What will you do with the money you saved by going Boundless?

Travel! I’m going to London this summer and Colorado in the winter! Normally I have the stress of having to save money in the summer to buy all my textbooks but thanks to Boundless I can use that money to do the things I enjoy!

Want to spread the word about free textbooks at your school? Apply to be the Campus Marketing Manager on your campus!

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What Is a Creative Commons License?

Jessica — Wed, 01 May 2013 09:00:37 +0000

The web is packed with photos, videos, essays, research, and more made freely and openly available for anyone. At Boundless, we create free learning tools for students by using content under Creative Commons licenses. These licenses are a standard way for content creators to give others permission to use their work.

Unfortunately, many people do not properly attribute open content to the material’s creator. While sorting through the nitty gritty of CC licenses might seem daunting, there are tons of ways to make sure you’re attributing content to the creator properly without sacrificing much of your time. Check out this great guide from foter.com that outlines how to find and source free photos online!

How To Attribute Creative Commons Photos by Foter

Now that you’re pro at sourcing free online photos, why not check out some free digital textbooks from Boundless?

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