<p>As someone who has taught college students for 25+ years, I was interested in this thread but did not post til now because I notice that on CC, there are people whose posts suggest that they think whatever is consistent with their personal experience is probably true in general. My own experience with teacher’s editions contradicts some of what has been said. What the instructor’s edition is like depends both on the discipline and particular text used. In my field (in the social sciences) some instructors editions these days come not only with solutions to questions but also test banks and answers for quizzes and exams. Regardless of opinions about college teachers using test banks, it still would be considered an inappropriate advantage for a student to have these materials. Most such texts have student sites and study materials similar to test items for study purpses.</p>
<p>When my child was in high school I noticed that instructor editions of various texts (with materials that would have provided unfair advantage) were for sale from time to time on the internet and I avoided buying such editions (even if it was cheaper) because I thought it would be considered cheating.</p>
<p>I think it is easier for noninstructors to get instructor editions these days because they are resold on the internet. Part of this may have to do with the dramatic increase in home schooling. For a homeschooler whose parent is the teacher, it would be reasonable for that parent to buy the instructor’s edition that had all the answers and test bank, but less appropriate for the general public when resold online. </p>
<p>I have the impression from reading CC that there is a significant disrespect for college teachers using test bank items, and I don’t want to debate that issue but just wanted to say that these teacher editions (in my field at least) come with a lot of materials which could give an unfair advantage to a student.</p>