A Step Forward

Full disclosure — I am a co-founder of a new, commercial open textbook publisher: Flat World Knowledge: www.flatworldknowledge.com We are one of the partners working with CCCOER to develop high quality open textbooks.

The CCCOER effort, is, in my view, a game-changer. It takes the dialogue about open textbooks to a new level. We (speaking for Flatworld only below) agree completely with Mr. Hildebrand’s comments about currency, supplemental tools, and the cost of instruction.

All of our books, for example, are written by expert authors, and will be fully peer-reviewed and professionally developed, including professional illustrations, accuracy checking, etc. They will be supported by instructor supplements like test banks, instructor manuals, lecture slides, and a print desk copy. Students will get additional study aids to support their learning. The point is, these will be of comparable quality to current commercial books, and fully supported for instructors.

The difference is that unlike traditional publishers who put that finished, high quality book on the market for $100 plus, our open textbooks are free online to students. But it is too limiting to frame this discussion as about digital vs. traditional. This is about a new model, not a new medium. For example, in addition to the free online book, students can opt for extremely low cost print versions, audio versions, a version for the Kindle reader, and more. We sell those things, and students get to CHOOOSE them (something they haven’t been able to do in the past). This generates revenue, and author royalties, and provides a long-term sustainable model.

Traditional publishers would like to try and put this emerging open textbook model in a box and say: “they won’t be very good, and they will make you (instructor) do more work". While that may have been true in the past, there is a new emerging paradigm for open textbooks, and CCCOER is at the leading edge of it.

Open textbooks are rapidly coming to represent a new, viable alternative to traditional books, just as Firefox represents a viable alternative to Internet Explorer.

The objective of open textbooks, or at least some of them, is to offer MORE value to the instructor and student, not less. Same quality book. Same quality supplements. Completely different control (professors can adapt open books, and go to new editions when they want to vs. when the publisher wants them to). Completely different pricing and distribution.

Completely new game.

Eric Frank, at 9:30 am EDT on April 29, 2008

copyrights?

Intellectual property and copyright restrictions seem to be disappearing. Those who spend a lifetime (and often a small fortune) developing expertise in a field should at least have the chance to publish and compile texts, especially those that benefit by peer review. Instead of reinventing the wheel, why don’t community colleges work with publishing companies to find inexpensive ways to electronically publish the RELIABLE work that already exists? The students save money, the authors rights are protected, the work stays current, paper is saved, and everybody wins. Although adding one’s own publications to a course book list for the purpose of upping sales figures has long been the practice for senior faculty, the profit motive is tiny—usually pennies per copy. However, open source texts would certainly cut into that business—and it might becomne even more difficult to get academic work published.

ayo, at 10:05 am EDT on April 29, 2008

The implication of an above commentator that students have some type of moral duty to hand over hundreds of dollars to academic publishers in purchasing hard copy textbooks is totally absurd. (As if publishers have the students’ best interest in mind!)

In defense of many students at community colleges as well as public universities who are lacking financial resources in a VERY real way- the suggestion that students are essentially blowing their book money on alcohol, luxury items, et cetera — whatever echo of truth this many contain- is a rather unfair, sweeping indictment. I believe most of us weren’t aware that the minimum wage part-timers with high school diplomas fall into the higher income brackets.

AM, in defense of students, at 12:20 pm EDT on April 29, 2008

Copyrights and Content Choice can co-exist

I applaud the comments from “ayo” about Copyrights. Proper copyright practices and content choice can powerfully co-exist if done properly. We at University Readers offer a custom-publishing model that allows instructors to choose their content, and then we manage all copyright clearances and distribution of the material in a course pack or custom textbook. There’s a triple-benefit for community colleges: teachers can take advantage of using a variety of current, relevant content that speaks to their specific student audience. Students save a considerable amount of money using course packs versus off-the-shelf textbooks. The school is protected from liability because we ensure proper copyright clearance on all readings and selections. Open source textbooks can be attractive – but they’re still textbooks, and not as flexible as some community colleges may need.

Christopher Foster, Director of Marketing at University Readers, at 8:25 pm EDT on April 29, 2008

eTAP.org Online Textbook

eTAP.org offers an online textbook for about $10 per student, less in higher quantities. This online textbook currently covers every grade K-12, all standards subject areas in California, all aligned to California state standards, written text, pre- and post-tests, per standard links to interactive games that reinforce concepts, and per standard links to Discovery videos. eTAP also provides courses for the GED, the SAT, the CAHSEE (California High School Exit Exam), and the ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery).

John B., at 7:50 pm EDT on April 30, 2008