Open Source, E-Textbooks, Traditional Texts… oh my!
September 29th, 2009
What exactly are open source textbooks? How are they different than e-textbooks? How do both compare to traditional texts? The Education Commission for the States has a nice new report out that compares open source to e-textbooks, and looks at initiatives in states that are adopting either or both. 
I’ve been a proponent of the open source model of journal publishing since serving as an editor to Current Issues in Education as a graduate student. However, text book writing is hard work, and authors of textbooks do usually get paid (as opposed to authors of journal articles). Just like the music and movie industries, however, it looks like experimenting with new revenue models may be in order. However, the textbook companies that sell e-textbooks don’t seem to be reducing the costs for these books; a study cited in the report indicates that the e-textbooks cost the same, on average, as new books purchased in the bookstore and sold back, and twice a used book bought and sold back. Good grief! That’s not going to do…
Texas is allowing professors at post-secondary institutions to create open source texts, California (deep in its own budget crisis) has indicated that 11 open source texts met 90% of the state math and science standards.
If you’ve never seen it before, Connexions is a big commons of open source educational material… definitely worth a look.
The times, they are a changin’…
Tags: open source, textbooks
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