ADOPTING OPEN TEXTBOOKS

Ken RonkowitzPassaic County Community College, NJ

Adopting Open Textbooks Open textbooks are openly-licensed textbooks

offered free online by authors. The open license sets them apart from traditional textbooks by allowing users to read online, download, and print.

They are also editable so instructors can customize content, cross-platform compatible and work with adaptive technology.

This session looks at the how to identify, evaluate, and adopt Open Textbooks, and training opportunities for those wanting to adopt open resources, do peer reviews or open their own writing.

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Why leave traditional textbooks?

1. No textbook fits exactly and it’s all or nothing - though this is changing…

2. Students complain - about high prices - an average two-year college

student spends nearly 75% of what they spend on tuition on textbooks

- if only a few chapters are used in the course - when sent to different places for readings and

materials3. Textbooks are bundled with [too] many re$ources,

labs etc.4. Print textbooks don’t have the advantages of

eTextbooks – but commercial eTextbooks are not open

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An open textbook is…

Modifiable by the instructor Digital, Modular Adaptable

Low cost to the students Usually free for those with

computers and internet access

Printable for “free” or for a small fee (print centers etc.)

Sometimes available in bound copies for $10-$40

Labeled for reuse Flickr MrKCools

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An open textbook has been…Changed by the creators

fromCopyright All Rights Reserved

to

CopyleftSome Rights Reserved under an open licensee.g., Creative Commons License

From the Creative Commons store

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Some Open Textbook Myths

1. Creators never receive monetary compensation for open textbooks.

2. Written by anonymous amateurs or crowd-sourced.

3. Derivative versions damage the author’s reputation.

4. Lower quality5. Out-of-date (expired copyrights, public domain)

6. Publishers and bookstores are enemies of open textbooks. (Okay, partially true…)

7. Open Textbooks and eBooks are the same thing

Open Textbooks versus e-Textbooks

E-texts (publisher online textbooks):1. Have restrictive

licenses (e.g. no modifications)

2. Still costly3. Accessible for a

limited time period (semester)

4. Usually have restrictions on the amount of material students can print

Open Textbooks:1. Can usually be

modified/customized

2. Can be viewed/read for no cost online

3. Are permanently available in a repository or as a download

4. Can be fully printed for a low cost

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Some Benefits of Open Textbooks

1. Higher efficiency in the use/reuse/remixing of modules

2. More adaptable to learning styles, cultures, geographies, devices…

3. Use only content is needed: saves paper, toner, and weight – may also avoid some confusion for students

4. More feedback from teachers and students to the creators (authors, illustrators, publishers, editors...) for global textbook improvement

5. Free for those with computers or readers and Internet access & lower cost for printed and bound versions

6. Students can better afford more classes & other books or materials

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Two Community College Organizations

Community College Consortium for Open Educational Resources (CCCOER) 97 colleges join to give 2-year schools a

big voice in open textbooks and more Community College Open Textbooks

Collaborative A group of 12 organizations (FHDA, FDLC,

CNX…) funded by the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation to increase the demand and supply of open textbooks

their websites 10

CCCOER oerconsortium.org

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CollegeOpenTextbooks.org

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The Process 3 Steps

creative commons licensed by larry&flo 2007

Starting Out

NOT here But HERE

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1 Identifying Titles

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Full reviews are also available with comments and ratings for each chapter

Search Criteria

Subject Student Learning Objectives Course titles, descriptions Level Format Material type (Quiz, reading, etc.) Author or expert

Develop Selection Criteria

Your discipline may already have selection criteria

How do these criteria differ from those created for printed textbooks?

Use standardized criteria Based on discipline requirements and best

practices Modify existing criteria

For modules, e-books, and other formats Use available reviews

Possible Selection Criteria Accuracy Appropriateness Accessibility Authority Content Cultural relevance Currency Easily

customizable

Flexible format Modularity Pedagogical style Peer reviewed Portability Reading level Usable interface Error-free

2 Evaluate

Check Peer Reviews

On http://collegeopentextbooks.org, there are reviews linked to titles have been submitted by educators and professionals in the field. "They are the opinions of the individual

authors and do not represent an endorsement of any textbook by the Community College Open Textbook Collaborative"

The Outline of American Literature, newly revised, traces the paths of American narrative, fiction, poetry and drama as they move from pre-colonial times into the present, through such literary movements as romanticism, realism and experimentation. Online and as PDF

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Make Contact With Stakeholders

Curriculum Committee, Department, Dean or other group that approves textbook adoptions

IT - restrictions on requiring computer/internet access?

Department colleagues, adjuncts, TAs College bookstore College library / Media center Print Shop Students (soft launch?) Others?

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Online version

Download to print or offer

as file

Buy hard copy

Online View

Sample Chapter

Navigate table of contents

Key terms link to definition

Digital Repositories

A system to store and manage a variety of digital resources where the content is: created once stored once used or repurposed multiple times

Facilitates discovery of resources Users can link to OR download resources Users can add resources

Repositories

Evaluating Titles

Plan the class Choose the parts

of the textbook that fit

Add other open resources or additional textbooks

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Flickr wockerjabby

3 Adoption and Use

3 Adopt and Use28

Choose the parts of the textbook that fit your course, rather than letting the textbook drive curriculum design and syllabus.

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3 Adoption Paths

Soft Launch Use for readings and

homework only Use only in classroom Use in the Learning

Management System Use for remediation

(prior level textbook) Use for lifelong

learning, dual enrollment, K-20 initiatives, grants… 29

From Flickr ronk53

Learning & Training

Join In

College Open Textbooks Community http://collegeopentextbooks.ning.com

OpenTextbook AdvocateTrainers Learning Stream for College Campus OER Promoters http://opentextbookadvocatetrainers.ning.com

Ken Ronkowitz is the Director of the Writing Initiative at PCCC and an Advocate/Trainer as part of the Community College Consortium for Open Educational Resources oerconsortium.org

Open Textbook AdoptionPresentation available at http://www.slideshare.net/ronko4

For more information and updateshttp://pccc.libguides.com/etextbooks

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