The indexing landscape of South African School

Textbooks

Hannalie KnoetzeASAIB Annual Conference 2015

Outline

• What is a textbook?• Advantages of textbooks• Single textbook debate• Publishers of textbooks• E-textbooks• Indexing practice• Indexing guidelines

What is a textbook?

• A textbook is a book used as a standard work for the study of a particular subject.

Advantages of textbooks• Organised units of work• Detailed chronological or thematic presentation of information• Excellent teaching aid

But also remember:• A textbook is only as good as the teacher who uses it• A textbook is just one teaching tool• Textbooks do have limitations• Children are digital natives

Single textbook debate

Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga published a policy proposal in theGovernment Gazette of 4 September 2014 The proposal entails the government deciding on “one book per subject, per grade, per language”.

The draft stated that the government would be:• able to better monitor the provision and management of textbooks• able to redress injustices of the past

Comments on the proposal:• Publishers’ Association of South Africa• South African Democratic Teachers Union

In other countries

Publishers

Pearson Southern Africa (Maskew Miller Longman; Heinemann)

Macmillan

Oxford University Press

Shuter & Shooter

MEDIA24

Awareness Publishing

Pearson Southern Africa (Maskew Miller Longman; Heinemann)

• Today largest educational publisher in the world

• Operate in 11 countries in sub-Saharan Africa• Publish in over 58 African languages• Provide indexes for all FET and Senior phase

school books• Use professional indexers• Publish e-textbooks

Macmillan Education

• Global publishing company• Strong presence in Africa• Headquarters in Germany • Harold Macmillan (“winds of change”)• Publish learning and teaching material in all of

South Africa’s official languages• Provides indexes for all their FET phase textbooks

Oxford University Press

• Printed first book in 1478• Publish in many countries in more than 40 languages• Established a branch in Cape Town in 1915• Publish specifically for the South African market

Shuter & Shooter

• South African based publisher• Started in Pietermaritzburg in 1925• Mr LG Shuter was the stationer and Mr RA Shooter the bookseller and publisher• Actively involved in development of educational materials• Provide back of book indexes

Awareness Publishing Group

• Established in 2001• Specialises in educational material• Focus on African children• Do provide back of book indexes

MEDIA24 Books

NB PublishersVia Afrika NASOUVan SchaikJonathan Ball Publishers

NB Publishers

Formed in 2001Largest general book publisher in South AfricaMarket & publishes books under the imprints:

Imprints under NB Publishers:• Human & Rousseau• Queillerie• Pharos• Kwela• Best Books• Lux Verbi

Via Afrika

• Established in 1949• Merged with Nasou• Specialises in educational material• Do provide back of book indexes

E-TextbooksBenefits:• less cumbersome to carry – you only need to carry your e-reader• It is portable / searchable and interactive• books can be lost e-text usually can’t• It is a lower average cost• Save the trees• Updates is faster• No out-of stock problems

On the negative side:• e-textbooks only work if you have the device to use them. • Limited battery life• Eye strain• Technological problems

Tablets in SA schools

Indexing Practice

• Indexing for Southern Africa 1994-2004

• Feedback from publishers

Indexing guidelines

• There should not be too many page references for a single entry

• Subheadings simplify the research process and help learners to locate information easy

• Rather use multiple entries and not cross-references

• Arrange entries word-for-word and not letter-for-letter

• The index should be constructed by a professional indexer

Thank You