Spotlight on Innovation

Webinar today 3:30pm EDT / 12:30 pm PT... Attacking the high cost of textbooks while improving outcomes.

Register now for this webinar to learn about three of the most exciting initiatives aimed at driving costs down while enhancing innovation and outcomes.

Webinar Registration

Moderated by Eric Frank, President and Co-Founder of Flat World Knowledge, this panel will begin with an overview of what open texts are and how they've emerged as a force in past years, and then spotlight the innovative work of the University System of Ohio, Washington Open Course Library Project, and Virginia State University.

While you wait try the cost savings calculator on the flat world knowledge website:

Related articles

• Interview with Eric Frank, Flat World Knowledge, by Sue Polanka (teleread.com)
• Flatword Knowledge Webinars 
• How to Avoid the High Cost of Textbooks (alwaysbcmom.com)

The Benefits of Open Textbooks

Image via WikipediaCost is not the only benefit of open textbooks.  Instructors are encouraged to modify and aggregate content to make their courses more current and relevant.  Add content to your LMS each semester and evolve your course.  Reuse, remix, and share your content.

Before considering an open textbook or any other open educational resource (OER) consider reading:

7 Things you Should Know About Open Textbook Publishing

These concepts are mirrored in Dr. Shu Schiller's video endorsement of Flat World Knowledge textbooks:

Another great resource for open content is the Merlot website. Merlot stands for multimedia educational resource for learning and online teaching.  There is much to sift through out there.  This is why I suggest using an LMS like Blackboard or Moodle, you can add or modify content each semester and evolve your course over time... 21st students will appreciate it.

Related articles

• 1 in 4 College Textbooks Will Be Digital By 2015 (nytimes.com)
• What *is* "Open"? (elearningcentralia.wordpress.com)
• CK-12 Brings Digital Books into the Classroom (ostatic.com)