Rob Reynolds' blog, the xplanation, has recently become my "first-stop" resource for discussions of all things OER, ebook, and trends in higher education. One of his recent posts sheds a lot of light on what might happen (or needs to happen) to textbook publishers' business models with increased use of Open Educational Resources on campuses throughout the country. The research project that led to this blog is based on replacing the traditional textbook with library subscription ebook content. This works out great for both the students and the library: the students don't spend a dime on their "textbook", and the library increases resource awareness and ebook database use. As a librarian, I appreciate the moments when we can position ourselves to be a critical component of course delivery, and embedding library subscribed content into a course to replace the traditional textbook is a huge win on that front. However, I'm over the fact that textbook alternatives should only be library resources.
OER's like the textbooks available via Flat World and the like can get a lot of flack for lacking credibility, authority, etc. Yet, I saw Jeff Shelstad speak at the 2010 Charleston Conference (presentation breakdown by ebook guru Sue Polanka here), and he did a fantastic job conveying the benefits of not only the Flat World Knowledge content, but OER content in general. The content available via Flat World does come from authoritative sources, just like our traditional textbooks. Are accrediting teams really going to weigh in on the "vettedness" of our textbooks (please argue/comment if you have an actual answer to the rhetoric)? Shouldn't they (the accrediting bodies) appreciate our willingness to evolve and meet student needs over our adherence to textbook traditions/norms? I'm not going to lie: starting this evolution from traditional textbook to etextbook in the Marketing classes on our campus has gone so smoothly due to the fact that we have replaced the traditional text with copyrighted, "vetted", textbook-like content available via our ebook database subscriptions. However, I'm ready to push the envelope and explore the other, non subscription based, options out there.
The two main goals for this blog space are to 1) discuss advances in textbook alternatives for higher education and 2) share/compile a list/database of those alternatives (so PLEASE, send us your suggestions!). Point is, there's a LOT out there already, and as we see in news stories/blog posts almost DAILY at the xplanation, The Chronicle, and Inside Higher Ed, this conversation is only beginning. What effect will OER's have on textbook publishing practices? What effect will using subscription ebook aggregators as textbook content have on publishers? Honestly, I'm both excited and scared to find out. I finish this post in the midst of the HarperCollins announcement that they will only lend ebook titles to libraries for 26 "checkouts" before the titles become unavailable in ebook format. Clearly, the way in which users interact with content is changing rapidly, and publishers are reacting...sometimes prematurely or irrationally.
No comments:
Post a Comment