The State of Open Textbooks
Channel: openedconference
Date: 2011-10-29

A number-by-number look at the state of open textbooks today - how many are there? where are they used? what is the impact on students?

As a stepping stone between the bricks and mortar texts of today and the innovative, technology-rich learning environments of tomorrow, open textbooks have become one of the fastest-growing and widely-recognized sectors of the OER movement. 

This session will dive into the numbers for a close look at the current state of open textbooks - how many are there? where are they used? what is the impact on students?  It will also consider other indicators, such as faculty opinions, portrayal in the media, and the most successful open textbook-related efforts.  The information presented will include extensive research conducted by the Student PIRGs and a wealth of data from Flat World Knowledge, the largest producer of open textbooks.

Attendees will walk away knowing the latest news on open textbooks, a history of how far we have come, and what we're likely to see in the future.  To the extent open textbooks are a gateway to OER adoption by the mainstream, this session will be relevant to virtually anyone with an interest in open education.

Speakers: Eric Frank, Nicole Allen