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.
Hi! I'm Nicole Allen, Director of Open Education for SPARC and part of the Organizing Committee of OpenCon 2016. My day job is leading SPARC's work on Open Education, including advocating for U.S. federal and state policy, supporting on-campus efforts to advance OER through academic libraries, and international advocacy for open education through the Open Government Partnership. I also help out with organizing OpenCon by coordinating the application and review process, and logistics for attendees. I've been working to advance open education since I graduated university about ten years ago (even before), and have a background in grassroots organizing and policy advocacy.
, SPARC
