tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4337997361426932440.post6809275702865120887..comments2023-12-09T03:39:56.616-06:00Comments on The Learning Lot: Obstacles to Faculty Adoption of OER and Open TextbooksRob Reynoldshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13341843233226771456noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4337997361426932440.post-8545931797841162622012-05-18T08:56:23.355-05:002012-05-18T08:56:23.355-05:00Hello Rob,
Great article. To your point about di...Hello Rob, <br /><br />Great article. To your point about discovery, would love it if you checked out a free resource we just launched to make discovery and comparison easier, and more of an apples to apples approach. <br /><br />www.textbookadoptiontool.com<br /><br />We believe the best way to let more affordable, quality texts rise to the top is to have faculty come in and rate/review texts they have used. Outreach is also key for a tool like this--how do we get the word out to faculty without spending thousands of dollars?<br /><br />Faculty are often so busy, they may feel they have no time to discover and compare texts. Last week, I had a faculty member tell me he doesn't see what the price of the texts he choose for his students has to do with him--and his university caters to a large population of under-served students. It is mind blowing. <br /><br /><br />Best wishes, <br />Ingrid Ramos Nakamura <br /><br />ps. If you have time to send any feedback on the tool, you can use the feedback button within the site and that copies me.Ingrid Ramos Nakamurahttp://www.textbookadoptiontool.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4337997361426932440.post-5710644911325879092012-05-15T22:33:39.809-05:002012-05-15T22:33:39.809-05:00Steven,
Thanks for the thoughtful comment. First,...Steven,<br /><br />Thanks for the thoughtful comment. First, let me clarify that I did not intend to sound pessimistic with regards to Flat World Knowledge. I have written positive notes/posts about Flat World in the past, and have listed the FWK model as an important part of the future of educational publishing in my book on the future of learning content.<br /><br />For the record, FWK has a solid track record of creating excellent textbooks and has a strong product model that addresses: 1) open content; 2) flexible access; 3) supplemental materials.<br /><br />If anything, FWK is an example of what I feel the overall OER/open textbook ecosystem needs in order to flourish with faculty. I would argue that FWK is successful precisely because it has developed a model that is designed to be competitive with commercial publishers. This means it provides focused efforts around discovery, ease of use, and marketing.<br /><br />Also, I am not actually pessimistic with regards to OER and open textbooks. The fact of the matter is that either non-profit foundations or VC/Angel groups will fund initiatives to address and commoditize OER/open textbooks in ways that will make them more attractive to faculty (and thus, adoptable). My goal with this post, more than anything, was to address key issues that I think such groups and new initiatives need to address.<br /><br />Again, I appreciate the comment.Rob Reynoldshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13341843233226771456noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4337997361426932440.post-53839955579725747872012-05-15T15:50:09.731-05:002012-05-15T15:50:09.731-05:00I am an author for Flat World Knowledge (www.flatw...I am an author for Flat World Knowledge (www.flatworldknowledge.com), mentioned in Mr. Reynolds’ thoughtful column as a commercial publisher of open textbooks. Mr. Reynolds makes some good points, but I think he is overly critical and pessimistic regarding access to open textbooks, at least those published by Flat World, and of the quality of the learning experience provided by these books. Flat World books are as easy to use from day one as those by traditional publishers. In fact, they are probably easier to use, as an instructor interested in them just has to go to the Flat World web site and read them, which anyone reading this comment can do right now. Students may also read them online for free, or via a variety of low-cost options. Traditional publishers do have platforms and sales reps, but these come at a price—a price that students must pay. <br /><br />Flat World produces learning aids for a nominal fee and publishes open textbooks by veteran authors that are peer reviewed and high quality and that have won some awards for their excellence. Its books are at least as good as those published by traditional publishers at a much higher cost, and it engages in extensive, innovative marketing. Mr. Reynolds rightly notes some obstacles in having instructors adopt open textbooks, but I think the present and future of open textbooks is rosier than he suggests.<br /><br />Steven Barkan<br />Department of Sociology<br />University of Maine<br />barkan@maine.eduSteven E. Barkanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06036445114197439103noreply@blogger.com