NEIT2010-Digital+Textbooks


 * Future of the Book -- eTexts Working Group Meeting -- April 8th -- Agenda and Plan**

http://calibre-ebook.com/ Apple Pages & ePub
 * Resources mentioned:**

•first step may be digitizing teacher-created resources •need more standardization •may be at the start of a new paradigm •variety of resources used at The School at Columbia to replace textbooks •lots of interesting pieces but the whole thing is not there
 * Ideas:**


 * Questions:**


 * Devices:**


 * Paid vs Free Open Source/User Created Issues:**


 * Examples:**


 * Copyright Questions:**


 * Formats:**

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========================================== What is the definition of a digital textbook? -- varies: is it a paper textbook gone digital, or much more?

What do we need? --> Robust distribution network --> device independence - we can't let the device lock us into curriculum content, not device, should drive decisions

Why look at digital textbooks? -- Green -- Reduce Backpack weight -- Better Learning Environment - more dynamic

Concerns: -- Eyestrain caused by backlit screens -- Cost -- Who owns the content? -- Multiple methods of delivery (device dependence)

Good Curriculum is a carefully crafted thing. Teachers cherish good textbooks. Our notion of "good curriculum" is tied to paper books, but that is changing. The content/curriculum available in digital form needs to be as well "crafted" as good textbooks have been.

What is out there now?

 Textbooks on CD

 The Kno - single or double tablet - [|__http://kno.com/__] Inkling for iPad - [|__http://www.inkling.com/__] Entourage Edge - [|__http://www.entourageedge.com/__]

 Will it work? Will our students want to use it or print it?

 How much? How do we afford? (Many currently buy a book and use it for at least 5 years)

 The Future?

 Beyond Textbooks - [|__http://beyondtextbooks.org/__] Curriki - [|__www.curriki.org__] Open Text Book - [|__http://www.opentextbook.org/__] Flat World Knowledge [|__http://www.flatworldknowledge.com/__] CouresLoad.com - [|__http://courseload.com/__]  [|http://www.opensourcetext.org/__] Course Smart - [|www.coursesmart.com] - digital textbook vendor, fyi, site allows "verified" teachers to preview texts Articles:  [|__http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/02/12/do-e-readers-cause-eye-strain/__]

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; display: block; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0pt 0px; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> [|__http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/09/education/09textbook.html?_r=1__]

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You need a copy of this text --> Whether you are a person...

Who vouches for the content?

Private Schools -- Public Purpose: We have financial resources. Can we use this momentum to create a diverse project. Could we "crowd source" good curriculum from the independent school world?

There are numerous revenue streams.

http://courseload.com/ -- Publishers comfortable with this model. A social media component.

One initiative -- How can we move this forward now?

There is a fundamental problem -- What is the textbook thing? There is a great deal of content that is not on the Internet -- Someone needs to fund the process of moving things online. It's important to note that the faculty are using well design software.

Where are the bright spots:

Textbooks: EG: Collegiate French Textbook

When we teach, we need to be able to have content that we trust as we can't all create our own curriculum.

The app could be a different development cycle for curriculum design.

Curriculum can't be defined by just a digital text.

How do we move foward:

How do we influence the change we want to see go forward? How do we keep up with what is happening? Where can we aggregate this and move it forward.

What are the questions for NAIS: NAIS has a role in aggregating content for member schools and gives ownership to both the association and the authors and allows the creation of textbook materials or public? If the printed text is the defining factor for our class: To expand the format of the textbook. It should be standards based and "expandable".

Schools and Teachers that create and share new digital curriculum must receive attribution and, perhaps, compensation. Can NAIS assist in building a system?

Many well funded attempts to do this recently -- Carnegie Mellon -- MIT -- This saves people money -- How can this be sold. In the public domain: Can the elephant be saving taxpayer money?

Those in power will respond to this.

CK-12 Founder's TEDxNYED Talk: http://www.ck12.org/flexr/:

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