This mornÂing, MacmilÂlan announced a new kind of textÂbook — a remixÂable elecÂtronÂic textÂbook that will give proÂfesÂsors, accordÂing the New York Times, the abilÂiÂty “to reorÂgaÂnize or delete chapÂters; upload course sylÂlabusÂes, notes, videos, picÂtures and graphs; and perÂhaps most notably, rewrite or delete indiÂvidÂual paraÂgraphs, equaÂtions or illusÂtraÂtions.” EssenÂtialÂly, MacmilÂlan proÂvides the core text, and then proÂfesÂsors get to cusÂtomize the book to their likÂing. This remixÂing is a defÂiÂnite plus. But what’s even betÂter? This new line of textÂbook, dubbed DynamÂicÂBooks, will reduce costs for stuÂdents, bringÂing a book traÂdiÂtionÂalÂly priced at $150 down to a much sanÂer $47. PerÂfect for the lean years. For more details, read this longer piece in PubÂlishÂers WeekÂly.
See our young and growÂing colÂlecÂtion of Free TextÂbooks.
Flat World KnowlÂedge already does this, with an even betÂter modÂel: http://www.flatworldknowledge.com/.
Need one sinÂgle knowlÂedge proÂvidÂing porÂtal, since there a lot of such sites scatÂtered on the interÂnet.
From my underÂstandÂing, all textÂbooks are peer reviewed for accuÂraÂcy.
What hapÂpen to the valÂue of the peer review process when the textÂbook is modÂiÂfied by a proÂfesÂsor who doesÂn’t seem to share the same views as the origÂiÂnal author?
SceÂnario: What if an author writes a textÂbook on biolÂoÂgy and in that textÂbook he states we evolved from apes. Then a prof comes in and doesÂn’t agree with the author on a couÂple of points and he modÂiÂfies the text to read we evolved from priÂmorÂdial soup, not apes. Or, what if the prof changes to be someÂthing comÂpleteÂly out there, such as we evolved from hot air balÂloons.
The latÂter examÂple is a bit far fetched I know, but at any rate, doesÂn’t this insult the origÂiÂnal authors’ work? Why would an author want to write a textÂbook when some proÂfesÂsor who doesÂn’t know Jack from Jill or agree with some of the authors conÂtent decides to edit his text and make it inacÂcuÂrate?
I see some valÂue in what MacMilÂlian is doing, but I want to play the devÂil’s advoÂcate and get some feedÂback on this sceÂnario.
These are not open textÂbooks. Also, they don’t disÂtribÂute in print.
AnothÂer quesÂtion I would have is “how long is the book availÂable to the stuÂdent?” Is it FREE, in any conÂtext?
Heck, you can’t even link to any one of their books.
Looks like a “preÂtend” open textÂbook site that’s a basÂtardizaÂtion of CoursÂeSÂmart.
From their webÂsite: “If you see an opporÂtuÂniÂty to edit conÂtent in a text, you can subÂmit your re-writÂten conÂtent to the DynamÂicÂBooks ediÂtoÂrÂiÂal board to conÂsidÂer for future reviÂsions.” What’s THAT all about? Why can’t I edit freely? Thus, a BASIC tenet of open — remixÂable, includÂing freely editable, is not availÂable. These are not open textÂbooks, periÂod.
Also, it looks like DynamÂicÂBooks they ripped of the colÂor scheme and even the link catÂeÂgories from Flat World KnowlÂedge. Go check those guys out at http://www.flatworldknowledge.com
they’re doing it right.