Comments on: The Next Wave of Digital Textbooks – DynamicBooks from Macmillan

By: Anthony Borrow

Anthony Borrow — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 14:42:04 +0000

The idea of digital textbooks in which teachers can edit the text, add examples, etc. is not new. CK12.org is an example of one organization that has been doing this for a while. Macmillan is simply smart enough to recognize that they need to be offer such flexibility if they are going to compete with Creative Commons licensed textbooks. Students, especially those who become passionate about learning, will have access to the original work of the author and be able to compare their version of a text with the original. There is no loss in allowing anyone to be able to contribute to a work, to make suggestions for improvement, etc. Ultimately, the initial author can determine whether the suggested changes have merit. Hopefully we will begin to see more open content developed by educators truly committed to sharing their knowledge. Peace – Anthony

By: Lara Jane | Ultimate Lifestyle Project

Lara Jane | Ultimate Lifestyle Project — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 01:00:25 +0000

I agree with the comments Mark made. Who has the right via credibility and authority to edit the work of other scholars? If they feel that the textbooks need altering, perhaps it would be prudent to formulate their own curriculum on such an occasion?

By: Marta

Marta — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 08:38:59 +0000

I wonder if teachers that now preach creationism will start writing it down in textbooks. I mean, now, at least, they cannot adopt the Bible as a reference… I really want textbooks to be free, but this does not seem a good way to me.

By: Bobby

Bobby — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 21:55:31 +0000

Thanks for your information on the digital textbook format. There are good arguments for both sides. The reduced cost and convenience of digital textbooks make them the next logical step. However, they do allow for possibility of subversion of content material. Many authors may not be happy that there work is revisable. Faith in the professor teaching the course means all that much more now that the future of textbooks has arrived. For better or worse, digital books are here to stay.

By: Mark Gagnon

Mark Gagnon — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 21:27:26 +0000

I completely disagree with giving kudos to Macmillan, and the assertion that professors should have the right to edit and alter material is a non-starter as a discussion point.

There is one important reason that these “textbooks” are not wikipedia texts. For starters textbooks are essentially peer reviewed materials. The same can be said of Wikipedia. The purpose of peer review is to make certain that the contents is correct and/or accepted by the “experts” in the field. When you give the right to alter and edit textbooks at the sentence and paragraph level, you subvert the peer review process. How would a student know what text material was altered? Professors do have the right to choose and emphasize certain parts of a text. they certainly have the right to write their own materials for students to read. But they do not have the right to edit and alter peer reviewed material.