200,000 Students Could Benefit
As B.C. Leads Canada In Innovative Program
British Columbia is set to become the first province in Canada to offer students free online, open textbooks for the 40 most popular post-secondary courses.
Up to 200,000 B.C. students each year could benefit from this move under B.C.'s Families First Agenda, saving each student hundreds of dollars a year or more on textbooks - money that can go toward other learning supplies or living expenses.
An open textbook is typically published under an open licence and can be read online or downloaded at no cost. If a printed copy is desired, the book is made available for printing at a fraction of traditional textbook costs. Because the open textbooks are digital and open, they can be modified and adapted by instructors to fit different classes.
Open textbooks are part of a growing movement worldwide supporting Open Education Resources, which takes advantage of the Internet (making information sharing easier) and open licences (which extend the rights to use, reuse, revise and share material).
Government will work with post-secondary institutions in implementing an open textbook policy in anticipation they could be in use at B.C. institutions as early as 2013-14, supporting students taking a variety of courses in areas like arts, sciences, humanities and business.
The open textbooks are expected to be created with input from B.C. faculty, institutions and publishers through an open Request for Proposal process co-ordinated by BCcampus, a publicly funded organization that aims to make higher education available to everyone through the smart use of collaborative information technology services. Educators will continue to have the option of using other teaching materials in developing curriculum and teaching classes.
John Yap, Minister of Advanced Education, Innovation and Technology commented:
"By taking advantage of technology, more people can get the learning they need in the knowledge economy and access to new or better jobs. This innovative step under B.C.'s Families First Agenda, is an example of how our government is making our world-class education system even better, while increasing accessibility and affordability for students and their families."
"British Columbia is proudly leading Canada in committing free, open textbooks to students and joins other international jurisdictions in taking a leadership role that puts technology to work for students."
Bravo ... hope this is more than another pre-election, feel good, never deliver promise.
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