1. Open Academics
Textbook Catalog
Nicole Allen
US Student PIRGs
David Ernst
University of Minnesota

3. Open Textbooks Statement of Intent
As faculty members, we affirm that it is our prerogative and responsibility to
select course materials that are pedagogically most appropriate for our classes.
We also affirm that it is consistent with this principle to seek affordable and
accessible course materials for our classes whenever possible. This includes
"open textbooks," which are offered online to students at no cost. Therefore,
we the undersigned declare our intent to:
•Seek and consider open textbooks and other open educational resources when
choosing course materials.
•Give preference to a low or no cost educational resource such as an open
textbook over an expensive textbook if it best fits the needs of a class.
•Encourage institutions to develop support for the use of open textbooks and
other open educational resources.
Signed by more than 3,000 faculty from 800 colleges across all 50 states.
http://studentpirgs.org/open-textbooks/faculty-statement

4. Faculty are supportive of
using open textbooks.

5. Faculty are supportive of
using open textbooks.
But, before adopting open
textbooks, they had 2
questions.

6. 1. Where do I find an open
textbook for my course?

7. 1. Where do I find an open
textbook for my course?
2. How do I know the open
textbook is high-quality?

8. No answer = No adoptions
No adoptions = No impact

9. WWPD?

10. WWPD?
(what would the publishing
industry do)

13. The answer to both
questions is “in the open
textbook catalog”

14. The answer to both
questions is “in the open
textbook catalog”
Except it didn’t exist...

15. CC Image courtesy of greenasian on flickr.com

16. Global Needs
Local Needs

17. State Higher Education Funding - $/FTE
$11,000
$10,000
$9,000
$8,000
$7,000
$6,000
$5,000
-36%
$4,000
1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010
State Higher Education Executive Officers - http://www.sheeo.org/

18. Tuition Revenue - $/FTE
$8,000
+183%
$7,000
$6,000
$5,000
$4,000
$3,000
$2,000
1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010
State Higher Education Executive Officers - http://www.sheeo.org/

19. Barriers

20. Barriers
?

21. Barriers
her
e? ?
W

22. Barriers
her
e? ? Go
od
?
W

23. open.umn.edu

24. open.umn.edu

25. 6 months
~90 textbooks
116,000 pageviews
33,000 visits
open.umn.edu

26. International
150 Countries

27. International
“This is a boon not only to students in
the United States but also in other
countries. There is so much
potential world-wide that is not realized
because of the lack of access to quality
study material.”
- Peter G. Raeth, Ph.D.
University of Zimbabwe

28. Get Involved

29. Get Involved
Why adopt?

30. Get Involved
Why adopt?
• Reduce costs/Improve access

31. Get Involved
Why adopt?
• Reduce costs/Improve access
• Flexibility

32. Get Involved
Why adopt?
• Reduce costs/Improve access
• Flexibility
• [insert your reason here]

33. Get Involved
Why adopt?
• Reduce costs/Improve access
• Flexibility
• [insert your reason here]
• Look good!

34. Get Involved
Why adopt?
• Reduce costs/Improve access
• Flexibility
• [insert your reason here]
• Look good!
How to gain adoptions?

35. Get Involved
Why adopt?
• Reduce costs/Improve access
• Flexibility
• [insert your reason here]
• Look good!
How to gain adoptions?
• Share the catalog: open.umn.edu

36. Get Involved
Why adopt?
• Reduce costs/Improve access
• Flexibility
• [insert your reason here]
• Look good!
How to gain adoptions?
• Share the catalog: open.umn.edu
• Incentivize faculty to review
textbooks

37. open.umn.edu
Nicole Allen - nicole@studentpirgs.org
David Ernst - dernst@umn.edu