Session on open textbooks as a solution to make textbooks affordable. Co-Presented with Eric Frank from Flat World Knowledge. 24 February 2011 Eastern Sociological Society Conference Philadelphia, PA

2. Issue Background

3. Issue Background Textbooks cost $900 per year for the average student

7. Issue Background 6 th Edition Outrageous Prices $238.95 only

8. Issue Background Unnecessary New Editions used 5th edition $81.78 6 th Edition $224.95

9. Issue Background Costly Bundles $213.95 with CengageNOW Personal Tutor CD, Student Study Guide, InfoTrac 2-Semester Printed Access Card Statistics

11. Issue Background “ Market Failure”

12. Issue Background Normal Market Producer Consumer

13. Issue Background Textbooks Market Publisher Professor Student

14. Issue Background Similar to... Rx Drug Company Doctor Patient

18. Solutions

19. Solutions “ Students have more options than ever before”

24. Solutions Student Preferences 66% Keep Some 34% Rent All 75% Prefer print 25% Prefer digital

25. Solutions Maximum savings of all three options combined is 34%

27. Solutions

28. Solutions

29. Solutions

30. Models for Affordability

31. Open Textbooks

39. Open Textbooks Open Textbooks How does it work?

43. Open Textbooks Open Textbooks 4. Commercial publishers

44. Open Textbooks Publisher Professor Students Textbooks Market Open Textbooks

45. Open Textbooks Publisher Professor Students Open Textbooks Open Textbooks

47. What You Can Do

50. Nicole Allen Textbook Advocate The Student PIRGs 401-484-8104 [email_address] www.studentpirgs.org/open-textbooks