4 ms·

Rice Uiversity Announces Open Source Textbooks

109 points by aheilbut 15y ago

Cyranix 15y ago
The Connexions platform has been around for a while now, and as I recall students whose classes used it were happy with it, from both a price and usability standpoint. Glad to see that the program is getting more ambitious -- the move ties in nicely with the backlash against Elsevier. The rise of open-source competitors to academic content providers seems like a huge win for students and institutions alike.
ChuckMcM 15y ago
Go Rice! This has been a long time in coming. Lots of undergraduate classes will be hugely benefited by this sort of effort.
stephenhuey 15y ago
I remember classmates coding for the Connexions platform just over a decade ago. Here's the announcement and video that Rice University just posted: http://www.media.rice.edu/media/NewsBot.asp?MODE=VIEW&ID=16745&SnID=1521497554 http://www.media.rice.edu/media/NewsBot.asp?MODE=VIEW&ID...
keithpeter 15y ago
The OpenStax publications look most interesting, alas, the e-mail notification form will only accept US zip codes.
- greenyoda 15y ago
  Not sure why that's a problem, since that field is optional.
  - keithpeter 15y ago
    True, but it does 'send a message' if you see what I mean.
iqster 15y ago
Anyone see the list of textbooks? I couldn't find it.
- greenyoda 15y ago
  Click on the orange "our books" button. It will take you to: http://openstaxcollege.org/books http://openstaxcollege.org/books
zellyn 15y ago
Wow. I wonder if "algebra-based" means "no calculus". http://openstaxcollege.org/textbooks/college-physics http://openstaxcollege.org/textbooks/college-physics
- drcube 15y ago
  At my school, yep. There were two tracks: Physics for scientists and engineers, which used calculus, and physics for arts/humanities, which was "algebra based".
aheilbut 15y ago
I'm looking forward to when this hits high school.
- Drbble 15y ago
  ck12.org
derekyle 15y ago
If the publishing industry has anyone with half a brain working for them, they should see themselves going the way of the music industry. They need to innovate fast. Open source books are only part of the problem (and by problem, I mean only their problem). It is becoming easier and easier to find torrents to download full color versions of many of the most popular textbooks.

109 points by aheilbut 15y ago

The Connexions platform has been around for a while now, and as I recall students whose classes used it were happy with it, from both a price and usability standpoint. Glad to see that the program is getting more ambitious -- the move ties in nicely with the backlash against Elsevier. The rise of open-source competitors to academic content providers seems like a huge win for students and institutions alike.

ChuckMcM 15y ago

Go Rice! This has been a long time in coming. Lots of undergraduate classes will be hugely benefited by this sort of effort.

stephenhuey 15y ago

I remember classmates coding for the Connexions platform just over a decade ago. Here's the announcement and video that Rice University just posted: http://www.media.rice.edu/media/NewsBot.asp?MODE=VIEW&ID=16745&SnID=1521497554 http://www.media.rice.edu/media/NewsBot.asp?MODE=VIEW&ID...

keithpeter 15y ago

The OpenStax publications look most interesting, alas, the e-mail notification form will only accept US zip codes.

greenyoda 15y ago
Not sure why that's a problem, since that field is optional.
- keithpeter 15y ago
  True, but it does 'send a message' if you see what I mean.

iqster 15y ago

Anyone see the list of textbooks? I couldn't find it.

greenyoda 15y ago
Click on the orange "our books" button. It will take you to: http://openstaxcollege.org/books http://openstaxcollege.org/books

zellyn 15y ago

Wow. I wonder if "algebra-based" means "no calculus". http://openstaxcollege.org/textbooks/college-physics http://openstaxcollege.org/textbooks/college-physics

drcube 15y ago
At my school, yep. There were two tracks: Physics for scientists and engineers, which used calculus, and physics for arts/humanities, which was "algebra based".

aheilbut 15y ago

I'm looking forward to when this hits high school.

Drbble 15y ago
ck12.org

derekyle 15y ago

If the publishing industry has anyone with half a brain working for them, they should see themselves going the way of the music industry. They need to innovate fast. Open source books are only part of the problem (and by problem, I mean only their problem). It is becoming easier and easier to find torrents to download full color versions of many of the most popular textbooks.