OUDaily.com | OU supports open access, online textbooks
abernard102@gmail.com 2013-12-11
Summary:
"Congress recently introduced a bill that would help higher education institutions provide students affordable, even free, online textbooks, but OU has been working toward that same goal for the past year.
Sens. Dick Durbin, D-Ill. and Al Franken, D-Minn. introduced the Affordable College Textbook Act (S. 1704) in the Senate on Nov. 14. The act would create a grant program for colleges and universities to 'expand the use of open textbooks in order to achieve savings for students,' according to the bill. 'Open textbooks' and 'open educational resources' encompass written and audiovisual works that can be used freely and easily by students and faculty, according to the bill.
OU’s One University Digital Initiative has partnered with faculty of high enrollment classes to find free and open access materials and has created training programs for faculty members to create their own digital course materials through programs such as iBooks, said Erin Yarbrough, director for OU Web Communications ..."