Comments on: The FWK Licensing Model http://opencontent.org/blog/archives/494 pragmatism over zeal Wed, 20 Aug 2008 07:27:15 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: publisher submissions http://opencontent.org/blog/archives/494#comment-41435 publisher submissions Sat, 19 Jul 2008 23:48:44 +0000 http://opencontent.org/blog/?p=494#comment-41435 <strong>publisher submissions...</strong> (Blogger now has backlinks - very similar to the trackback feature in Movable Type. The TrackBack specification was created by Six Apart,... publisher submissions…

(Blogger now has backlinks - very similar to the trackback feature in Movable Type. The TrackBack specification was created by Six Apart,…

]]> By: Rob Barton http://opencontent.org/blog/archives/494#comment-41015 Rob Barton Wed, 30 Apr 2008 03:21:00 +0000 http://opencontent.org/blog/?p=494#comment-41015 Professors can currently create custom versions of textbooks. They can remove and reorder chapters and have it stamped as a special edition for that university. The problem is that these custom editions cost more than the regular edition of the same book, and they can't be sold anywhere else like half, amazon, etc. or at the same university if a different professor is teaching next semester. Assuming the new remixed books will be much, much cheaper, along the lines of 25% or lower of the regular price of a new standard text book, this won't be a problem, but tons of custom printed versions floating around that can't be used in other professors' classes will not help much. Custom electronic versions put online for free may solve some of that. I can see it being useful to adopt a textbook and then buy an alternate test bank or set of homework assignments from someone else in the community to give to your class. But who pays for that? Does the prof pay out of his or her pocket? Does the department pay? Would you make a $10 class fee to charge students for the quiz questions? Professors can currently create custom versions of textbooks. They can remove and reorder chapters and have it stamped as a special edition for that university. The problem is that these custom editions cost more than the regular edition of the same book, and they can’t be sold anywhere else like half, amazon, etc. or at the same university if a different professor is teaching next semester.

Assuming the new remixed books will be much, much cheaper, along the lines of 25% or lower of the regular price of a new standard text book, this won’t be a problem, but tons of custom printed versions floating around that can’t be used in other professors’ classes will not help much. Custom electronic versions put online for free may solve some of that.

I can see it being useful to adopt a textbook and then buy an alternate test bank or set of homework assignments from someone else in the community to give to your class. But who pays for that? Does the prof pay out of his or her pocket? Does the department pay? Would you make a $10 class fee to charge students for the quiz questions?

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