[svlug] Schwarzenegger: Initiative to develop free digital textbooks

[Jeff]

Cool, I wonder if this will help save paper too, being digital books,  
or will it be printed out over and over... Since each print will not  
likely be reused from year to year, unless there is a system in place.  
I luke the idea in general though...

Books are a growing cost to college students too, and I opt for used  
copy when available, just to save money, however, publishers luke to  
mix it up and discontinue books as they become a few years old, and  
force us to cough up more money as new books are introduced (no used  
option available).  I think open source digital books could be a great  
alternative. We don't need publishers anymore.

Jeff

Sending from my iPhone, and no, I didn't "jailbreak" it... Yet!

http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2009/06/oh-come-apple-reject

On Jun 18, 2009, at 10:11 PM, Rick Moen <rick at linuxmafia.com> wrote:

> (Found via Don Marti's blog.)  Will be of interest to many including
> Ed Cherlin -- who probably already knows all about this.
>
> http://gov.ca.gov/press-release/12225/
>
>
> 05/06/2009   GAAS:223:09   FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
>
> Gov. Schwarzenegger Launches First-in-Nation Initiative to Develop  
> Free
> Digital Textbooks for High School Students
>
> Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today launched an initiative to make
> California the first state in the nation to offer schools free,
> open-source digital textbooks for high school students. The Governor
> directed his Secretary of Education Glen Thomas to ensure these
> resources are available for use in high school math and science  
> classes
> by fall 2009, a critical first step in helping ensure digital  
> textbooks
> are widely available to all California students.
>
> "As California's budget crisis continues we must find such innovative
> ways to save money and improve services," said Governor  
> Schwarzenegger.
> "California was built on innovation and I'm proud of our state's
> continued leadership in developing education technology. This
> first-in-the-nation initiative will reduce education costs, help
> encourage collaboration among school districts and help ensure every
> California student has access to a world-class education."
>
> At the Governor's request, Secretary Thomas will work with State
> Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell and State Board of
> Education President Ted Mitchell to develop a state approved list of
> standards-aligned, open-source digital textbooks for high school math
> and science. This list will be compiled after content developers  
> across
> the country are asked to and have submitted digital material for  
> review.
>
> "Under Governor Schwarzenegger's leadership, California's classrooms
> will have access to a wider range of online teaching materials that  
> best
> serve the unique needs of our students, parents, teachers and  
> schools,"
> Secretary Thomas said.  "I look forward to working with Superintendent
> O'Connell and President Mitchell to make these free digital resources
> available to California high schools for the coming school year."
>
>
>
> RM adds:  The new Free Digital Textbook Initiative is at
> http://www.clrn.org/FDTI/ .
>
> _______________________________________________
> svlug mailing list
> svlug at lists.svlug.org
> http://lists.svlug.org/lists/listinfo/svlug