Up to 200,000 B.C. students may be given free access to online, open textbooks for 40 of the most popular university and college courses, according to a news release by the B.C. Ministry of Advanced Education, Innovation and Technology.
Students will be able to view or download digital copies of these textbooks under an open licence, or print the book at a reduced cost.
This policy is likely to be implemented by the provincial government in 2013-14, in support of the Open Educational Resources movement, which encourages the use of the Internet and open licences.
Faculty members, institutions and publishers will have input in the creation of these free textbooks via a Request for Proposal system co-ordinated by BCcampus.
According to their website, BCcampus is a publicly funded organization that uses collaborative information services and technology to provide resources of higher learning to the province.
David Porter, executive director of BCcampus, said his service is looking to innovate the B.C. post-secondary system through the use of open textbooks.
“BCcampus is leading the way on Open Educational Resources – OER – in Canada,” Porter said. “We believe the goal of higher education is the creation, dissemination, and preservation of knowledge, and as a system agency co-ordinating collaborative online learning services, we have an essential role to play.”
For students like Taylor Copp, a psychology student at B.C.’s Capilano University, who spends an estimated $900 to $1500 every academic year on textbooks, a free e-textbook program would be a relief.
“The reduced cost would be a big help to all students,” Copp said. “The mobility it would provide by being able to view them on your phone, computer, tablet makes a student’s life way easier, too.”
In addition to a price advantage, B.C.’s Minister of the Environment, Terry Lake, said open textbooks will benefit the environment.
“Open textbooks are an innovative way to support B.C.’s green initiatives while lowering our carbon footprint,” Lake said.
“As well, having the option of accessing the books online will save students money that they can use for other priorities and expenses.”
Siobhán Saravanamuttu, a Carleton University political science student, said she isn’t sure how accessible the program would be.
“To students, free stuff is always welcome. If textbooks were standard across the province for similar courses and different universities then great. But that just doesn’t happen,” Saravanamuttu said.
“Chances are the textbooks I need would never be free because profs choose the books they or their colleagues write.”
