[CALIBK12] California opens the door to free opensourcedigital textbooks

Thu May 7 15:18:56 PDT 2009

Just a comment:  Theft isn't always about what one needs or lacks.  It is
frequently about what can be sold for a price to someone else.  

-------Original Message-------

From: Rock, Noeme
Date: 5/7/2009 12:48:49 PM
To: 'Barnes, Margaret'; Thomas Nixon; Barbara Duffy; calibk12 at lists.sjsu.edu
 Ann Sperske; GlenWarren
Subject: Re: [CALIBK12] California opens the door to free opensourcedigital
textbooks

I think this is exciting news! I personally was planning in piloting
something like this in our school with our IB students because the textbooks
on CDs are not working well at this point. Now I will wait to see how the
universities do on this experiment. Here is what I think is positive about
this:
1. Students may have all their textbooks at all times without having to
carry a heavy load.
2. Book processing, storage, damages, loss, will take a new meaning.
3. Cost: at first it may look like it will cost more. But when you consider
that one device will have all textbooks and even some library books varying
in price up to $150 per book (IB MATH), storage space, personnel to process,
distribute, collect, access damages, and repair the paper textbooks, it
might even be more reasonable going digital. As for theft, one will steel
what one does not have. In this case all students will have a book reading
device. 
4. Access and equity might be considered as a problem. However, I think that
many parents would buy the device to their own children which will reduce
the expenses in the acquisition of the devices for those who cannot afford
it. I know that at my school some parents I talked to about my plan to pilot
this were ready to purchase it for their children. 

Noeme Rock, 
Teacher Librarian 
Tracy High School - A California Distinguished School
Email: nrock at tusd.net 
Tel: (209) 830-3360 X2046 & 2047
Fax (209) 830-3361
"What a school thinks about its library is a measure of what it feels about
education." - Harold Howe, former Secretary of Education.

From: calibk12-bounces at lists.sjsu.edu [mailto:calibk12-bounces at lists.sjsu
edu] On Behalf Of Barnes, Margaret
Sent: Thursday, May 07, 2009 11:56 AM
To: Thomas Nixon; Barbara Duffy; calibk12 at lists.sjsu.edu; Ann Sperske;
GlenWarren
Subject: Re: [CALIBK12] California opens the door to free open source
digital textbooks

Some universities are piloting Kindle/textbooks this fall. The article is in
eSchool News online, May 7th http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/top-news/index
cfm?i=58654
Sincerely,
Maggie Barnes
District Librarian
Santa Ana Unified School District
1601 E. Chestnut Ave.
Santa Ana, CA 92701-6322
714-480-4784
Margaret.barnes at sausd.us

From: calibk12-bounces at lists.sjsu.edu [mailto:calibk12-bounces at lists.sjsu
edu] On Behalf Of Thomas Nixon
Sent: Thursday, May 07, 2009 11:12 AM
To: Barbara Duffy; calibk12 at lists.sjsu.edu; Ann Sperske; GlenWarren
Subject: Re: [CALIBK12] California opens the door to free open source
digital textbooks

The problem with using a Kindle is that there is no cost savings. Even with
some sort of education discount, they would still be three times the cost of
a textbook. Add to that the amount of money in losses each year (because it
really is easier to lose a Kindle than a textbook). Add to that the number
of Kindle repair and support people you would need to add as employees to a
large district.

Think how hard it is to get a student to pay for a $70 textbook. Now
multiply that amount. Also, Kindles would be high-theft items.

I do think we will be moving to some sort of digital reader. I think we need
to be looking for an as yet undiscovered company that can make them for $40.
You never know, but I expect that it may not be Apple or Amazon.

And, yes, Williams would require you to supply each student who needs one
with one.

Tom Nixon
--
Teacher Librarian
Tehipite Middle School
630 N. Augusta Street
Fresno, CA 93701
(559) 457-3420, x. 570
Web: http://www.tehipitelibrary.org
Blog: http://notyourmotherslibrarian.blogspot.com

From: calibk12-bounces at lists.sjsu.edu [calibk12-bounces at lists.sjsu.edu] On
Behalf Of Barbara Duffy [BJDuffy at lbschools.net]
Sent: Thursday, May 07, 2009 10:27 AM
To: calibk12 at lists.sjsu.edu; Ann Sperske; Glen Warren
Subject: Re: [CALIBK12] California opens the door to free open
sourcedigitaltextbooks
How about morphing to a Kindle for the books.  Wouldn't that serve the
purpose?  And students would be responsible for returning them in good order
just as they are with textbooks now.

Barbara

>>> "Ann Sperske" <asperske at nvusd.k12.ca.us> 5/7/2009 9:45 AM >>>
I read this and wrote a letter to O'Connell and Arnold immediately. Great
concept but there are so many problems with it. Access. Format.
Compatibility. Hardware. Computers. Editing, publishing, reviewing, parent
support  and school board review of new adoptions. The list goes on. We don
t even have enough computers on campus to have each kid trying to access a
textbook. No computers in the classrooms. Funding issues. Broadband issues.
Publishers' lobbyist groups. Database access for every school -- quality
databases like SFPL has. 

We need a teacher librarian at every school, heading every district library
services dept, support staff in every library, fully funded school libraries
 refresh protocols for technology, standardized professional development for
staff on information literacy ... and so much more before they try out
digital textbooks withOUT support. 

Just a thought. 
Ann Sperske 
Google Certified Teacher Librarian 
Vintage High School 

From: calibk12-bounces at lists.sjsu.edu [mailto:calibk12-bounces at lists.sjsu
edu] On Behalf Of Glen Warren
Sent: Thursday, May 07, 2009 9:01 AM
To: calibk12 at lists.sjsu.edu
Subject: [CALIBK12] California opens the door to free open source
digitaltextbooks
California opens the door to open source digital textbooks.  Here is a snap
shot of the press release and the link provided below.

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.

link:  http://gov.ca.gov/press-release/12225/

Glen Warren
Coordinator of Media Resources
Orange County Department of Education
200 Kalmus Drive
Site Location:
3001 Red Hill
Costa Mesa, California 92626

Phone: 714-966-4208

"There are only two ways to live your life.
One is as though nothing is a miracle.
The other is as if everything is."
- Albert Einstein

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