Interesting E-Text News

Quoted from Indiana University's e-texts at IU news page:

Indiana University has announced eText agreements with the following publishers: John Wiley & Sons, Bedford Freeman & Worth Publishing Group, W.W. Norton, and Flat World Knowledge, along with Courseload, the provider of the eText eReader software. These agreements will result in lower cost options for eTexts that save students money on required course materials and provide new tools for teaching and learning. The IU agreements evolved from two years of pilot testing and substantial input from students, faculty, textbook publishers, and authors. For more information see http://ovpitnews.iu.edu/news/page/normal/19482.html.

Since 2009, IU's objectives around eTexts have been to:

1. Substantially drive down the cost of digital educational resources (eTexts) for students
2. Enable access to high quality educational resources (eTexts) -- in both digital and hardcopy formats -- that are valued by faculty and students
3. Enable new tools for teaching and learning (e.g., social annotation, ease of access)
4. Shape the terms of eTexts models to favor the interests of IU students and authors

The Frequently Asked Questions provides more details on IU's evolving pilot and trial studies.