Minister Deb Matthews of the Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Development announces provincial investment
TORONTO, June 6, 2017 /CNW/ - eCampusOntario's newly minted Open Textbook Library offers students a high-value resource that increases access to quality post-secondary textbooks at no cost. The new library is home to an initial offering of 180 quality textbooks that have been peer reviewed by faculty from a broad range of colleges and universities. These texts are available to be accessed at openlibrary.ecampusontario.ca free of charge.
Ontario's generous investment in the adaptation and creation of open textbooks directly reinforces the mandate shared between the province and eCampusOntario to continue to remove cost barriers that prevent student access to post-secondary education.
"We are excited about Ontario's investment in open textbook adoption, adaptation and creation," says David Porter, CEO, eCampusOntario. "Together with the open textbook library we are building based on the BCcampus model, and the infrastructure for open publishing that is being prototyped by Ryerson University and system partners, this investment will directly address affordability issues for students in post-secondary education."
BCcampus, eCampusOntario's counterpart in British Columbia, has been a pioneer in the open textbook arena since 2003. In four years alone, BCcampus' Open Textbook Library has helped learners save over an estimated $4 million. Moreover, the library has provided increased opportunity for educators to adapt and modify their courses texts to a localized context, increasing relevance and engagement between the text and its readers.
"Paying for textbooks is a challenge for too many students," says the Honourable Deb Matthews, Minister of Advanced Education and Skills Development. "By supporting a movement of free online textbooks and other open educational resources, we are removing yet another financial barrier to accessing post-secondary education in Ontario—so our students can stay focused on learning, and less on paying for their higher education."
About eCampusOntario
eCampusOntario is a not-for-profit organization whose membership is composed of all publicly-funded colleges and universities in Ontario. Our mandate is to promote access, collaboration and innovation in online and technology-enabled learning to enhance the student experience, support faculty development and extend Ontario's global reputation as a leader in teaching and learning through technology. Funding for eCampusOntario comes from the Government of Ontario.
SOURCE eCampusOntario
Dean Lloyd, Manager, Marketing & Communications, eCampusOntario, [email protected]
Share this article