Summary
Learn about Open Textbooks and where to find support to create one.
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Open textbooks are flexible publications with an open licence, enabling free access, sharing, adaptation, or inclusion into other materials, often carrying an identifier like an ISBN or DOI. Open textbooks are part of a larger category of Open Educational Resources (OER).
Benefits of open textbooks:
- Teachers can create and use materials reflecting the latest scientific insights; unlike print textbooks, they are not static.
- Content can be adapted to fit specific courses, institutions, or student needs.
- Feedback and errors can be quickly addressed.
- Multimedia elements such as videos or interactive assignments can enhance student learning.
- Students benefit from free, online, and downloadable access (PDF/ePub) and retain access after graduation, supporting lifelong learning.
- Institutions reduce dependence on commercial publishers, avoid delivery delays, and ensure availability.
Creating an open textbook
Last year, the WUR Library partnered with Associate Professor Monica Mars on a pilot open textbook (link coming soon), hosted via Pressbooks. You can read more about Monica’s experience creating an Open Textbook here (link coming soon).
WUR teachers interested in creating an open textbook can contact the Open Science and Education Programme for further details.
Other examples of Open Textbooks are:
- Environmental Toxicology, an open online textbook (a WUR collaboration)
- Textbook Animal Breeding and Genetics (second edition, 2024) (part of Groen Kennisnet)
- TU Delft open textbooks
- RUG open textbooks
- Pressbooks