Faculty can choose which textbooks they use in classes. It might be that the best content out there is a commercially produced, expensive, one-use textbook and that is the right choice for a particular class. But there are alternatives to consider in the open textbook world. Here are some possibilities for open textbooks for faculty to explore:
- Alt_Textbook Project of the University of Alaska Southeast
- American Institute of Mathematics Open Textbook Initiative
Math textbooks, all levels.
- Great list of open education resources for teachers
From University of Mass Amherst Libraries
- MERLOT - Multimedia Educational Resource for Learning and Online Teaching
"MERLOT is a curated collection of free and open online teaching, learning, and faculty development services contributed and used by an international education community. "
- Open CourseWare Consortium
Community of higher education institutions, including MIT, committed to open education.
- Open Textbook Library
Open textbooks with reviews by University of Minnesota faculty.
- Openstax College
Free online college textbooks written by faculty, offered by Rice University.
- Science360 Video Library
"Science videos provided by scientists, colleges and universities, science and engineering centers, the National Science Foundation and more." Use these in your classes!
Yup, more wiki stuff. This effort is off to a whimper, but maybe it will pick up speed? Right now it's trying to be a Reference Collection.
You already know and either love or hate Wikipedia; check this out.
- Open Culture Textbooks
For more options, check out UAA Consortium Library's guide on textbooks.