This project addresses a need for open access Textbooks through the four institutions; however each textbook is available to the greater public through the online bookshelf. The project has focused the majority of its time on training faculty authors to write and construct their eTextbooks in order to roll them out to their specified courses. Preliminary data is gathered from each author cohort before, during and after training in order to evaluate and improve the training and book construction process. 

Following the training, each book is copy edited and peer reviewed prior to completion. Once undergoing a technical review, the completed eTextbook is exported as an ePub file and PDF (under a Creative Commons license of the original author’s choosing) in order to provide a reader with the needed version (depending on preferences and software). In addition, the program has focused on open licensing in order to make these eTextbooks available for reusing, remixing, adapting, and redistribution. Reusers, future authors who wish to remix/adapt a PA-ADOPT eTextbook, will be asked to follow guidelines in reuse that follow the specified Creative Commons licenses and fill out a remixing survey.

General timeline of a cohort

Each faculty author cohort participates in a seven stage process: 

  1. Getting Started: project goals and requirements, resources, overview of eBooks and eBook components.
  2. Planning and Preparation: audio and video production, using third-party content legally and other legal issues, Open Educational Resources workshop, inclusive design, and accessibility.
  3. Writing Break: training pauses to allow authors time to write their initial chapter(s) and submit them to be copy edited.
  4. Apple Pages: page layout and design, visual effects in Pages, book navigation, common construction issues and incompatibilities, generating the eBook files, submitting a completed chapter for technical review.
  5. Copy Editing/Peer Review: remaining text is copy edited, then peer reviewed using an open peer review process.
  6. Construction and Technical Review: construction of the book is completed and reviewed for layout, technical, and accessibility issues.
  7. Final Submission: final technical check is completed and the book is made available for general use on our web site.
eTextbook Development Steps

Future considerations

PA-ADOPT is currently operating through a Department of Education grant and is limited to a 3 year timeline; however there is hope and desire to continue this eTextbook development and distribution work following the three determined author cohorts. 

The work to follow could consider developing standard resources at each of the four participating institutions (CU, KU, MU and WCU). Additionally, there is the possibility to expand this work to the larger PASSHE network in Pennsylvania or even a comprehensive PA network including other Universities and Libraries. The future possibilities of PA-ADOPT are open to consideration and further development.