I have long ranted about the massive amount of money that is spent in K-12 for textbooks that are ineffective. In the many of the most engaging classrooms I visit, those textbooks are on a shelf in the back of the room, seldom if ever used.
And yet, millions and millions of dollars are poured into these resources. In many states, the spending on these books is all but mandated. There is a huge bureaucracy (what I call the educational-industrial complex) made up of state textbook committees, textbook publishers, and associations like AAP, BMI, and NASTA, that together rally to keep this system thriving, and thrive it does.
Now, it seems, some states are thinking about making some changes to the system. Most notably, Indiana recently issued “An Open Letter to Indiana Educators about Textbooks, Computers and Instructional Materials” (really worth a read if you haven’t already) that said essentially that textbooks are not effective or engaging. It went on to encourage schools to pursue technology-based or other instructional materials in lieu of textbooks and to request waivers to use textbook funding for this purpose. They even specifically mention “content-loaded mini-laptops,” something I and other have been suggesting for years.
This is a very bold and laudable step. The question is will others follow?
In an article for THE Journal called “Signs of a Significant Disruption in the Traditional Textbook Model,” Geoff Flecther speculates that the system is “breaking,” and that change is afoot.
Let’s hope so. But in order to change, there will need to be new leadership, new business models, and new ways of doing things. I, for one, think that a model that involves open content could be a significant and valuable part of this. It will not be an easy process, but it is one that will benefit our entire society if it is successful.