[Osdc-edu-authors] FLAT WORLD KNOWLEDGE: OPEN COLLEGE TEXTBOOKS - Disrupting Traditional Textbook Publishing’s Heavy Toll on America’s Future

[Mel Chua]

Thanks, Sanford! (Everyone else: I asked Sanford to send this draft to 
the list so we could comment on it.)

My thoughts (not gospel in any way, just thinking out loud):

1) Awesome.
2) Long - and this makes me worry that folks may not read it all the way 
through due to the length. What could we do about this, if that's 
something we want to fix?

We could...

* write it in installments
* have Sanford publish the original "extended version" somewhere else 
(Flat World Knowledge's website, maybe), cook up a shortened version for 
OSDC, then link to the first from the second

Either way, it needs to be boiled down to either figure out how and 
where to split it, or how to shorten it. Here are the main points I see 
the article as making.

1. Graduating from college is a goal that statistically tends to be good 
for both the individuals who graduate and society at large. (Link to 
citations elsewhere.)

2. Textbook prices are actively blocking a substantial number of people 
from attending - and thus graduating from - college. (Link to citations 
elsewhere, including student bloggers testifying directly to this.)

3. Data indicates that under our current college education/textbook 
model, this situation is actually growing worse over time. (Link to 
citations elsewhere.)

4. Students are aware of this problem and have spoken and acted out 
against this for years; since they are powerless to change the main 
system, they find workarounds like purchasing international textbooks on 
the black market. (Link to citations elsewhere.)

5. Flat World Knowledge offers a working view of an alternative textbook 
system. Here's how it works. (Link heavily to content already on the 
Flat World Knowledge site explaining the business model, quality, 
pricing, etc.)

6. Call for participation, and/or open questions. (Not in original draft 
- this is a section I would add.)

My $0.02 - what do others think?

--Mel