Electronic copies to save money, enhance educational opportunities

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has released the first report of California’s free digital textbook initiative – which outlines how high school math and science textbooks submitted under the first phase of the initiative measure up against the state’s rigorous academic content standards. Of the 16 free digital textbooks for high school math and science reviewed, ten meet at least 90 percent of California’s standards. Four meet 100 percent of standards, including the CK-12 Foundation’s CK-12 Single Variable Calculus, CK-12 Trigonometry, CK-12 Chemistry and Dr. H. Jerome Keisler’s Elementary Calculus: An Infinitesimal Approach.

“California’s Digital Textbook Initiative gives school districts high-quality, cost-effective options to consider when choosing textbooks for the classroom – not only during these difficult economic times but in the years to come,” said Governor Schwarzenegger. “This represents an important step toward embracing a more interactive learning environment that leverages technology to meet the changing academic needs of California’s students.”

Launched by the Governor in May 2009, the first-in-the-nation initiative is designed to ensure California’s students have access to high-quality, cost-effective instructional materials and to open the door to a more technologically advanced education system. In California, local high school districts are responsible for adopting standards-aligned textbooks for use in the classroom. This report helps districts identify the materials that best meet the needs of their students, providing them with additional options to maintain educational excellence during these difficult economic times and in the years to come. The reviewed digital textbooks are available for schools to use this fall.

Since these digital books are downloadable and may be projected on a screen, viewed on a computer, printed chapter by chapter, or bound for use in the classroom, schools can take advantage of these free, standards-aligned resources using existing hardware – even in classrooms without computers or laptops for every student.

To showcase the multiple ways in which digital textbooks can be used, the California Educational Technology Professionals Association (CETPA) hosted 200 educators, technology professionals and content providers for a digital textbook symposium at the Orange County Department of Education. Teachers led students through lesson plans using digital textbooks in four mock classrooms, demonstrating the materials’ interactive potential. CETPA also moderated panel discussions about the future of digital education and potential next steps in this innovative effort.

Secretary of Education Glen Thomas spoke at the symposium and added, “I applaud the Governor for his leadership and vision in launching this groundbreaking initiative. This represents an important first step toward ubiquitous instruction that will help ensure all California students have access to the first-rate education they deserve.”

The California Learning Resource Network (CLRN), a CDE Statewide Educational Technology Services project, facilitated the reviews. Reviewers were responsible for confirming whether materials fully, partially, or did not meet State Board of Education adopted standards for geometry, algebra II, trigonometry, calculus, physics, chemistry, biology/life science and earth science.

The full text of the review report and links to each textbook download and their corresponding standards alignment documents are available on CLRN’s Web site at http://www.clrn.org/fdti/.