What is the Textbook Success Program?
The Textbook Success Program is a professional development package that equips faculty, librarians, administrators, and managers with the tools they need to make, adapt, or expand great open textbooks. Participants benefit from a 12-session course and regular check-ins, as well as Rebus resources developed over years of managing the creation of open textbooks.
Who is the Textbook Success Program for?
The Program is for teams with institutional funding for OER creation. One to three team leaders per project should attend the course and check-ins. OER program coordinators from the institutions represented are also welcome. The goal is to create a supportive learning community, build an institution’s capacity for OER creation in the future, and encourage the growth of OER communities on campus.
How many projects do I need to participate?
We’re aiming to fill cohorts with ten projects representing two institutions, but we also want to respond to the needs of a range of institutions. We accept single projects, but there is a discounted rate for institutions with more than three projects. Request a consultation, and let us know how many projects you have.
What kinds of projects do you accept?
We are looking for open textbook projects in the broadest sense. That can mean a book created from scratch, an adaptation, ancillary materials, or a combination of these. Because the creation process is iterative and cycles back on itself, projects can be at a variety of stages of creation and still benefit from the course and regular check-ins.
When does the Textbook Success Program begin?
Typically, we run three cohorts a year beginning in February, May, and October. However, we understand that the school year is busy for faculty and administrators so start dates and schedules are flexible. To schedule your start date, we will work together with you and the other members of your cohort.
What sets the Textbook Success Program apart from other OER creation programs?
Unlike other programs based on a semester schedule, our program’s timeline aligns well with the structure of annual grants. This ensures that institutions and systems who work with us can adequately support their grant participants throughout the year. In addition, the program is facilitated by TSP alumni and features a unique, equity-centered publishing process (e.g., authoring responsive, representative, and culturally relevant course materials).
Why is this a paid program?
Ever since we began supporting open textbook creation, we knew we would have to find ways to keep our services available in the long term. One way that we are doing that is to create infrastructure (a platform, guides, templates, etc.) that anyone can use and remains openly available, remixable, and customizable. In order to keep these tools free, updated, and relevant, we need to pay our people. Yes, we have funding from the Hewlett Foundation, but we are working on sustainable solutions for the organization and the community. As such, we have created a paid offering that will provide intensive and valuable guidance to teams with institutional support. The funds received from the Textbook Success Program will support the program itself as well as our other initiatives and regular operations.
Are the resources used in the Textbook Success Program open and licensed CC BY?
Yes! We’ll be using The Rebus Guide to Publishing Open Textbooks (So Far) which is open, licensed CC BY, and available in multiple formats. All other resources created for the Textbook Success Program are open and licensed CC BY. You can find these regularly updated and customized for each cohort on our platform. In addition, all course content is housed in the curriculum hub.