An interesting alternative to high textbook prices.

The skyrocketing cost of college textbooks threatens the mission of most public institutions: namely, to provide access to high-quality, affordable education. It also contributes to rising college drop-out rates when global competitiveness has never been more paramount. In a Public Agenda research report for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, With Their Whole Lives Ahead of Them, 60 percent of students surveyed said the cost of textbooks and other fees contributed to their decision not to continue with their college education.

… Our philosophy and Flat World’s disruptive business model is based on the idea of abundance, not scarcity. Abundance makes information and knowledge available to whoever wants it. Scarcity restricts access by charging a high price.

We sign top scholars to write innovative textbooks and use an industry-tested product development model to ensure high-quality. We then turn the traditional publishing model on its head. Flat World textbooks are published under an open license, which anyone worldwide can access free online, with no restrictions. Educators have the freedom to reuse, revise, remix and redistribute a Flat World book they adopt—the four Rs of open—at no cost so long as they attribute the author and publisher and don’t engage in commercial activity. We generate revenue around our free, web-hosted textbooks by selling affordable formats, such as print-on-demand, audio, and handheld reader versions for about $30.

Read The Full Article Here (via GOOD Magazine)

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