The Future Of Textbook Publishing

Consultant William M.K. Trochim says that textbooks of the future should be very small, more customized, and globalized. "Professors should be able go to the Web, look at a list of contents, click off the sections they want, indicate what order they want them in and create their own tailored, personalized textbook in any major language they need. Students should then be able to interact with this text on the Web, access it in a uniquely customized printed form, or both." He thinks that traditional publishers move too slowly and are too limited by the old-fashioned stereotypical textbook model, and that newer, more agile publishers are motivated to understand the needs of the professors and students, and are innovative enough to react to those needs -- "and beyond this, they are willing to try new things and use technology in new and different ways, helping make the latest vision of textbook publishing a reality."

Syllabus Online (21 Sep 2004) (Via RLG Shelflife)

Posted by Tom on September 23, 2004