Reinventing the University Press for Electronic Course Materials

August 9, 2011 - 8:05pm | by fstielow
Presenter(s)
Fred Stielow (American Public University System, US)
Additional Authors
Elizabeth Aquiar (Bridgepoint, US)
Luis Garcia (Full Sail University, US)
Session Information
November 11, 2011 - 1:40pm
Track: 
Open Educational Resources
Areas of Special Interest: 
Institutional Initiatives; Practical Application
Institutional Level: 
Universities and Four Year Institutions
Audience Level: 
All
Session Type: 
Extended Information Session
Location: 
Europe 10
Session Duration: 
80 Minutes
Concurrent Session: 
13 & 14 (combined)
Virtual Session
Abstract

Three online Higher Education programs describe rationales and the implementation of home-grown electronic course materials publishing. The session invites discussions on the complicated state-of-affairs in electronic publishing, including battles against textbook inflation, HEOA legislation, and the development of a new generation of Web classrooms.

Extended Abstract

Representatives from three online Higher Education programs describe their proactive engagement in the battle against textbook inflation. Theirs is a practical, albeit also post-modern call on online educators to discuss print-based traditions and look toward redefining pedagogy for the Web Age. One hand, they are responding to a 19th-century research legacy with university presses focused on scholarly publications to the exclusion of classroom support. On the other hand, the panelists question a textbook model that rose to dominance with the post-WWII GI Bill. The union of university needs and publisher opportunities then produced a successful industrial-strength remedy for course materials. It also launched a profitable market as well as the rise of the college bookstore and added ritual of the used-book sale. The latter remains much to the financial delight of the university, but chagrin of the publisher. Spurred by the revolutionary forces of the Web and online education, those contradictions are coming home to roost. University presses are failing financially. The university/publisher textbook alliance has come under intense pressure. Publishers remain challenged by the technology and pricing issues--especially in the face of student protests and Congressional investigations that produced 2008's Higher Education Opportunity Act. The panelists respond with discussions on how their institutions independently committed to use internal resources and the enabling technology of the Web to reinvent the university press for classroom support. They look to the practical challenges encountered in mounting an electronic publishing venture. The audience is invited to explore the complicated current state-of-affairs. Given the traditional focus on research monographs, economic stresses, and disarray in publishing”why would anyone construct a university press today? Indeed, what is the fate or role of even electronic textbooks for online education in the Web Age?  Elizabeth Aguiar, Bridgepoint Education's Vice President of Learning Resources and Publishing, "Bridgepoint's Constellation Initiative: Disrupter in the Higher Education Publishing Space";  Luis Garcia, Vice President of Full Sail Online, "Full Sail Online Addresses Course Materials";  Fred Stielow, American Public University System's Dean of Libraries & Course Materials, "Integrating AMU ePress in APUS's CRIS Model  ”Classroom/Research Information Services"

Lead Presenter

Dean of Libraries, Course Materials & AMU ePress at the American Public University System. Originally contracted to build the University's virtual library, Stielow has since launched electronic bookstore operations and a new electonic press. He serves on numberous advisory boards for Books 24/7, Cengage, Ebrary, Magnifi Group, and the University of Rhode Island's Harrington School of Communications. Dr. Stielow previously served as director of the Amistad Research Center at Tulane University, the Walter Reuther Labor Library at Wayne State University, and Mid-Hudson Public Library System. A former Fulbright Scholar, he has produced over 100 scholarly articles and 11 books, including the forthcoming Reinventing the Academic Library for the Web. Stielow is a winner of a Fulbright fellowship to Italy, Etter Prize for Creativity, Jameson Post-Doctoral Fellow at the Library of Congress, MCI Cybrarian of the Year, URI Library School Alumnus of the year, and numerous other awards.

Presenter 1 Email: 
fstielow@apus.edu

Comments

by fstielow | November 4, 2011 - 1:11pm

Participant Change

Eric Evans, Bridgepoint VP and Constellation Editor-in-Chief will replace Elizabeth Aguiar