[Textbook-l] Introduction - California Open Source Textbook Project

Fri Jul 11 19:33:25 UTC 2003

Hello,

Jimmy Wales (Jimbo) was kind enough to invite me to the wikipedia list as a way to contribute, and gain feedback for one of my current projects. The project is called The California Open Source Textbook Project (COSTP) www.opensourcetext.org

The idea is to utilize open source and innovative content licensing (via Creative Commons www.creativecommons.org ) to help California realize a initial significant savings, and eventual complete elimination of its $400M+ (and rising) annual debt for K-12 textbooks.

This project has been lobbied to the Governor's office, the State Senate and Assembly, the California Teacher's Assn., several foundations, and many others. 

Most of those who have had benefit of hearing about COSTP in detail are impressed with the possibilities. It will take a combination of political will, and a pilot that proves the concept (not necessarily in that order) to make this work.

We would like to get a pilot going, and what I'm currently thinking about doing - in the absence of funds - is starting something up via the Connexions Project at Rice University http://cnx.rice.edu/

I will be adding more information, in the way of updates, and a more complete project business model to the site soon.

All feedback is welcome. I understand this is a forum set up to share ideas, and am delighted to share what little I know about this area.

Thanks again,
Sanford

Sanford Forte, Founder and  Director
California Open Source Textbook Project
Palo Alto, CA
www.opensourcetext.org

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