OpenStax Releases 6th Free Textbook

OpenStax College, a nonprofit organization operating out of Rice University, has released its sixth free textbook in electronic format: Introductory Statistics.

OpenStax College publishes free, open, peer-reviewed undergraduate textbooks for higher education with the aim of "improving student access to quality learning materials" and "access to higher education for all." To date, according to the organization, OpenStax textbooks have saved students $5 million in costs.

"In less than two years, educators teaching some 52,000 students at more than 360 community colleges, four-year colleges and research universities have adopted the books," according to OpenStax College.

The latest book is an update to Collaborative Statistics, originally released as a free textbook in 2008. Unlike the original, the latest version includes teaching and learning resources, including PowerPoint slides, online homework and tests, from third-party developer WebAssign.

Other titles published by OpenStax to date have included College Physics, Introduction to Sociology, Biology, Concepts of Biology and Anatomy and Physiology. Seven additional titles spanning economics, science and social sciences are currently in the works.

OpenStax College receives funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, the Maxfield Foundation, the Calvin K. Kazanjian Economics Foundation, the Laura and John Arnold Foundation, the Twenty Million Minds Foundation and Rice University.

Introductory Statistics is available now as a free download via openstaxcollege.org. Information on contributing to OpenStax' efforts can also be found on the group's site.

About the Author

David Nagel is the former editorial director of 1105 Media's Education Group and editor-in-chief of THE Journal, STEAM Universe, and Spaces4Learning. A 30-year publishing veteran, Nagel has led or contributed to dozens of technology, art, marketing, media, and business publications.

He can be reached at [email protected]. You can also connect with him on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidrnagel/ .


Featured

  • modern college building with circuit and brain motifs

    Anthropic Launches Claude for Education

    Anthropic has announced a version of its Claude AI assistant tailored for higher education institutions. Claude for Education "gives academic institutions secure, reliable AI access for their entire community," the company said, to enable colleges and universities to develop and implement AI-enabled approaches across teaching, learning, and administration.

  • SXSW EDU

    SXSW EDU 2025 on Higher Education and Ever-changing Technology

    Join education's most passionate community this March 3-6, 2025 at a special 15th-annual SXSW EDU Conference & Festival in Austin, Texas.

  • AI robot with cybersecurity symbol on its chest

    Microsoft Adds New Agentic AI Tools to Security Copilot

    Microsoft has announced a major expansion of its AI-powered cybersecurity platform, introducing a suite of autonomous agents to help organizations counter rising threats and manage the growing complexity of cloud and AI security.

  • Abstract widescreen image with geometric shapes, flowing lines, and digital elements like graphs and data points in soft blue and white gradients.

    5 Trends to Watch in Higher Education for 2025

    In 2025, the trends shaping higher education reflect a continuous transformation of the higher education landscape to meet the changing needs of students and staff, while maintaining sustainable and cost-effective institutional practices.