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Top Hat Adds OpenStax Texts

Top Hat, provider of a digital learning platform for higher ed, is teaming up with Rice University's OpenStax College to offer the latter's digital textbooks through its teaching platform.

"Top Hat allows professors to deliver their lecture from anywhere in the room on any tablet device," according to a news release. "Through the partnership, professors can instantly gauge students' understanding of the OpenStax College content. They can view and edit every chapter through Top Hat's Pages module, as well as pose questions in-class, assign homework and grade responses. Students can access this unique content from OpenStax College on the mobile devices they already own, such as smartphones, tablets and laptops."

OpenStax books available through Top Hat feature standard, modular organization aligned to common curricula and the ability to edit and rewrite, introduce original content and customize the books for one or two semester classes. The books, which can be printed as PDFs, are peer-reviewed, written by educators and regularly updated.

OpenStax textbooks currently available through Top Hat include "Anatomy and Physiology, Biology, College Physics, Concepts of Biology (Non-Majors Biology), Introduction to Sociology 2e, Introductory Statistics, Principles of Economics, Principles of Macroeconomics and Principles of Microeconomics," according to information released by the organizations, with "Algebra and Trigonometry, Chemistry, Precalculus, United States History and Psychology" coming soon.

"OpenStax College is committed to improving student access to quality learning materials," said David Harris, editor in chief at OpenStax College, in a prepared statement. "Our digital textbooks are peer-reviewed and backed by top-of-the-line supporting materials. While our books meet standard scope and sequence requirements, they are also customizable if the professors' needs are different. We look forward to seeing how professors and students work with our materials through Top Hat."

OpenStax textbooks through Top Hat cost $29 for a semester, $41 each year or $77 for a lifetime purchase.

About the Author

Joshua Bolkan is contributing editor for Campus Technology, THE Journal and STEAM Universe. He can be reached at [email protected].

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