Indiana U Releases Free Guide to E-Text Programs

Indiana University is sharing lessons learned from its eTexts program in a free e-book titled eTexts 101: A Practical Guide. The book tells the story of IU's own e-text experience, the economics of e-texts and campus bookstores, accessibility issues, communication strategies and more. It also includes perspectives from publishers and other universities that have worked through similar initiatives.  

Since its inception in fall 2009, IU's eTexts program has reduced the cost of required course materials by more than $16 million, according to information from the university. In 2017, more than 61,000 students, accounting for about 53 percent of IU's 115,000 students across eight campuses, used at least one e-text. Students can access their e-texts on any device via the Unizin Engage e-reading platform, which is integrated with IU's Canvas learning management system.

"IU has learned so much in our rollout and refinement of the eTexts program across all campuses and with uses in hundreds of disciplines including foreign languages, sciences and business," said Stacy Morrone, IU associate vice president of learning technologies and one of the e-book's contributors, in a statement. "There are many details to get right in implementing this with the faculty, students, and administrative colleagues. The IU faculty and students have been remarkable in their support to implement and refine this model and the software for reading and annotating course materials…. With this e-book, we can easily and broadly share our lessons learned and processes with anyone who's interested, and we are happy to do so."

"This e-book is a valuable primer for institutions wishing to take an e-text project and student savings to scale," commented Steven Cramer, vice provost for teaching and learning at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. "The authors hone in on the key issues and processes vital to successful implementation of e-text adoption. eText 101 also tells a story of a highly successful institutional transformation project where a variety of stakeholders came together for the betterment of students and the IU teaching and learning mission."

About the Author

Rhea Kelly is editor in chief for Campus Technology, THE Journal, and Spaces4Learning. She can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • abstract pattern of shapes, arrows and circuit lines

    Internet2 Announces a New President and CEO to Step Up in October

    Internet2, the member-driven nonprofit offering advanced network technology services and cyberinfrastructure to the research and education community has completed its search, which began this past May, for a new president and CEO to take the helm.

  • shield with an AI microchip emblem hovering above stacks of gold coins

    AI Security Spend Surges While Traditional Security Budgets Shrink

    A new Thales report reveals that while enterprises are pouring resources into AI-specific protections, only 8% are encrypting the majority of their sensitive cloud data — leaving critical assets exposed even as AI-driven threats escalate and traditional security budgets shrink.

  • stack of gold coins disintegrates into digital particles against a dark circuit-board background with glowing AI imagery

    MIT Report: Most Organizations See No Business Return on Gen AI Investments

    A recent report out of the MIT Media Lab found that despite $30-40 billion in enterprise spending on generative AI, 95% of organizations are seeing no business return.

  • young man in a denim jacket scans his phone at a card reader outside a modern glass building

    Colleges Roll Out Mobile Credential Technology

    Allegion US has announced a partnership with Florida Institute of Technology (FIT) and Denison College, in conjunction with Transact + CBORD, to install mobile credential technologies campuswide. Implementing Mobile Student ID into Apple Wallet and Google Wallet will allow students access to campus facilities, amenities, and residence halls using just their phones.