University of Minnesota reviewing open source textbooks

The  College  of Minnesota is expecting to create a project that would see professors being paid to review opensource textbooks.  The college would offer $500 for each review to vet the books, and professors who adopt the books for teaching will also receive $500.  Faculty members are welcome to submit their own reviews, but will not be compensated for the effort.  The project is intended to mash 2 feedback of opensource textbooks, specifically that they are too tough to find and the validity can not be attested for.

The  School  of Minnesota hopes to build a set of vetted books that’d be available to teachers everywhere, and build a level of QC historically linked with standard textbooks.  Minnesota has laid out certain rules that vetted books will need to stick to so as to get the project off the ground.  The books will need to be complete along with a print version and open license, while also being available to establishments outside of Minnesota.

The varsity isn’t expecting to create any of its own books, simply vet existing ones.  So far there are around ninety books in Minnesota’s database, with thousands of visitors reading them since the launch 2 weeks back.  The acceptance has attracted attention from other  Massive   10  schools, with some looking at getting concerned and others posting words of support.  One or two  Minnesota faculty members have also promised to help review the books.