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Governor Launches Second Phase of Free Digital Textbook Initiative
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has launched the second phase of his first-in-the-nation free digital textbook initiative. The initiative reviews existing free digital textbooks against California’s rigorous academic standards to identify which free textbooks are standards-aligned and may be used in California’s classrooms. Free digital textbooks are downloadable and may be projected on a screen, viewed on a computer, printed chapter by chapter, or bound for use in the classroom. Schools can take advantage of these free, standards-aligned resources using existing hardware – as using them does not require having desk top computers or laptops for every student. The first phase of Governor Schwarzenegger’s digital textbook initiative, conducted last year, focused on high school geometry, algebra II, trigonometry, calculus, physics, chemistry, biology/life science and earth science digital textbooks. The second phase of the initiative invites content developers to submit textbooks for review against California’s academic content standards in the areas of linear algebra; probability and statistics; world history, culture and geography; U.S. history and geography; American democracy; and economics. Review of submitted digital textbooks will be coordinated by the California Learning Resources Network (CLRN) and conducted by expert teachers and content specialists. Approved digital textbooks, along with a report outlining how each submitted textbook measures up against California’s standards, will be released to the public once CLRN completes its review process. Unlike Phase I, which had a submission deadline, Phase II will review textbooks on a rolling basis so that completed digital books do not have to wait until a submission window opens to get state approval. Content developers can create publisher accounts, view standards correlation documents and submit materials for review on the CLRN Web site at http://www.clrn.org/dti2. |
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