We invite University of Leeds academic staff to collaborate with us in contributing to the open textbook movement and advancing knowledge for all, free of barriers.
Award
Two successful projects will receive an award of up to £10,000, which can be used for conference participation, for hourly-paid PGRs contribution to the work on the book, and/or to cover teaching costs. The exact allocation of funds will be discussed and agreed upon with each successful project leader, allowing for flexibility based on individual project needs. After a year, the book is anticipated to be published on the Pressbooks Directory.
During the project, the Library will provide you with support and guidance on how to use the authoring platform Pressbooks, where you’ll craft your book, as well as helping you with copyright and licensing issues and making sure the book complies with accessibility requirements. The Library will also organise a robust peer review process where content, accessibility and learning design are evaluated prior publication.
Information sessions
An in-person session with a complimentary lunch and an online session will be held for those interested in learning more about the wonderful world of open textbooks, the Libraries Open Textbook Project, and how to apply.
Why write an Open Textbook?
Open textbooks are a vital component of open education, offering freely accessible open educational resources (OERs) that anyone can keep, modify, and share. Freely available to people globally, they not only foster knowledge equity but also address many of the challenges posed by conventional e-books, particularly for people with disabilities and those impacted by geographical, societal, and economic obstacles.
Unlike conventional e-books, which mostly come with astronomical, unsustainable fees attached, as well as a dose of caveats such as concurrent user limits, loan terms, and DRM restrictions, open textbooks can remove unnecessary challenges to accessing and adapting content.
For people with sensory disabilities or neurodiversity, open textbooks can provide the flexibility to freely customise books to suit individual needs, and they can be made compatible with assistive technologies. Additionally, while many traditional e-books are restricted by DRM protections that hinder file conversion or transfer to devices such as Kindles, open textbooks remain freely accessible and modifiable, ensuring usability and customisation across various devices. Open formats have other benefits such as the ability to edit text for translation purposes. Additionally, while many traditional e-books expire, open textbooks remain accessible to everyone.
Open textbooks promote global access, inclusivity, and lifelong learning in alignment with our Libraries Forward Plan, which aspires to generate knowledge for all. As part of the broader category of Open Educational Resources (OERs), open textbooks enhance accessibility, equity, and inclusivity in education, building access to universal knowledge. They contribute to lifelong learning, enrich perspectives, and foster bibliodiversity and knowledge diversification, embodying UNESCO’s principle that education is a fundamental human right for all.
Examples of Open Textbooks
Here are three examples of open textbooks from the Pressbooks Directory that are openly licensed for sharing, reuse, and adaptation under a Creative Commons License:
A Pragmatic Guide to Conversational AI
Criteria
We are looking for projects for the production of open textbooks that meet the following requirements:
Essential
• Module Alignment
The open textbook should be designed to cater for one or more existing or future module(s) within any School at the University of Leeds.
- Content Coverage
The open textbook must cover more than 50% of the content for at least one module.
- Adaptability
The style and structure of the content should allow for easy adaptation and expansion by other educators who may want to reuse the open textbook.
- Appeal
The open textbook should be engaging and useful for other modules within and outside the university.
- Platform Formatting
The content must be written within Pressbooks in accordance to formatting and accessibility requirements. (The Library can offer support and guidance on this).
- Accessibility
The open textbook must meet accessibility and inclusion requirements for diverse learners. (The Library can offer support and guidance on this).
- Copyright/licensing Compliance
The open textbook must adhere to copyright and licensing laws. (The Library can offer support and guidance on this).
Desirable (but not essential):
• Utilisation of Creative Commons Materials
Where appropriate, incorporate Creative Commons licensed materials, such as images, videos, or pre-existing open textbooks.
- Collaborative Effort
The open textbook should ideally be developed by a team of two or more colleagues to foster collaboration and diversify contributions.
- Inclusion of External Collaborators
Including collaborators from other universities, either as co-authors or potential users of the open textbook in their teaching, is encouraged to broaden the open textbook’s impact.
Application and Project Timeline
- Application Deadline: 20 November 2024
- Interviews: Early December 2024
- Project Initiation: 3 January 2025
- Project Conclusion: 20 December 2025
Applications to include the following:
- Name, position and email of project lead
- Names, positions and emails of project contributors, including any external colleagues
- A 1,200 word project proposal that should contain the following details:
- Plan of contents and timeline
- Module(s) in which the open textbook will be adopted
- Existing materials and textbooks that it may replace
- Potential application in other module(s) at the university or beyond, as well usefulness as an independent learning resource
- Pedagogical rationale
- How the funds will be used
How to apply:
Please complete the Libraries Open Textbook Project funding application form.
Information sessions
An in-person session with a complimentary lunch and an online session will be held for those interested in learning more about the Open Textbook Project and how to apply.
Contact Kirstine McDermid (k.j.mcdermid@leeds.ac.uk) if you have any questions.