One of the stipulations that goes along with moving to a 1:1 learning environment is giving up on adopting new textbooks when the time comes around. Technology fees must replace textbook rental unless your students' parents don't mind taking out second mortgages to register their children for school. This is a scary proposition for many teachers who have built their curriculums around a certain book. I hear more and more teachers express frustration about how "prescribed" curriculum is becoming. Breaking free from a traditional textbook might just be the liberating and creatively fulfilling experience teachers need to take back that ownership of their classroom. Additionally, we live in a time where information is added and changed every second - making it nearly irresponsible to put any amount of money into a permanent format such as ink and paper.
So, what is a teacher to do? Good question. I spent time looking through online texts offered by current book publishers and I was less than thrilled. What they were offering was basically the book, but on a computer screen. This makes as much sense as using your fine china to eat Spam. Sure, it looks better, but it is still tastes like Spam. I was looking for interactive curriculum that would make use of Web 2.0 tools and increase student engagement.
Two free online tools to consider for putting curriculum into units and lessons are Livebinders and CK-12.
This is a great site I am just now becoming familiar with. There are a variety of true online textbooks for many different subject areas with an emphasis on STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics). What makes these texts stand out is their interactive elements (video, pictures, games) and the fact that they can be downloaded and linked to for free. In addition, you can create your own textbook by pulling chapters from their online library. You could then go back and edit content to meet your needs. Your finished version can then be made available to view online or download to an iPad or Kindle. I could imagine some amazing possibilities with having your students work together to create their own interactive textbook. Most importantly, this is a true "living" textbook which could be updated constantly to keep information fresh.
CK-12 has created some informative videos about how the site works. I have also embedded an overview below.
So, what is a teacher to do? Good question. I spent time looking through online texts offered by current book publishers and I was less than thrilled. What they were offering was basically the book, but on a computer screen. This makes as much sense as using your fine china to eat Spam. Sure, it looks better, but it is still tastes like Spam. I was looking for interactive curriculum that would make use of Web 2.0 tools and increase student engagement.
Two free online tools to consider for putting curriculum into units and lessons are Livebinders and CK-12.
Livebinders
CK-12 Foundation: Online Textbooks
This is a great site I am just now becoming familiar with. There are a variety of true online textbooks for many different subject areas with an emphasis on STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics). What makes these texts stand out is their interactive elements (video, pictures, games) and the fact that they can be downloaded and linked to for free. In addition, you can create your own textbook by pulling chapters from their online library. You could then go back and edit content to meet your needs. Your finished version can then be made available to view online or download to an iPad or Kindle. I could imagine some amazing possibilities with having your students work together to create their own interactive textbook. Most importantly, this is a true "living" textbook which could be updated constantly to keep information fresh.
CK-12 has created some informative videos about how the site works. I have also embedded an overview below.
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