I’ve been reading students’ papers all weekend, including one on open textbooks. It raises a host of amazing issues to ponder, including the roles of publishers, educators, and learners. Maybe that’s why it seemed like I saw a ton of textbook coverage on Twitter today, including this one on EdSurge titled “Predictions of Print Textbooks’ Death Remain Greatly Exaggerated.”
Noting that Bill and Melinda Gates declared “textbooks are becoming obsolete” in their 2019 annual letter, the article goes on to highlight why learners are saying, “Not so fast.” The article suggests that cost – including the ability to purchase used books at a fraction of the cost of the publishers’ digital content – is what’s keeping print alive. However, there are other factors at play, including learners’ preferences for print when reading assigned narratives or for pleasure. Whatever the reasons, it seems the Gates’ declaration is (at least for now) premature.