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Open Source Textbooks For California

Posted by kdawson on from the byzantine-doesn't-begin-to-describe dept.

T-1000, appropriately enough, lets us know about a California initiative to compile open source science and math textbooks for the state, in the hopes of saving money. The effort is spearheaded by Gov. Schwarzenegger. "The effort seems very promising, but the state's complex standards and arduous textbook evaluation process will pose major challenges. ... The governator will surely be able to stop the digital textbooks from gaining sentience and subjugating humanity, but there are trickier challenges that will be even tougher to defeat than the impending Skynet apocalypse. Textbooks are a surprisingly controversial issue in California and there is a lot of political baggage and bureaucratic red tape that will make an open source textbook plan especially troublesome. ... [T]he traditional wiki approach is untenable for California teaching material. Individual changes to textbooks can become a source of fierce debate and there are a multitude of special interest groups battling over what the textbooks should say and how they should say it. It would take the concept of Wikipedia edit wars to a whole new level."

9 of 201 comments (clear)

  1. My Open Math Textbook by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    I'm writing an open math textbook. You can find it here. Feedback is appreciated.

  2. Re:I never knew... by skine · · Score: 2, Funny

    They can present anything they want as long as they teach the controversy.

  3. Re:Couldn't be any worse than what we had... by skine · · Score: 5, Funny

    Of course Wikipedia is a reliable source. According to Wikipedia, Wikipedia is just as accurate and contains has similar rate of errors as that of Encyclopedia Britannica.

  4. Because mathematics runs on proof, not faith. by PolygamousRanchKid+ · · Score: 5, Funny

    Proof-based mathematics vs. faith-based mathematics gets ugly, real fast.

    I guess that goes for any proof-based science vs. faith-based science. And their appropriate school books.

    Although, I must admit, during my differential equations final exam, I think that some of my answers were definitely faith-based.

    Good riddance to differential equations! Not that I want to ruffle any feathers, but I wouldn't recognize the "Differential Equation Rapture," if it popped up and slapped me in the face.

    Let alone, being able to classify and solve it.

    --
    Schroedinger's Brexit: The UK is both in and out of the EU at the same time!
    1. Re:Because mathematics runs on proof, not faith. by the_rtb · · Score: 2, Funny

      Ah yes, the pi rounding thing. An ongoing joke here is that biologists use pi = 3 and pi^2 = 10. I've been meaning to ask them, what is pi^3 then?

    2. Re:Because mathematics runs on proof, not faith. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

      what is pi^3 then?

      Delicious.

    3. Re:Because mathematics runs on proof, not faith. by captnbmoore · · Score: 2, Funny

      As all mathematical equations go it's 42

      --
      The Navy Motto "IF it ain't broke Fix It" "A day is wasted if you don't learn something new"
    4. Re:Because mathematics runs on proof, not faith. by MrNaz · · Score: 3, Funny

      It's an example of faith-based moderation.

      --
      I hate printers.
  5. Re:Open source ? by Drinking+Bleach · · Score: 4, Funny

    When the legislators ask why it isn't working, it's because they forgot the optional, but highly recommended, libfactualcorrectness package.