DynamicBooks Lets Professors Customize Textbooks DynamicBooks Lets Professors Customize Textbooks

February 23rd, 2010

One of the largest textbook publishers is taking textbooks where they’ve never gone before — to a digital publishing platform that paves the way for professors to customize the material. On Monday Macmillan launched the platform called DynamicBooks.

The new software lets instructors tailor textbook content to suit the specific needs of their classroom by editing or adding new text or media. They can add or delete entire chapters, add a syllabus, include notes, and much more. After instructors finish customizing the textbook, students can either purchase the digital text or a printed version through Lightning Source, Ingram’s print-on-demand service. Digital versions will cost as little as half the price of a printed book.

“Most college students don’t read textbooks anymore,” said Charles Grisham, a professor of chemistry at the University of Virginia. “Students jump from point to point, as they do on the Internet. It’s also safe to say that no textbook has completely matched every instructor’s syllabus. DynamicBooks offers instructors and authors a better way to convey content that is more relevant and creative-minded, and that mirrors the always interactive environment in which students live.”

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