20 Conclusion

From the University of Iowa’s “Learning Design Collaboratory” to Oregon State University’s “Affordable Content Initiative,” the four universities in this section clearly illustrate efforts to reduce the cost of traditional textbooks. Yet, they also suggest efforts to step back and reconsider the pedagogy associated with the traditional textbook. In a world of pervasive technology (of which the university classroom is certainly part), all of the innovative approaches described in the preceding pages suggest the importance of allowing faculty and students to engage in active learning, collaborating via interactive features of learning materials. As a result, the work of these four universities invites new thinking on how faculty, students, staff and administrators might also collaborate on new approaches to teaching and learning, both on their own campuses and with external partners.