Reimagining the Future of Chemistry Textbooks with LibreTexts

The LibreTexts is the latest evolution of the ChemWiki project that was started at UC Davis in 2008 to build and distribute open-access texts to improve postsecondary education at all institutions of higher learning. While the project currently covers all academic subjects with 13 independent operating libraries, the chemistry library (https://chem.libretexts.org/) is the most developed and is responsible for 75% of the 100 million pageviews the project delivers annually. Our primary effort focuses on creating and curating online Open Educational Resource (OER) libraries that make it easy for others to reuse, revise, remix and redistribute textbook content. LibreTexts’ technology enables any faculty member to easily and rapidly create OER textbooks and more, optimized for their courses and students. The structure of LibreTexts solves two of the central problems limiting OER adoption: the time and expertise that faculty need to assemble OER for their classes and dissemination to others. Libretexts are built by incorporating content from an extensive network of OER textbooks extending across higher education that faculty can edit and enhance to meet their needs. Barriers to OER use will be discussed with emphasis on how LibreTexts overcomes them. Features include annotation (hypothes.is), and computation (Jupyter, 3D visualization and multimedia). In development are online homework systems and direct import from EPUB formats. LibreTexts supports import into LMSs, and printing of chapters as PDFs on demand. Teams are focusing on data-driven assessment of student learning and performance to optimize LibreTexts as well as improving accessibility. LibreTexts are easy to adopt and use, simple to optimize, and backed by educational research with advanced technologies. Part of The Cheminar - series of talks by the Chemistry Department