Flat World Knowledge Introduces "Make It Your Own" Textbook Platform
Instructors can edit from any browser, without downloading a proprietary editing tool, and instantly see how their changes will look when the book is printed, downloaded or viewed online. The edited books are then stored in an XML repository that allows for searching any part of the text in milliseconds, versus opening up an entire book file each time.
Contributors' modifications are captured in a reportable format which provides authors with valuable feedback on how faculty and students are actually using their books. As a result, authors are better equipped to make changes to new editions.
"MIYO redefines what a textbook is and can be," said Williams. "And it gives us the framework to continuously improve our customers' experience with our products and bring new efficiencies to our business-key factors to our future growth."
To date, nearly one third of Flat World's faculty adopters have customized their textbooks. The company expects that 50 percent or more will make use of MIYO during the next academic year.
About Flat World Knowledge, Inc.
Flat World Knowledge is the largest publisher of free and open college textbooks for students worldwide. Committed to making higher education more affordable and accessible, the company provides students with free online access to complete, peer-reviewed textbooks, with options to purchase affordable print and digital formats, including e-books, audio books, PDF downloads and interactive study aids. Flat World's open license and online editing platform enable professors to modify the content and create the "perfect book" for their course. To date, more than 1,600 professors at over 900 colleges in 44 countries have used Flat World open textbooks. Backed by top venture capital firms, Flat World Knowledge was named, along with Apple, Facebook and Google, as one of the information industry's "30 to Watch" in 2011 by Outsell, Inc.
