Jisc launches first e-book

Jisc has just launched its first e-book. ‘The e-Revolution and Post-Compulsory Education: Using e-business models to deliver quality education’ offers senior managers in further (FE) and higher education (HE) best-practice guidance for applying e-business approaches to their institutions.

 

Particularly in the current economic climate, IT - especially web technology - is a powerful tool that enables institutions to manage their business in a more innovative, cohesive and strategic way. Applied effectively, in support of clear business processes, it can confer competitive advantage, as well as provide enriched opportunities for collaboration. From supporting teaching and research to managing strategic partnerships as part of business and community engagement, e-business is bringing new opportunities in efficiency and service improvement.

 

 

The e-book launch coincides with a new ‘e-textbook business models’ study that forms part of the Jisc national e-books observatory project. This major study will trial a variety of business models to determine the viability of delivering e-textbooks through the library. The study will explore the management and economic impact of the trials on publishers, e-book aggregators and educational institutions over the course of the 2009/2010 academic year.

 

Maybe the ideas, guidance and thinking in this book will encourage debate and it is very appropriate that such a book should be made available in an electronic format.’ Graham Hill, IT Director, University of Bradford

Contributing author Graham Hill, Director of IT Services at the University of Bradford, says: ‘Technology continues to be an enabling force which is revolutionising the way we communicate, learn, research and transfer knowledge. Exploring how technology and people interact in our complex educational environment provides insights into the future, currently dominated by significant economic and political turmoil.

 

‘The e-Revolution and Post-Compulsory Education’ was originally published in paperback by Routledge in 2008. Following its own lead on open access publishing, Jisc agreed with Routledge that its contents would be made available on an open access basis, one year after publication.

 

Consultation through posts to the e-book blog and two workshops at the end of March will identify topics of interest for future chapters.