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Open Access Knowledge and Scholarship

Date of Award

3-2014

Culminating Project Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Educational Administration and Leadership, K-12: Ed.D.

Department

Educational Administration and Higher Education

College

School of Education

First Advisor

John Eller

Second Advisor

Nicholas Miller

Third Advisor

Janine Dahms-Walker

Fourth Advisor

Julia Espe

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Keywords and Subject Headings

Teacher, Creation, Curriculum, Open, Resources

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to discover the challenges, advantages and disadvantages regarding the implementation and usage of customized digital curriculum called Flexbooks or Open Education Resources (OER) in select high school biology and algebra courses in Arizona. The results of this study will be used to assist educational leaders in the implementation of Flexbooks into their respective educational systems.

While economics is a driving factor behind the Flexbook movement, many school systems are struggling with the technology support and necessary infrastructure in order to begin adoption. Studies conducted in higher education systems indicate that technology infrastructure enhancements and teacher training are essential to successful implementation and sustainability of digital content.

The results of this study reported challenges to Flexbook implementation in areas of time, Internet access, adequate resources, technology infrastructure and printing ofFlexbooks. The reported advantages to the use ofFlexbooks in the classroom were customization, alignment to curriculum, cost and Internet access.

The reported disadvantages to the use of Flexbooks in the classroom were time and Internet access. This study is essential to those educational leaders looking to implement customized digital curriculum, like Flexbooks and OER, into the classroom to not only help with the economic challenges of textbook adoption but to also move their systems forward in world of technology innovation with strong federal support.

Comments/Acknowledgements

I would like to acknowledge those who have provided me professional and personal support throughout this journey. A sincere thank you to:

• Dr. Howard Carlson and the Wickenburg district staff

• Dr. David Wiley

• Dr. John Eller, Dr. Janine Dahms-Walker, Dr. Julia Espe, Dr. Nicholas Miller

• Members of Doctoral Cohort III

• Dr. Kay Womer and Dr. Roger Worner

• Dr. Scott Wallner

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