This guide is an adaptation of Eastern Michigan University's Explore Textbook Alternatives guide.
Open wrapping is a term used to describe content and platforms provided by vendors that have adapted an openly licensed resource into a commercial product. An example: A vendor takes the openly (CC-BY ) ebook, How to Learn Like a Pro and embeds access to a copy of this ebook and a series of assignments that they've developed based on the book behind a paywall. The charge students a fee to access the title and the supplemental materials created by the vendor.
Generally, platform fees for open wrapped course materials are minimal when compared with those of traditional textbook vendors. Usually, a student pays a single fee (between $10-$40). Some vendors work with college bookstores to offer codes, course material access for purchase through their platform, meaning that students would be able to use financial aid for purchase.
Open Wrapped platforms are web based, and usually offer instructors a level of customization for their course materials, allowing instructors to select only the features and contents that they want to use. Often these vendors also allow for instructor created content and supporting materials to be added to their platform, providing a consistent user experience for students. Since the textbook used as the core of this platform is openly licensed, users of the platform should have the freedom to download, print, copy, paste the textbook.
Open wrapping vendors provide supplemental content to openly licensed resources. Students are able to access the open textbook for free from its original source location. If faculty do not plan to rely heavily on the supplemental materials provided by these vendors, the cost may not outweigh the benefits.
Course content
Instructor created content
Student data
