Objectives 

This module explores trends and processes of textbook development. In so doing the module examines the obstacles that publishers, ministries of education, or other actors in this field may encounter in their attempts to provide easily accessible, high quality textbooks. Recommended policy strategies and best practice considerations are also listed. 

Focus 

Equal access to quality basic education is a key educational policy target of all countries, whether rich or poor. In this framework, quality textbooks and learning materials should also be expected to be available for all. The textbook is only one type of resource, but is still important in many contexts. In developing countries, textbooks are, with the help of the teacher, the prime conduit for transfer of knowledge and skills; they may also be the only source of information about the curriculum for the teacher; the only books available in the average child’s household, and the main source of reading for the child¹.   

In many cases supplementary teaching/leaning resources are required in addition to textbooks. The emergence of non-print teaching and learning materials including web-based materials opens up enormous opportunities for multi-channel learning, but also challenges for more traditional approaches for evaluation and approval. 

The process of textbook development begins with the formulation of the needs of the student, of the curriculum, curriculum standards, and of society, and ends with the student’s use of the book. This process involves: 

• Planning policy management;
• Models for textbook development and role of the state and issues of copyright;
• Textbook evaluation;
• Production and distribution;
• Teachers and textbook choice.

Ella on non-print materials, Masa on e-learning ? Suharti on global development network for e-learning. Boxes. 

One case on – Materials development for rural primary schools (Indonesia, Mongolia and Bangladesh ) - school-based development of materials. 

Key words  

Textbook development, textbook evaluation, production and distribution, rental scheme.

1 - Hunt, timothy. (2004) Five Case Histories of Textbook Development. IBE. UNESCO. In press