K-12 and Postsecondary Education Market: The Role of Open Content Models in Re-Shaping Educational Publishing

Industry participants view the emerging open content movement as a potential disruptor to traditional K-12 and postsecondary publishing markets. The traditional textbook model is under attack from web-based alternatives, search engines, free content resources, and the unclear role that technology companies (e.g., Google, Microsoft) will play in educational publishing. With open content initiatives and resources gaining traction and acceptance among educators, market suppliers are under pressure to re-examine their businesses and explore new opportunities for business models, distribution partnerships, and innovative products – without fully cannibalizing their traditional publishing models. Based on an examination of open content initiatives, this report provides:
- Analysis of the shifting education-publishing landscape;
- A look at emerging open content organizations in K-12 and postsecondary education;
- Analysis of key market drivers and trends;
- Direction on how certain established players are reacting to open content initiatives;
- Essential actions for suppliers of instructional content.