What Is Pressbooks?
Pressbooks is a book content management system that allows users to publish books to the public web and produce exports in multiple formats, including EPUB, PDF, and various XML flavors. Pressbooks is built on top of WordPress Multisite but makes significant changes to the admin interface, web presentation layer and export routines of a standard WordPress installation. Pressbooks is free and open source software, released under the GPL v3.0 license.
- Professionally-designed book files, without complex software.
- Unlimited ability to edit, update, and (re)export books.
- Ability to collaborate with other authors and editors.
- A variety of book formats.
- Let Pressbooks host and maintain a network.
Scope and Cost
Faculty often use Pressbooks as an online platform for creating, editing, and sharing open educational resources (OER), textbooks, and other academic content.
While Pressbooks is free & open-source software, the UNF Pressbooks network and Canvas integration incurs a subscription cost that is managed by the Instructional Design Team at the Center for Instruction and Research Technology. Anybody can use the Pressbooks LTI inside of Canvas, but in order to do so, you must first speak with your Instructional Design liaison. Pressbooks will only be installed upon request from an Instructional Designer.
Canvas Integration
Pressbooks uses the LTI 1.3 specification to securely display content published with Pressbooks inside of Canvas LMS There are a couple ways you can add Pressbooks content to your Canvas course:
Link to Pressbooks Content: The simplest option is to copy the link for a specific book or chapter from Pressbooks and paste it into a Canvas module or page. Students can click these links to open the book or chapter in a new tab outside of Canvas.
Full Integration with Canvas: For a more seamless experience, you can import the Pressbooks content directly into your Canvas course using a Common Cartridge.
Requirements
Pressbooks is built on top of WordPress by leveraging WordPress’s content management system (CMS) structure, plugins, and features to create and manage books and educational content in a user-friendly way. It works best in one of these browsers.
Support Report
The implementation of a grading system for CIRT support not only facilitates efficient resource allocation but also fosters transparency in our service delivery. By self-grading our support levels as A+, B+, and C+, we provide faculty with a transparent framework that outlines the expected level of assistance they can anticipate when reaching out for help.
A support grade of “B+” represents a strong level of assistance, with our team possessing a solid understanding of the application or integration. While not reaching the pinnacle of expertise, “B+” nevertheless indicates proficiency and competence in addressing a wide range of issues. CIRT’s internal documentation remains robust, and our team is well-equipped to troubleshoot various challenges. Although there may be instances when reaching out to the vendor becomes necessary for more complex issues, causing support delays, especially when we lack administrative access. Users of applications and/or integrations with a “B+” grade can usually expect comprehensive resolutions to their issues when such resolutions are possible.
External Resources
To further empower UNF instructors, we provide direct links to the vendor’s support material, ensuring you have access to official resources and expert guidance. Furthermore, we curate and share external support documentation discovered online that may offer valuable insights or alternative perspectives. Our commitment is to provide you with a holistic support experience, combining our internal expertise with external resources to empower you in navigating the intricacies of this application.
Contact CIRT
For UNF faculty seeking to deepen their understanding of this application, schedule personalized training sessions, or initiate the installation process, we encourage you to reach out to the Center for Instruction and Research Technology at cirtlab@unf.edu (904-620-3927).
