OpenStax vs Oxford Learner’s Bookshelf

OpenStax is a nonprofit education initiative of Rice University that publishes free, openly licensed textbooks and related materials for introductory courses. Subject matter experts write the textbooks, which are peer-reviewed for accuracy and updated regularly. Books can be read online on the web, Android or iOS, or downloaded as free PDFs; low-cost print editions are also offered. Most titles are accessible without an account, although a small number require sign-in. Students can highlight, take notes and create study guides, with a free student account required for some features. Educators with a free account can access test banks, PowerPoint slides, solutions manuals and customization tools. OpenStax Assignable lets instructors assign readings, assessments and supporting materials through an LMS, with automatic grading and gradebook synchronization. It supports LTI 1.3 and Blackboard, Canvas, D2L Brightspace and Moodle. Textbooks cost nothing. Assignable starts at $15, paid once, billed per student per semester; instructors use it free, and a two-week trial begins on the first day of access. Institutional pricing is by contact.

Oxford Learner’s Bookshelf provides interactive Oxford e-books for teaching and learning English. Its catalog includes Graded Readers, course student books and workbooks, grammar and reference books, and professional development for teachers. Some courses are available as digital packs with e-books and Online Practice, and users can register for free samples. Depending on the title, books may include activities, video, audio, answer checking, adjustable audio speed, and pronunciation recording and comparison. Readers can add sticky or voice notes, highlight or underline text, and annotate pages. Books downloaded in the apps can be used offline, and cloud sync can carry answers, notes, marks, bookmarks, and last-page position between devices. Teachers can assign e-books and Classroom Presentation Tools; for some courses, they can track student progress and scores in a gradebook. Books require an Oxford ID and a licence or access code. Prices vary by title, and no price is listed here. Audio notes and pronunciation practice cannot be recorded in Edge or Safari; the help page directs users to Chrome or Firefox for recording.