A group of Georgia Perimeter College English faculty members has received a $30,000 University System of Georgia grant to produce a free e-text for all USG students taking English composition.

Dr. Kathryn Crowther, Dr. Lauren Curtright, Nancy Gilbert, Barbara Hall, Tracienne Ravita and Kirk Swenson wrote the Affordable Learning Georgia grant proposal.

“Our goals include making our e-text interactive within its web environment, so students can link from the text’s discussions and exercises to online databases and archives in ways that enhance their learning in both ENGL 1101 and 1102,” says Curtright, a Clarkston English professor. The group is building on the current free English text developed for GPC students by Dr. Rosemary Cox and others in 2014.

“The grant requires our e-text to be non-institution-specific as far as its branding, but we will develop it based on the needs of students at GPC,” says Curtright.

The e-texts would be free. Currently, students pay almost $200 for the texts required for English 1101 and 1102, according to the grant.

 GPC was one of 16 USG institutions awarded grants to create affordable e-texts.

The new e-text, with its interactive attributes, should be available to students and faculty by spring 2016. Until then, instructors may use the existing e-text and resource guide.