Tuesday, October 21, 2025
Two early childhood education online textbooks released
The Wisconsin Technical College System, in collaboration with The University of Wisconsin System, Cooperative Educational Service Agencies (CESA), and Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, has released two new Early Childhood Education textbooks – Family & Community Relationships and Foundations of Early Childhood Education.
Developed through a statewide collaborative effort led by Chippewa Valley Technical College and funded by the Wisconsin Technical College System to support open educational resources (OER), these textbooks are fully aligned with the Wisconsin Technical College curriculum. They are now freely available online at www.wistechopen.org. Print and audiobook editions of both titles are anticipated this month, with ordering information and updates posted on the WisTech Open website.
“These textbooks represent the power of collaboration between educators, institutions and state agencies,” said Vince Mussehl, project director for WisTech Open. “By creating high-quality, openly licensed materials, we’re not only improving access to education but also saving Wisconsin technical college students over $400,000 annually.”
In addition to the newly released textbooks, WisTech Open has secured funding for another Early Childhood Education open textbook to be developed during the 2025–2027 biennium.
“This project ensures our students have access to relevant, engaging, and accessible resources without the financial burden of traditional textbooks,” said Amanda Dohms, Early Childhood Education faculty and editor of the textbooks. “The collaborative process allowed us to draw from diverse expertise across the state, resulting in materials that reflect best practices in the field.”
