Your textbook only works if
students read it.
Only 27% do.
Source: Clump, Bauer & Bradley (2004), Journal of Instructional Psychology
Traditional Textbook |
NextBook |
|
E-book |
✓ | ✓ |
Quizzes |
✓ | ✓ |
Individual assessments |
✓ | ✓ |
Teaching notes |
✓ | ✓ |
Discussion tasks |
✓ | |
AI moderation |
✓ | |
Customizable grading |
✓ | |
Evaluates critical thinking |
✓ | |
Instructor and student insights |
✓ |
What's in a NextBook?
NextBook is next-generation courseware built around AI-moderated peer discussions. Students dive into real scenarios, debate with classmates, and get personalized feedback on their critical thinking. Each NextBook discussion module contains three parts: assigned pre-work, structured peer-to-peer dialogue, and post-discussion evaluation.
Pre-Work
YouTube Videos, Podcasts, Articles, Essays, Adapted Open Educational Resources, AI-Generated Content, Foundational Terms.
Student Discussion
Multimedia Content, Dynamic Questions, Discussion Activities, Polls, Exhibits.
Why Professor Steyn is Making the Switch
"I chose to replace my textbook with a Breakout NextBook because I was tired of spending class time teaching material students were supposed to but hadn't read beforehand. This format pushes students to engage before class so we can use our time together for real discussion and applied learning."
Derik Steyn, PhD, Business Department
The Challenge
Professor Derik Steyn's students weren't reading, and it showed. Despite trying various engagement tools, students came to class unprepared with little to nothing to contribute. As a result, Dr. Steyn was forced to re-teach content during precious class time.
How Dr. Steyn Solved It
He replaced his textbook with a custom NextBook built around his learning objectives. Students now prepare through multimedia pre-work, then debate real business scenarios in small groups. Class time shifts from content delivery to concept application.
The Difference
Students engage more deeply, leading to better learning outcomes and stronger workforce readiness. Graduates contribute meaningfully to employers' practical business challenges, delivering stronger ROI for students and institutions.
A NextBook is a collection of discussion modules, not chapters.
Each module is designed around a specific discussion or application. Students complete multimedia pre-work, then engage in structured discussions that require them to apply their learnings in authentic conversations.
NextBook |
Companion to |
Replacement for |
Intro to Business |
OpenStax: Introduction to Business |
Understanding Business by William G. Nickels, James M. McHugh, and Susan M. McHugh Fundamentals of Business by Stephen J. Skripak and Ron Poff |
Intro to Marketing |
OpenStax: Principles of Marketing |
Principles of Marketing by Philip Kotler & Gary Armstrong |
Intro to Organizational Behavior |
OpenStax: Organizational Behavior |
Essentials of Organizational Behavior by Robbins & JudgeOrganizational Behavior by Fred Luthans |
Intro to Strategy |
OpenStax: Principles of Management |
Strategic Management: Concepts & Cases by Fred R. David & Forest R. DavidStrategic Management by Frank Rothaermel |
Intro to Human Resources |
University of Minnesota Libraries: Human Resource Management |
Fundamentals of Human Resource Management by DeCenzo, Robbins & VerhulstFundamentals of HRM: Functions, Applications & Skill Development by Lussier & Hendon |
Intro to Entrepreneurship |
OpenStax: Entrepreneurship |
Innovation and Entrepreneurship by Peter F. Drucker |
Intro to International Business |
University of Minnesota Libraries: International Business: Opportunities and Challenges in a Flattening World |
International Business by Charles W.L. HillInternational Management: Culture, Strategy & Behavior by Deresky |
Intro to Technology & Innovation Management |
University of Minnesota Libraries: Leading Innovation – 2nd Edition |
Managing Engineering and Technology by Morse, Schell, & BabcockManaging Innovation: Integrating Technological, Market and Organizational Change by Joe Tidd & John Bessant |
Built on Proven Learning Science
NextBook's discussion-based approach isn't just intuitive, it's research-backed:
Collaborative Problem-Solving Increases Critical Thinking by 82%
Students who engage in collaborative discussions show significant improvements in critical thinking skills.
Source: Liu & Yang, 2023, Humanities and Social Sciences Communications
Student Performance Doubles with Active Learning
Students in active learning classrooms showed more than twice the learning compared to traditional lecture-based instruction.
Source: Deslauriers et al., 2011, Science
Discussion-Based Learning Improves Critical Thinking Performance
Students who participate in structured discussions demonstrate significantly higher critical thinking scores than traditional lecture-based learning.
Source: Abrami et al., 2015, Educational Psychology Review
Active Learning Raises Average Grades by Half a Letter
Active learning leads to examination performance improvements that would raise average grades by a half a letter.
Source: Freeman et al., 2014, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Browse Our Catalog
Explore proven NextBook modules from leading business schools, authored by Academic Authors and members of our Breakout Community.
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