For Students

A note to students from Dr. Kelly Falcone

As a child of the 80’s, I did not have the wonderful learning opportunities brought to us by the world wide web.  During my K-12 years, I often relied on getting information from the world book encyclopedias that my parents had purchased when I was a kid.

I loved the Worldbook encyclopedias, I thought is was so cool that I could pull out a book and learn something new. At that time, I hadn’t considered that the information in those books might adjust over time, that we might learn new things, and that those books I cherished might become out of date!Then came the internet and with that came one of what I consider to be a great examples of an “open” world of writing,  with Wikipedia.

Wikipedia took my cherished encyclopedias and opened them up to the world! With Wikipedia,  experts, researchers, and enthusiasts, from all over the world were able to work together to ensure Wikipedia was continually updated with new important topics and updated to ensure the information included was not outdated.  Open textbooks, like this Introduction to Health OER textbook, are another example of the power of making information open.

An Open textbook is when authors allow their writing to be used and adapted by others.  So, rather than the author publishing through an expensive publishing company, they choose to create and share their work with others and contribute to the world of Open.  As a student, one of the biggest benefits of the Open Textbook movement is the removal of the high cost of textbooks.  This means every student, regardless of financial status, has equal access to the textbook.

This textbook is an outcome of the work of many who have come before me and it will continue to evolve with many of those who come after me.  It will also benefit from students and teachers who are using the book and contribute suggestions for improvement.   I invite you to help make this book relevant, meaningful, valuable, and accessible for all students by sharing your feedback.

Health is a very broad topic that we are continually learning more about.  This book does not cover every aspect of health, however I hope this book helps to not just inform you of the important aspects of health, but also inspires and encourages you to make your health your priority.

Sincerely,

Dr. Kelly Falcone

Palomar College

San Marcos, CA