Hi Jim, That's a good point and raises the question of instructional/learning design in the development process.
We've been experimenting with a few approaches regarding how best to implement distributed learning design in a wiki environment --- Clearly this is part of the puzzle we must solve. Appreciate the inputs --- thanks. Wayne On Dec 4, 9:23 am, jkelly952 <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Age over grade level is the common ground. > > To question one: what are the elements or components of a sustainable > OER textbook > model? Identify your audience and what is expected of them. > Historically a 5 year old (Kindergarten level in the United States) is > expected to deal with 25 mathematical concepts (within WE refer > tohttp://www.wikieducator.org/K-12math.info_(English_-_Espa%C3%B1ol_%E2... > ) To develop OER textbook materials you should be looking at the > learner’s age and what historically are the key content items for that > age level. There are more consistences if you look at subject content > by age level, rather than by grade level. You also reduce the teacher > training requirements by understanding historically what content has > been used. > > Jim Kelly > > On Dec 3, 9:42 am, Wayne <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > Hi Randy, > > > Your earlier post on "free tuition at a community college in the US" has > > got me thinking again about building a sustainable OER Textbook > > initiative. WikiEducator is uniquely positioned to pioneer a > > peer-collaboration approach for OER textbook development and > > distribution. Apology for the long post -- but this is important stuff > > and WE would appreciate thoughts and advice from the community. > > > One positive aspect of the global economic crisis is that this will > > force institutions to focus on the benefits of the OER model -- both > > economically and pedagogically. > > > Clearly the OER textbook initiative has the potential to improve > > efficiencies in the sector. Notwithstanding tomorrow's promise for OER > > textbooks -- the uptake thus far has been disappointing :-(. We don't > > have any mainstream examples of sustainable success with OER Textbooks > > -- However, there are a few promising projects and pieces of the puzzle > > coming together, for instance: > > > 1) Otago Polytechnic's Anatomy and Physiology for Animals text on > > Wikibooks. > > (http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Anatomy_and_Physiology_of_Animals) There > > is an option for learners to purchase a bound printed version from > > lulu.com. > > 2) You've already mentioned the OER Handbook for Educators on WE --- > > which is also available for purchase on lulu.com > > 3) Flat world knowledge (http://www.flatworldknowledge.com/minisite/) > > 4) Athabasca University Press -- which is now an open access publisher > > (http://www.aupress.ca/) > > 5) The Free High School Science Text project (http://www.fhsst.org/) > > 6) Pedia Press, a German print-on-demand publisher who developed the > > open source engine we use to produce pdfs on WE > > 7) The Connexions project have implemented technology to download pdfs > > and the option to order print versions of texts. > > > It seems to me that we need to work on building a sustainable eco-system > > for OER textbooks to become a main stream feature of the educational > > landscape. WikiEducator. Questions we'll need to answer: > > > 1) What are the elements or components of a sustainable OER textbook > > model? > > 2) Using a peer collaboration approach for content development -- are > > their unique processes we need to implement to ensure success (when > > compared to classical publishing models)? > > 3) How do we promote and foster relationships with the publishing > > industry (particularly with regards to benefiting from existing > > distribution channels and overcoming the challenge that restrictive all > > rights reserved licensing does not necessarily restrict market share). > > 4) Will WE need to adapt and refine its current ideas regarding the > > development of our Quality Assurance and review framework? > > 5) What are the technical implications for a successful WE OER Textbook > > initiative -- for example, should we provide customised exports for a > > range of print-on-demand companies? > > 6) What are the incentives for academics and teachers to participate -- > > What can WE do to ensure participation? > > > These are generic questions that are being addressed in various forums > > --- However, I'm wondering if there are any unique answers to these > > questions from a WE perspective. > > > I'm planning to establish a national OER Textbook initiative in New > > Zealand as a prototype -- well commence with more detailed planning and > > implementation on July 2009. Are there other countries that would join > > us in a project like this? > > > Would appreciate thoughts and feedback -- this will help us with our > > strategic planning. > > > Cheers > > Wayne --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "WikiEducator" group. To visit wikieducator: http://www.wikieducator.org To visit the discussion forum: http://groups.google.com/group/wikieducator To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
