[IAEP] Getting learning content to learners - some questions

[mokurai at earthtreasury.org]

On Wed, June 1, 2011 4:57 pm, James Simmons wrote:
> Tim,
>
> I am working on a FLOSS Manual which may be relevant:
>
> http://en.flossmanuals.net/e-book-enlightenment/
>
> James Simmons

I and others are working on Free digital textbook replacements

http://wiki.sugarlabs.org/go/Replacing_Textbooks

at

http://booki.treehouse.su

a temporary test server that we plan to move to a Sugar Labs subdomain. It
uses the FLOSS Manuals booki software for collaborative book writing,
editing, and publishing.

> On Wed, Jun 1, 2011 at 3:29 PM, Tim McNamara
> <paperless at timmcnamara.co.nz> wrote:
>> I was wondering how open educational resources (OER) find their way into
>> the
>> minds of learners. I have some capacity to be able to help, but I would
>> like to learn more.
>> As background, I've recently begun contracting full time to the Open
>> Knowledge Foundation[0]. One of the projects that the organisation runs
>> is Open Text Book[1].
>> The project is mostly dormant. I would like to awaken it. However, there
>> are many ebook repositories in existence.

I am collecting links to them, and other such directories, on the Open
Education Resources page of the Sugar Labs Wiki. Please add your projects
to it. There are over a hundred thousand Free resources listed on just one
site, and I keep finding out about more and more sites.

>> I would like advice on the best way to help.

I have a suggestion for your consideration. Sugar education software is
currently in the hands of about two million children, a number which we
expect to grow rapidly as more countries fund the OLPC program for all of
their children. OER development based on Sugar software thus has the
opportunity for the largest deployments in the world, eventually about a
billion children at a time.

>> Some questions:
>>  - Do educators use digital content from non-traditional sources?

Big question. The short answer is, Yes, some teachers do.

>>  - What is missing for learners and teachers?

We need a set of materials under Free license covering every subject at
every level for every country in every language needed. They must
integrate the use of XOs and Sugar software into every topic, both in the
classroom and in homework assignments.

>>  - Are things easy enough for people creating learning material to get
>> it into the hands of others?

It varies enormously. However, it is expected to become much easier, now
that computers with Free Software and OERs cost much less than printed
textbooks in many countries. Countries that have not been able to afford
adequate textbooks will still need outside help.

Our strategy will be in part to distribute OERs based on Sugar along with
Sugar on XOs and on XS School Servers. We also propose to create OERs to
meet national requirements, for example with local content in health,
history, geography, agriculture, literature, and so on. We have localizers
for Sugar software in about a hundred languages, and we expect to be able
to recruit translators from each of those language groups

>> Thanks all
>> Tim McNamara
>> Professional \\  paperlessprojects.com
>> Personal \\  @timClicks  |  timmcnamara.co.nz
>> [0] http://okfn.org
>> [1] http://www.opentextbook.org/repository/
>> _______________________________________________
>> IAEP -- It's An Education Project (not a laptop project!)
>> IAEP at lists.sugarlabs.org
>> http://lists.sugarlabs.org/listinfo/iaep

-- 
Edward Mokurai
(默雷/धर्ममेघशब्दगर्ज/دھرممیگھشبدگر
ج) Cherlin
Silent Thunder is my name, and Children are my nation.
The Cosmos is my dwelling place, the Truth my destination.
http://wiki.sugarlabs.org/go/Replacing_Textbooks