[IAEP] OERs and collaboration

[Valerie Taylor]

I'm becoming more convinced that the "solution" is a robust index /
retrieval system. Provide the "big picture" - what OERs are currently
available, how they map to the Replacing Textbooks vision of
curriculum for all, what is missing, where there are works in progress
and the status. This needs to be really up-to-date and easy to update.
And of course, open software.

Let the OERs live where ever works for the creators. Make open space
available by all means. Suggest outlines, vocabularies, categories.
Peer reviews and ratings, librarian / curator function for tags and
categories would be helpful, too.

My first pass of the tasks for this would be:

    * communication / status - big picture - what is available, what
is needed, work in progress, requests for collaboration
    * curriculum outlines - identify what is needed
    * existing OERs - find, categorize, dynamic / real-time map to big picture
    * identify gaps - so work can be directed to create missing
    * manage volunteers efforts - guidelines, questions
    * project management


>> there are lots of
>> disconnected education resources but little overall structure. This is not
>> a criticism of the community, without the community, the resources would
>> not exist.

> We will also need a repository that can handle a multidimensional
> collection of documents
>
> * on every school subject and teacher training subject, plus many more
> * at every level of child development
> * for every country
> * in every language needed

That's why I am suggesting an index because the problem is too complex
for a single repository which doesn't scale.

>
> There are several useful structuring principles. Mine is the growth of
> children's mental capacities.

The solution must support several useful structuring principles.

This is a tall order but I think it will have the best outcomes for
educators and learners. And with this group behind it, it can attract
the critical mass necessary to be seriously important and interesting.
:o)