During the spring term, I taught a class on multimedia design for the University of Wyoming. One thing that I did was to forego a textbook. I wanted the class to be an open experience. As part of that experience, I had the participants write an open-license textbook focusing on multimedia. This book is still being edited, but I hope to have it out in the next couple of months. During that experience, I wanted to learn a bit more about how students could write open textbooks. Fortunately, I found a book. I initially read it online but recently ordered a print version of the book. The book is A Guide to Making Open Textbooks With Students edited by Elizabeth Mays.
I have to be honest. When I read the online version, I didn’t fully grasp how useful the book was. Now that I’ve had an opportunity to more thoroughly read it, I appreciate the great ideas shared in this book.
What the Guide Covers
The book is rather short, with only 122 pages. The author arranged it in four major sections and 19 chapters. Those major sections include:
- Open pedagogy
- Project ideas and case studies
- Student rights and faculty responsibilities
- Sample assignments
Each section has its own merit. The open pedagogy section has prompted me to learn more about this movement, which is part of a larger ecosystem. The open ecosystem includes open education, open access, open science, open data, open source, open government, and much, much more. It is a powerful way of looking at teaching and learning. One thing that I really enjoyed about the book was the emphasis on inviting students to help shape the curriculum. An instructor could use students to help create activities. I like the idea of students working on real-world problems. This is very much in line with John Dewey’s approach to learning.
Student-Created Textbook Projects
The second section of the book focused on project ideas and case studies.
These ideas included not only adopting a textbook but having the students rewrite it. This is what David Wiley did. He took a project management book and had his students rewrite it as a project management book for instructional designers.
Another instructor had her students create brief reviews of architectural features from Frank Lloyd Wright buildings. She pulled them together into a book. This digital book can keep growing term after term as students look at Frank Lloyd Wright’s works from different perspectives.
Another example that I really liked was creating an English anthology of early American literature. Students found unique pieces, wrote the introductions, added commentary, etc.
Respecting Student Rights
In a section that focused on student rights and faculty responsibilities, the contributors to this book stressed you need to have a mechanism for identifying what license is to be included in the final project. Students need to sign off on that license. There should be opportunities for privacy and anonymity if students so desire. We have to respect their rights under FERPA.
The section on example assignments provided directions that instructors could adopt and adapt for their particular discipline.
At the end of the book, there was a list of other open textbooks that the Rebus community had created.
Moving From Adoption to Creation
I thought this book provided a lot of ideas that I could implement in my classroom. These are ideas I can encourage other faculty to use. Many of the different chapters ended with takeaway sections highlighting the key points of each chapter. They also had ample links to additional resources where one could go to learn more.
This was another significant find that helps to keep this idea of open educational resources moving forward. Right now, Jamestown Community College is in the adoption phase. We are finding open textbooks and using those open textbooks or resources in the classroom. The next phase is the creation mode. This is where faculty take resources they create, put an open license on them, and share them with the public. But I think one of the more powerful phases is going to be when students are contributing to the open education movement by creating resources that help the world. I believe A Guide to Making Open Textbooks With Students helps move faculty in that direction.
 |
Unlock Your Potential Through the Power of Reading!What if one simple habit could transform your personal and professional life? Reading opens doors to new ideas, expands your knowledge, and creates opportunities for success. In Read to Succeed, Stan Skrabut explores how books can become powerful tools for lifelong learning and /personal growth. Discover practical strategies for developing a consistent reading habit, choosing books that support your goals, and turning knowledge into meaningful action. Your next chapter of success begins with your next book!  |
Pingback: What’s Right About Copyright? | Tubarks - The Musings of Stan Skrabut