Comments on: Free K-12 Text Books http://etbe.coker.com.au/2009/08/29/free-k-12-text-books/ Linux, politics, and other interesting things Thu, 09 Feb 2012 01:09:24 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Jonathan Emmons http://etbe.coker.com.au/2009/08/29/free-k-12-text-books/comment-page-1/#comment-20556 Jonathan Emmons Mon, 31 Aug 2009 21:30:34 +0000 http://etbe.coker.com.au/?p=1348#comment-20556 I would also encourage you to consider Connexions (http://cnx.org/) as a place to host these books. Modules in the Connexions repository use the CC-by (attribution) license, freeing up additional possibilities for using the content, and also provide PDF versions of the text that can be printed/downloaded/shared/etc. for those wishing to use content offline. I'd be happy to give you or your colleagues a demo if you're interested. As far as authoring help, I don't have much to offer on the advanced end of the spectrum but spent several years working in tech support in my previous life, and would be happy to provide assistance on the end-user basics if you're interested. This would mostly fall under best practices and what I refer to as "(un)common sense", such as remembering to identify the source of profit from a free service ("if they don't ask for my money, does that mean they're selling my info?"). Whoever you end up going with, I wish you the best of luck - we definitely need more authors like you who are willing to consider open education, and I think this is a great way to make a valuable contribution. I would also encourage you to consider Connexions (http://cnx.org/) as a place to host these books. Modules in the Connexions repository use the CC-by (attribution) license, freeing up additional possibilities for using the content, and also provide PDF versions of the text that can be printed/downloaded/shared/etc. for those wishing to use content offline. I’d be happy to give you or your colleagues a demo if you’re interested.

As far as authoring help, I don’t have much to offer on the advanced end of the spectrum but spent several years working in tech support in my previous life, and would be happy to provide assistance on the end-user basics if you’re interested. This would mostly fall under best practices and what I refer to as “(un)common sense”, such as remembering to identify the source of profit from a free service (“if they don’t ask for my money, does that mean they’re selling my info?”).

Whoever you end up going with, I wish you the best of luck – we definitely need more authors like you who are willing to consider open education, and I think this is a great way to make a valuable contribution.

]]> By: Remmolt Zwartsenberg http://etbe.coker.com.au/2009/08/29/free-k-12-text-books/comment-page-1/#comment-20521 Remmolt Zwartsenberg Sat, 29 Aug 2009 08:55:15 +0000 http://etbe.coker.com.au/?p=1348#comment-20521 Yes, this is a very good idea. My uncle was a Nuclear Phyisicist, and at age 12 i was given full access to his library. At that age, it did not scare me at all. He was the Libarian at the Technical University Delft, and back in 1966 i found it so cool that he could punch in a number at his computer, and five minutes later the ordered book would come sliding down an amazing spiral chute. At that time, the minimum weight of any supported book would be about 5 kilos or about 11 LBS. I strongly feel that anybody who uses computers as a novice or advanced user, should be aware that about 1-2 billion (!) users are online simultaneously. This makes the internet of today one of the most ´cloud-computing` based keyloggers ever invented ;-) So the younger you start, the less confusing. Let the children play! Thank you Russell, for the inspiration. And say hello to some of the Saltwater Crocodiles, swimming back an forth between Arnhem Land and Irian Papua. ~remmolt Yes, this is a very good idea. My uncle was a Nuclear Phyisicist, and at age 12 i was given full access to his library. At that age, it did not scare me at all. He was the Libarian at the Technical University Delft, and back in 1966 i found it so cool that he could punch in a number at his computer, and five minutes later the ordered book would come sliding down an amazing spiral chute. At that time, the minimum weight of any supported book would be about 5 kilos or about 11 LBS.

I strongly feel that anybody who uses computers as a novice or advanced user, should be aware that about 1-2 billion (!) users are online simultaneously. This makes the internet of today one of the most ´cloud-computing` based keyloggers ever invented ;-)

So the younger you start, the less confusing. Let the children play!

Thank you Russell, for the inspiration. And say hello to some of the Saltwater Crocodiles, swimming back an forth between Arnhem Land and Irian Papua.

~remmolt

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