At the Rebus Community, we see peer review as a critical part of publishing open textbooks. In particular, it plays an important role in encouraging adoptions – both by assuring those looking to adopt a book that the material is of high quality, and also by building an engaged pool of reviewers who are themselvesKeep reading “Peer Review Working Group & Office Hours Recap”
Author: Zoe Wake Hyde
Help Build Ancillary Materials for Principles of Social Psychology
Ancillary materials are often tipping point for open textbook adopters. At Rebus Community we will be supporting a new, collaborative way of creating not only open textbooks but also ancillaries, and eventually, test banks and similar components. Our first example of such an effort is this project, led by Rajiv Jhangiani of Kwantlen Polytechnic University,Keep reading “Help Build Ancillary Materials for Principles of Social Psychology”
Open Anthology of Earlier American Lit: TOC Open for Comment
The Open Anthology of Earlier American Literature is a great OER story. It began as a way to save students money in an American literature survey course, has turned into a project held up as a model of open pedagogy, and in its next phase, we hope it will grow into a genuine alternative toKeep reading “Open Anthology of Earlier American Lit: TOC Open for Comment”
Welcome our two new section editors for Introduction to Philosophy
From a glimmer in the eye of lead editor Christina Hendricks, the Introduction to Philosophy project has grown quickly, with a team of around 20 collaborators working to clarify the approach to and scope of the project. The team have developed a draft table of contents, with seven initial sections to be covered; Metaphysics, Epistemology,Keep reading “Welcome our two new section editors for Introduction to Philosophy”
Open is More Than A License: Why File Formats Matter for Revising & Remixing
I once wrote a 2500-word essay on why PDFs are terrible, so it’s safe to say that I have some thoughts about file formats (and also that I’m great fun at the right kind of parties). However, it’s also safe to say that not many people give file formats as much thought as I do.Keep reading “Open is More Than A License: Why File Formats Matter for Revising & Remixing”
Call for Contributors: A Guide to Authoring Open Textbooks
Are you an open textbook champion who wants to help others by sharing your experience producing open textbooks? Melissa Falldin of the University of Minnesota and Karen Lauritsen of the Open Textbook Network are producing a guide to authoring open textbooks and they’re looking for contributors. The guide will be for authors or project managers/librariansKeep reading “Call for Contributors: A Guide to Authoring Open Textbooks”
Call for Contributors: Foundations of Biology
Would you like to help create an Open textbook for biology survey courses at community colleges? “Foundations of Biology” is being led by a group of authors at Greenfield Community College who are looking to adapt two OpenStax textbooks (Biology and Concepts of Biology) to create a version suitable for the mixed groups that areKeep reading “Call for Contributors: Foundations of Biology”
Call for Contributors: History of Applied Science and Technology
Would you like to help create and publish an Open Textbook designed to meet the needs of History of Applied Science and Technology courses at colleges and universities around the world? “Into the Unknown: Technology, Science, and Their Impact on Society” is in development by lead editors and authors at the University of Maryland UniversityKeep reading “Call for Contributors: History of Applied Science and Technology”
Office Hours Recap & MOU Feedback
Last Wednesday, we met for our monthly Office Hours session to discuss MOUs between institutions and faculty undertaking open textbook projects, and to begin the process of creating a new template MOU that can be used by open textbook creators across the globe. Out of the discussion came several key areas that an MOU mustKeep reading “Office Hours Recap & MOU Feedback”
Call for Open Textbook Editor: The Open Anthology of Earlier American Literature
Would you like to help create and publish an Open Textbook and at the same time contribute to developing a new, collaborative model for publishing Open Textbooks? The Rebus Community is looking for someone to join “The Open Anthology of Earlier American Literature” as lead editor. The editor should be either faculty or a Ph.D.Keep reading “Call for Open Textbook Editor: The Open Anthology of Earlier American Literature”