Meeting notes
PressbooksEDU Day 2
Report on goals and what you did – revised
-comments on anything you have learned about Pressbooks or H5P using links in this document or in other ways since the last meeting
Report based on time per person:
-goal you set
-what you learned
-other progress you made
Discussion items – compiled from the Feb. 1st meeting:
Art – OER Criteria
Art shared this rubric in presenting his evaluation
Organization tips/ideas for creating Pressbooks
-Tony
–one task at time – edit for length, proof for typos, page breaks, etc.
-iterate – improve one aspect per edition -media, update materials, etc.
-for big revisions, put the last edition in a private book as a back-up and export as Pressbooks XML to a new book that can then become public. Or clone the book — https://guide.pressbooks.com/chapter/clone-a-book/
-be sure to allow others to use Pressbooks XML by exporting finished book in that format
-if providing a print version (through the bookstore) and Talon PDF option – export as 8 1/2 x 11, digital PDF. This is better for accessibility as a PDF on Talon and it prints the same.
-graphics import and display inconsistently. Edit and size in a graphics program. Check graphics in all formats, as they will display differently in PDF compared to web book, for example.
-keep appearance in perspective – remember the photocopied packets from grad school? Pressbooks can do better than that, but we are not pro editors/illustrators
-get student feedback early in the process, particularly
-the same books are indexed in a number of places. Textbooks for many subjects were released in 2012 from Flat World Publishing. Variations on these books float around many indexes and Google searches.
-Good article on starting a search for OER, with some organization tips- https://pressbooks.com/2021/09/01/evaluating-oer-with-monica-brown/
-backward design and 5 rules for textbook development – http://pressbooks-dev.oer.hawaii.edu/uhoerpubguide/chapter/1-2-planning-workflow-development/##FiveRules
-link to a case study on creating a textbook with Pressbooks describes one process –
https://resources.kirkwood.edu/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=afh&AN=135149408&site=ehost-live&scope=site
–Tim (if you are willing to share some organization tips)
Examples of completed Pressbooks texts:
https://press.rebus.community/openatthemargins/
-short articles and a variety of media concerning issues with open education and open education materials
https://openoregon.pressbooks.pub/bodyphysics2ed/
-physics text with many H5P activities to reinforce reading
https://boisestate.pressbooks.pub/makingconflictsuckless/#main – textbook with remixed content and embedded media
Open textbook for SPC 101 – current edition – my SPC 101 textbooks – saves students about $75 each and gives me flexibility in what I want to include; still a work in progress. Several decisions involved — primarily one text with one voice and supplemental materials; edited, but still include material that others may want to use, so students get a reading guide to direct them to relevant parts. Updating while retaining this authorial voice is the latest challenge.
Links related to embedding content:
https://guide.pressbooks.com/chapter/display-embedded-media/#:~:text=Embed%20Content%20via%20oEmbed&text=Copy%20the%20URL%20of%20the,Click%20Save – information on embedding media in Pressbooks
https://wordpress.org/support/article/embeds/#okay-so-what-sites-can-i-embed-from-websites from which you can embed with oEmbed standard
From_Proprietary_Textbook_to_Custom_OER – study 1
Cost, outcomes, and use metanalysis of OER – study 2
I did a quick library and web search but there seems to be limited research on reading as such. The first article linked above discusses textbook use, but the form (length of chapters, media, etc.) the OER took was the primary difference between commercial and OER text. OER can give better control over the form. Lower cost may get more use, and more reading therefore, because more students purchase/use them, but it depends on the instructor’s use and formatting.
-The second article had mixed results, pointing out that reading paper and electronic versions of textbooks may be an intervening variable in use of OER compared to commercial texts.
-Many variables besides OER vs. commercial would influence reading, I think.
Ideas for Last session?
Pair up for feedback/progress/accountability-optional-Work on a small project and then come back to this group with questions.
-Reports on what you are learning/doing with OER, Pressbooks, or H5P.
-Questions from today that I can investigate further.
-We can also carry over anything we didn’t get to so far.
-One possible discussion item — Is a group like this needed going forward or does Pressbooks have enough documentation as it is?
Homework ?
Set goal of completing the project, sharing progress with partner, as you work on it
