[Textbook-l] Introduction - California Open Source Textbook Project

[Jimmy Wales]

Sanford Forte wrote:
> The framework is absolutely necessary to follow, as a general guide to
> content decisions, and approach.

Right.  If you check the archives, we were discussing the frameworks
just before you joined the list, and I gave links to frameworks of
different states.  Presumably, we should look at the frameworks of
multiple states and try to meet several of them at once, when
possible.

> Thus, a pilot project for some topical area in the grades 9-12 range
> would probably be most practical, because the demands would be more
> discrete, and easier to manage.

That sounds good to me.  Can you provide a specific link to content
standards for topic areas in grades 9-12 so that we can all peruse it
and further refine the choice of a pilot project?  (Nevermind, I see
you did, below...)

> Another problem (one I have no control over at the moment), is that the
> intention of COSTP is to have this all result in printed textbooks. The
> minute one starts talking about replacing the printed book with cD-ROM's,
> web-based environments, etc., eyes begin to gloss over. It costs money to
> produce a book.

Absolutely.  We'll take as the primary focus of what we're doing, the
organizing principle of this particular pilot project to be the
production of content that's usable in paper format.

> However, if a successful pilot product could pass muster
> with the State Board of Ed., it would be a matter of finding one of the R.R.
> Donnelly's of the world to print it, at a normal markup (still saving
> enormous profits taken by the publishers).

Yes!  The raw cost of printing is very low as compared to the prices
of textbooks that have proprietary content.

> At the very least, a pilot that
> passed muster in terms of meeting the framework standards would prove that
> this can be done, and spur legislation (if not in California, certainly
> elsewhere)

Isn't it true that legislation isn't really necessary in order for
GNU-free texts to compete directly with proprietary texts?  I mean, if
we can produce a product that meets the CA standards, and print it for
say 2/3s the cost of the competitors, then for their own reasons,
various districts will be inclined to buy ours rather than the
proprietary stuff?  What legislation is really needed, then?

> Relative to open source, the one constraint in K-12 is that there *are*
> frameworks standards to be met.

Well, that actually makes our job easier, as it eliminates a lot of
the time-consuming debates we would otherwise have about what "ought"
to go into a 9th grade American History book.  The more detailed the
standard, then the easier it will be for us to simply work to meet the
standard.

Our wiki development model works best when there's an easy "yes/no"
answer as to whether something belongs or not.

> I would suggest reading the project plan - it's not that long - and then
> going from there. I've spent a lot of time in the state sytem lobbying this
> project. In another life, I worked with several major textbook publishers,
> so I have some insight into how they work, and how the system works.

Can you fill us in more on what, exactly, you've been lobbying for?

> I would start by taking a look at the math frameworks
> http://www.cde.ca.gov/cdepress/math.pdf

Math is a little harder for us than some other things, just because of
the constraints of the web and our wiki software.  We're best with
text, like a history book.  There should also be a lot of re-usability
for our existing wikipedia content.

On the other hand, we probably have a higher 'brain power' in areas
of sciene and math and computers, just because of the sort of people
who we have working on the project for the most part.

> Well put. Mostly, the publishers 'pay attention' to the curriculum
> frameworks of three states - California, Florida, and Texas. Their hope is
> that they will get one, or more of those three states, make their
> cost-of-goods' break even, and sell to the other states (most of which are
> followers, with a few exceptions) - that's where the profit is made.

Good information!  I had already found the California and Florida
websites, I will look for the California website.

> Absolutely; if you guys can pull that off, millions, maybe billions of other
> people would be forever in your debt.(I'm not exaggerating this #, as there
> is a great need for K-12 books/content  written in English for places like
> China, India, etc.).

Hey, that's what we're all about: World Domination.  Fast.  :-)

--Jimbo