[Textbook-l] Re: [Instgrad] Utah OpenTexbooks Project (Project Dyson)

As a high school teacher, I have a few things to say on the subject of textbooks. Oh, and please note, I am not in favor or against the project, I just wanted to get in the discussion and get some real classroom input out there. I think it would be a really good thing to think about, or to wrap a dissertation around. Good luck! ³does a brand new U.S. History or Algebra 1 textbook need to be repurchased every few years (at full cost) for whatever few changes may be made?² We don¹t replace texts because of new editions, we replace them because they get worn out. Amazing what a teenager can do to a backpack full of books. ³could digital learning objects be built around the text/course and provided as supplements to the textbook² Yes, but we couldn¹t get those out to the kids without a LOT more investment in technology. I¹d guess it would cost more per year to ensure every teacher had the projectors and computers and smart boards necessary; as well as to ensure that every kid had access to their own work station, than it costs to give Œem books. Just an educated guess though, good question for some research there. Maybe a PDA version of a textbook; they are very much in line with textbook costs right now, and would be easier to carry (and lose, but what are ya gonna do?). Also in that discussion we need to look at all the training and tech support costs that often seem to get overlooked. ³Could better, more innovate textbooks be developed in a community/open/wiki style² Maybe, but what do you do with the community that is too small, or simply doesn¹t have the resources to handle it? Admittedly they could share in what is out there, but how is that different from what we have now? Also, since our core classes are so terribly test-driven now, (thanks to NCLB and UBSCT), we need to teach what is on the standardized tests, and that is already in the textbooks we choose; probably because the best tests seem to come from the same places as the texts. In fact, when Utah tried to write the UBSCT, we had a terrible time with it; which opens up a whole new discussion: What about competency? How do you measure it if everyone gets to set their own content?. Perhaps the answer is in there somewhere, but it would take a change in the entire fabric of how we do school in America. Which could be a good thingŠ. There are more ideas running around in my head, but I have to go teach Algebra now. Thanks, and let the rumble begin! Al Jole From: instgrad-bounces(a)it.usu.edu [mailto:instgrad-bounces@it.usu.edu] On Behalf Of John Dehlin Sent: Wednesday, September 22, 2004 1:43 PM To: David Dehlin; Juli Faust; Nan McCulloch; John & Gina Faust; Joel Dehlin; Ronald Fuller; Frank Fox; Frank Gorgenyi; Cindy Ingersoll; Ted Lyon; Lynn England; William Bradshaw; Clayton White; Eric Ringger; Paul Mayfield; Pete Gehrett; Bryn and Marita Lane; Steven Kent; Polly Taylor; Benson Parkinson; Dilworth & LB Parkinson; Jim & Sue Parkinson; Mark Parkinson; Ricky & Mavis Parkinson; Sam Parkinson; ldstt(a)yahoogroups.com; John Anderson; Stephen Wesson; Paul LeFrere; Geoff Thatcher; Eric Jarvi; Dave Willman; Jessica Friesen; Harvey Hughes; Mark Adams; Mark & Teri; Mark Nelson; Mark Berndt; Karl Quilter; Spencer Scott; Catherine Scott; Jonathan Weber; Shawn Jones; Maury Giles; Margi Dehlin; David Benson; David Taylor; Russ Watterson; Nick Eastmond; brett.shelton(a)usu.edu; yanghee; Byron Burnham; Gwen Baird; Mimi Recker; Joanne Bentley; Instagrad; John Dehlin; stephen(a)downes.ca; ldsmbrs(a)microsoft.com; ldsshado(a)microsoft.com; curtc(a)microsoft.com; Matt Brinton; Dan Peay; cslemp(a)microsoft.com; judih(a)microsoft.com; Lary Cullimore; chrisb(a)microsoft.com; Mary Bradford; Maury Giles; tomjones(a)microsoft.com; chasf(a)microsoft.com; todd.garner(a)crbard.com; dmahlum(a)microsoft.com; jasonkap(a)hotmail.com; john.b.thorpe(a)smithbarney.com; reedp(a)microsoft.com; davjohn(a)microsoft.com; skindmore(a)aiken.com; jeff Skidmore; Mark Adams; raulj(a)microsoft.com; mattsmit(a)microsoft.com; Afif Say; Afif Say; jkap(a)microsoft.com; David Wiley; Tom and Julie Hatton; Arthur Hatton; Sanford Forte; textbook-l(a)wikimedia.org; beesley(a)gmail.com; soziologie(a)t-online.de; Eric Ringger Subject: [Instgrad] Utah OpenTexbooks Project (Project Dyson) Friends, Family, USU IT Faculty, Grad Students & Alumni, It's only in its infancy (pre-conception, you might even say), but I wanted to let you all know about a project that I've started to think about, under the guidance/tutelage of Dr. Wiley here at USU. It is currently called the "Utah OpenTextbooks Project" (codenamed "Project Dyson" by Dr. Wiley)--and I am considering doing my dissertation around it. The basic gist is as follows: The state of Utah, and other states like it, spend over $20M annually on K-12 textbooks. With that kind of money, and with shrinking educational budgets, a few questions are worth asking: * Are these textbooks worth the $$$? Also, does a brand new U.S. History or Algebra 1 textbook need to be repurchased every few years (at full cost) for whatever few changes may be made? * Do we want a handful of states (New York, California, Florida, Texas) driving the content of textbooks in all the other states (which is basically what happens today, as I¹m told)? * Could better, more innovate textbooks be developed in a community/open/wiki style (see http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Main_Page and www.opensourcetext.org for starters), where the COMMUNITY would retain ownership of the content‹or better yet, share w/ other states/countries? * Once a textbook has been written by a community, could digital learning objects be built around the text/course and provided as supplements to the textbook‹helping teachers teach better, and learners learn better (think free multimedia clips for lectures, test banks and innovate lesson plans for teachers, or cool multimedia games/self-direct modules for student homework, etc.) * Finally, if we can create ³local² (statewide) online communities where teachers, students, and subject matter experts congregate to create textbooks, share lesson plans, and basically socialize in the context of an academic course...can we harness the power of the internet in more positive ways...to far more productive ends (think ³replace MTV or Xbox with ŒUtah Math Rocks Internet Plaza¹²? I have attached a very, very rough "Vision Document" that outlines what we have brainstormed, and some early, high-level steps on how we might go about achieving our vision. If you are not comfortable opening attachments from an email (can¹t imagine why you would be :) ), feel free to download the document from: http://f4.grp.yahoofs.com/v1/oL1RQdNHDrnawcLP1c-av2v_Y1LRpZ_PL_4Paj7XwHCX0b… Ppay-jJ0791jStsb2IgwQl1VSP0Rf6L3jpxxg/Utah%20OpenTextbooks%20Project.doc We need lots of input/ideas/feedback, so if any of you are interested in participating in/supporting this project in any way (even as a silent observer), please feel free to reply w/ feedback, or even join our community at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/utahopentextbooks Also, if you know anyone interested in Utah Education, or Open Textbooks, please feel free to forward this message to them. I look forward to collaborating w/ those of you who are interested. It will be a long journey to be sure, but hopefully a worthwhile one. John Dehlin Director of Outreach OSLO Research Group http://oslo.usu.edu/people/jdehlin Utah State University