I agree. Although it would be nice to get new contributors, we should wait until we get at least one book relatively finished.
A quick question from a brit ? Is K12 high school? I'm currently working on a science textbook based around the UK science syllabus for kids aged 14-16 I wonder I some of my pages can be adapted by someone for the US and the rest of the world.
Theresa
-----Original Message----- From: Sanford Forte [mailto:siforte@ix.netcom.com] Sent: 16 September 2003 21:59 To: Wikimedia textbook discussion Subject: Re: [Textbook-l] NYT article on textbook prices
Yes. This has been a problem for years. It's like skimming cream off the top for college textbook publishers. Also, K-12 publishers are just as greedy. We need to get the K-12 project going. Believe me, once we create a *quality* K-12 book, based on strict state framework standards (ideally, California, because that would make, by far, the biggest impact), we could revolutionize the whole textbook creation and adoption process. University books are also ripe for reform, but they are really less of a challenge than the K-12 sector. The K-12 publishers really have a stranglehold on the books, the pricing, and the process. Millions of kids, parents, and teachers - and our society - lose in this antiquated process.
Before sending anything to Slashdot, as Karl suggests, I think it would behoove us to get something substantial underway, or have something finished. Otherwise, it's just empty promises.
Here are some more links to an excellent series (expose) in K-12 books that was done about 8 months ago in the San Jose Mercury News. Additionally, an excellent piece from Forbes. http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/news/local/4743883.htm http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/living/education/4749572.htm http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/living/education/4756801.htm
http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2000/1030/6612178a_print.html
Best, Sanford
----- Original Message ----- From: "Daniel Ehrenberg" littledanehren@yahoo.com To: "Wikimedia textbook discussion" textbook-l@Wikipedia.org Sent: Tuesday, September 16, 2003 12:19 PM Subject: Re: [Textbook-l] NYT article on textbook prices
--- Karl Wick karlwick@yahoo.com wrote:
This was on the front page of my local paper this morning:
"When Books Break the Bank"
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/09/16/nyregion/16BOOK.html?pagewanted=all&po... on=
An article about outrageous textbook prices and the things that students are doing to avoid paying them. (No mention of our site unfortunately).
I saw old NYT articles on Sept 11 archived on the main wikipedia .. could we do that with this one, put the text on Wikibooks ?
I'm sorry to say this, but no Wikibooks book is anywhere near usable quality, especially in a college environment. LDan
Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! SiteBuilder - Free, easy-to-use web site design software http://sitebuilder.yahoo.com _______________________________________________ Textbook-l mailing list Textbook-l@Wikipedia.org http://mail.wikipedia.org/mailman/listinfo/textbook-l
_______________________________________________ Textbook-l mailing list Textbook-l@Wikipedia.org http://mail.wikipedia.org/mailman/listinfo/textbook-l
Teresa,
K-12 in the US ranges from Kindergarden (ages 4-6) through 12th grade (the last year of high school, before starting university).
The US K-12 system is composed of Elementary School (usually grades K-5, or 6); Middle School (usually grades 5-6, through 8); and high school (usually grades 9-12). The age and grade-range differences vary slightly, by state.
Finally, some of your science materials would probably be useful for students in high school curriculum. Once Wiki has chosen a topic for a pilot textbook, the K-12 project will be on its way.
Best, Sanford
----- Original Message ----- From: "KNOTT, T" TKNOTT@qcl.org.uk To: "'Wikimedia textbook discussion'" textbook-l@Wikipedia.org Sent: Wednesday, September 17, 2003 12:29 AM Subject: RE: [Textbook-l] NYT article on textbook prices
I agree. Although it would be nice to get new contributors, we should wait until we get at least one book relatively finished.
A quick question from a brit ? Is K12 high school? I'm currently working
on
a science textbook based around the UK science syllabus for kids aged
14-16
I wonder I some of my pages can be adapted by someone for the US and the rest of the world.
Theresa
-----Original Message----- From: Sanford Forte [mailto:siforte@ix.netcom.com] Sent: 16 September 2003 21:59 To: Wikimedia textbook discussion Subject: Re: [Textbook-l] NYT article on textbook prices
Yes. This has been a problem for years. It's like skimming cream off the
top
for college textbook publishers. Also, K-12 publishers are just as greedy. We need to get the K-12 project going. Believe me, once we create a *quality* K-12 book, based on strict state framework standards (ideally, California, because that would make, by far, the biggest impact), we could revolutionize the whole textbook creation and adoption process. University books are also ripe for reform, but they are really less of a challenge
than
the K-12 sector. The K-12 publishers really have a stranglehold on the books, the pricing, and the process. Millions of kids, parents, and teachers - and our society - lose in this antiquated process.
Before sending anything to Slashdot, as Karl suggests, I think it would behoove us to get something substantial underway, or have something finished. Otherwise, it's just empty promises.
Here are some more links to an excellent series (expose) in K-12 books
that
was done about 8 months ago in the San Jose Mercury News. Additionally, an excellent piece from Forbes. http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/news/local/4743883.htm http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/living/education/4749572.htm http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/living/education/4756801.htm
http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2000/1030/6612178a_print.html
Best, Sanford
----- Original Message ----- From: "Daniel Ehrenberg" littledanehren@yahoo.com To: "Wikimedia textbook discussion" textbook-l@Wikipedia.org Sent: Tuesday, September 16, 2003 12:19 PM Subject: Re: [Textbook-l] NYT article on textbook prices
--- Karl Wick karlwick@yahoo.com wrote:
This was on the front page of my local paper this morning:
"When Books Break the Bank"
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/09/16/nyregion/16BOOK.html?pagewanted=all&po...
on=
An article about outrageous textbook prices and the things that students are doing to avoid paying them. (No mention of our site unfortunately).
I saw old NYT articles on Sept 11 archived on the main wikipedia .. could we do that with this one, put the text on Wikibooks ?
I'm sorry to say this, but no Wikibooks book is anywhere near usable quality, especially in a college environment. LDan
Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! SiteBuilder - Free, easy-to-use web site design software http://sitebuilder.yahoo.com _______________________________________________ Textbook-l mailing list Textbook-l@Wikipedia.org http://mail.wikipedia.org/mailman/listinfo/textbook-l
Textbook-l mailing list Textbook-l@Wikipedia.org http://mail.wikipedia.org/mailman/listinfo/textbook-l _______________________________________________ Textbook-l mailing list Textbook-l@Wikipedia.org http://mail.wikipedia.org/mailman/listinfo/textbook-l
btw, my bad...go here http://textbook.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_History_Project for a look at the first K-12 textbook project to just get underway - well done! A great start, and congratulations to all for getting to this initial stage. Jimbo was right, "ask Wikipedia, and ye shall receive"
Sanford
----- Original Message ----- From: "KNOTT, T" TKNOTT@qcl.org.uk To: "'Wikimedia textbook discussion'" textbook-l@Wikipedia.org Sent: Wednesday, September 17, 2003 12:29 AM Subject: RE: [Textbook-l] NYT article on textbook prices
I agree. Although it would be nice to get new contributors, we should wait until we get at least one book relatively finished.
A quick question from a brit ? Is K12 high school? I'm currently working
on
a science textbook based around the UK science syllabus for kids aged
14-16
I wonder I some of my pages can be adapted by someone for the US and the rest of the world.
Theresa
-----Original Message----- From: Sanford Forte [mailto:siforte@ix.netcom.com] Sent: 16 September 2003 21:59 To: Wikimedia textbook discussion Subject: Re: [Textbook-l] NYT article on textbook prices
Yes. This has been a problem for years. It's like skimming cream off the
top
for college textbook publishers. Also, K-12 publishers are just as greedy. We need to get the K-12 project going. Believe me, once we create a *quality* K-12 book, based on strict state framework standards (ideally, California, because that would make, by far, the biggest impact), we could revolutionize the whole textbook creation and adoption process. University books are also ripe for reform, but they are really less of a challenge
than
the K-12 sector. The K-12 publishers really have a stranglehold on the books, the pricing, and the process. Millions of kids, parents, and teachers - and our society - lose in this antiquated process.
Before sending anything to Slashdot, as Karl suggests, I think it would behoove us to get something substantial underway, or have something finished. Otherwise, it's just empty promises.
Here are some more links to an excellent series (expose) in K-12 books
that
was done about 8 months ago in the San Jose Mercury News. Additionally, an excellent piece from Forbes. http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/news/local/4743883.htm http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/living/education/4749572.htm http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/living/education/4756801.htm
http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2000/1030/6612178a_print.html
Best, Sanford
----- Original Message ----- From: "Daniel Ehrenberg" littledanehren@yahoo.com To: "Wikimedia textbook discussion" textbook-l@Wikipedia.org Sent: Tuesday, September 16, 2003 12:19 PM Subject: Re: [Textbook-l] NYT article on textbook prices
--- Karl Wick karlwick@yahoo.com wrote:
This was on the front page of my local paper this morning:
"When Books Break the Bank"
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/09/16/nyregion/16BOOK.html?pagewanted=all&po...
on=
An article about outrageous textbook prices and the things that students are doing to avoid paying them. (No mention of our site unfortunately).
I saw old NYT articles on Sept 11 archived on the main wikipedia .. could we do that with this one, put the text on Wikibooks ?
I'm sorry to say this, but no Wikibooks book is anywhere near usable quality, especially in a college environment. LDan
Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! SiteBuilder - Free, easy-to-use web site design software http://sitebuilder.yahoo.com _______________________________________________ Textbook-l mailing list Textbook-l@Wikipedia.org http://mail.wikipedia.org/mailman/listinfo/textbook-l
Textbook-l mailing list Textbook-l@Wikipedia.org http://mail.wikipedia.org/mailman/listinfo/textbook-l _______________________________________________ Textbook-l mailing list Textbook-l@Wikipedia.org http://mail.wikipedia.org/mailman/listinfo/textbook-l
--- Sanford Forte siforte@ix.netcom.com wrote:
btw, my bad...go here
http://textbook.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_History_Project
for a look at the first K-12 textbook project to just get underway - well done! A great start, and congratulations to all for getting to this initial stage. Jimbo was right, "ask Wikipedia, and ye shall receive"
Sanford
Nothing has happened on that project! We just have some page templates. LDan
__________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! SiteBuilder - Free, easy-to-use web site design software http://sitebuilder.yahoo.com
It's a start! ;)
----- Original Message ----- From: "Daniel Ehrenberg" littledanehren@yahoo.com To: "Wikimedia textbook discussion" textbook-l@Wikipedia.org Sent: Wednesday, September 17, 2003 1:21 PM Subject: Re: [Textbook-l] NYT article on textbook prices
--- Sanford Forte siforte@ix.netcom.com wrote:
btw, my bad...go here
http://textbook.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_History_Project
for a look at the first K-12 textbook project to just get underway - well done! A great start, and congratulations to all for getting to this initial stage. Jimbo was right, "ask Wikipedia, and ye shall receive"
Sanford
Nothing has happened on that project! We just have some page templates. LDan
Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! SiteBuilder - Free, easy-to-use web site design software http://sitebuilder.yahoo.com _______________________________________________ Textbook-l mailing list Textbook-l@Wikipedia.org http://mail.wikipedia.org/mailman/listinfo/textbook-l
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