Browse: OER Community Type: Tools and Technology

Academic Commons

• Abstract: Sponsored by the Center of Inquiry in the Liberal Arts at Wabash College, Academic Commons shares these principles with the Center's exploration of liberal arts education: (1) Free exchange: open source technology and the free and open exchange of ideas, intellectual and creative work; (2) Heterogeneity: an understanding of, and sensitivity to, different modes of inquiry and their value for the larger academic enterprise; (3) Rational evaluation: a respect for evaluative processes that are anchored within professional expertise and are based on practices of open and rational deliberation.

• Subject: Science and Technology, Social Sciences
• Grade Level: Post-secondary

ATutor

• Abstract: ATutor is an Open Source Web-based Learning Content Management System (LCMS) designed with accessibility and adaptability in mind. Administrators can install or update ATutor in minutes. Educators can quickly assemble, package, and redistribute Web-based instructional content, or conduct courses online. Students learn in an adaptive learning environment. The first Open Source LCMS to adopt the IMS Content Packaging specifications.

• Subject: Science and Technology

British Library and US DOE to collaborate on global science gateway

• Abstract: Dr. Raymond L. Orbach, Under Secretary for Science of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), has signed an agreement with Lynne Brindley, Chief Executive of the British Library, to collaborate on the development of a global science gateway. The gateway would eventually make science information resources of many nations accessible via a single Internet portal.

• Subject: Science and Technology

The Citizendium Project

• Abstract: The Citizendium (sit-ih-ZEN-dee-um), a "citizens' compendium of everything," will be an experimental new wiki project that combines public participation with gentle expert guidance. It will begin life as a "progressive fork" of Wikipedia. But we expect it to take on a life of its own and, perhaps, to become the flagship of a new set of responsibly-managed free knowledge projects. We will avoid calling it an "encyclopedia," because there will probably always be articles in the resource that have not been vouched for in any sense.

Copyright & Distance Education: A trainer's toolkit

• Abstract: This toolkit provides a variety of resources designed to assist trainers in preparing and offering a workshop that introduces participants to copyright as it relates to distance education. It describes the basic features of copyright, identifies institutional issues and concerns, and outlines ways to deal with them. It is appropriate for academic staff involved in writing and presenting course materials; administrative staff involved in publishing, purchasing, selling, and presenting courses and course materials; and institutional staff involved in setting up procedures and policies on courses and course materials through central administration, the library, or a learning resources centre.

DSpace

• Abstract: The DSpace digital repository system captures, stores, indexes, preserves, and distributes digital research material.
  
  Research institutions worldwide use this open source system in a variety of ways -- as an institutional repository, a learning object repository, for records management, and more.

• Subject: Science and Technology
• Grade Level: Post-secondary

Edubuntu

• Abstract: The Edubuntu Linux distribution brings the spirit of Ubuntu to schools, through its customised school environment. The current version of Edubuntu is aimed at classroom use, and future versions of Edubuntu will expand to other educational usage, such as university use.

• Grade Level: Primary, Secondary, Post-secondary

Education Network Australia (EdNA)

• Abstract: EdNA Online is a service that aims to support and promote the benefits of the Internet for learning, education and training in Australia. It is organised around Australian curriculum, its tools are free to Australian educators, and it is funded by the bodies responsible for education provision in Australia - all Australian governments.

• Grade Level: Secondary

eduCommons

• Abstract: eduCommons is an OpenCourseWare management system designed specifically to support OpenCourseWare projects like MIT OCW and USU OCW.

• Subject: Science and Technology

EduForge

• Abstract: Eduforge is an open access environment designed for the sharing of ideas, research outcomes, open content and open source software for education. You are welcome to use our community resources or start your own project space.
  Registration is free.

EduTools

• Abstract: WCET's (Western Cooperative for Educational Telecommunications) EduTools provides independent reviews, side-by-side comparisons, and consulting services to assist decision-making in the e-learning community. Course Management Systems, Learning Object Repository Software, Online Course Evaluation Projects, ePortfolios, and more.

eLearning XML Editor (eXe)

• Abstract: The eXe project was conceived to address the use of technology in the design and authoring of learning resources for the web. Initial research showed that while there are many web authoring tools available their usability and sophistication varied considerably. We identified the need for a tool to specifically assist teachers and academics to publish professional looking web pages according to the structure and form required for good teaching, and in such a way that this content could be integrated with existing LMS applications.

ELGG

• Abstract: Elgg is an open source social networking platform based around choice, flexibility and openness: a system that firmly places individuals at the centre of their activities.
  
  Your users have the freedom to incorporate all their favorite tools within one environment and showcase their content with as many or as few people as they choose, all within a social networking site that you control.

Estimating Reuse / Remix Value of 7 OER Projects

• Abstract: This week I ventured to explore a number of OER projects and conduct a preliminary assessment of the reusability and remixability of the OER hosted in each. Based on earlier (albeit shallow) familiarity with some of these OER initiatives I am able to presume that the structure and technology of a selected sample OER from each is generally representative of all or most OER in the given project.
  
  I undertook this task as Rogue Quest 1 for David Wiley’s Intro to Open Ed course. The Rogue character class that I’ve adopted focuses on content production with an emphasis on finding and releasing or untrapping "open" content to allow for reuse and remix. I have only theoretical experience with remixing OER, and so it is fitting that I begin at experience level 1.
  
  Reuse/Remix Estimates
  As I purview each of seven different OER projects I will give each collection a reuse/remix value rating based on my initial impressions and observations. These estimates may change as I move forward to release, reuse, or remix some of these OER.
  
  My reuse/remix rating is a scale of 1 - 5, where "1" is extremely difficult or low value, and "5" is extremely easy or high value, referring to the act of taking CC content and reusing or remixing it on a separate server.

• Grade Level: Post-secondary

The Facilitation of the Transfer of Learning Materials

• Abstract: This manual provides practical advice to producers and users in selling, transferring, purchasing and acquiring materials. It is designed to facilitate the inter-institutional negotiation processes between producers and users and to identify the roles that COL may play in specific transfer and accreditation situations. Issues addressed include: types of transfer arrangements; copyright and intellectual property; adaptation and translation; costs, pricing, and remuneration; quality; and accreditation. (84 pages)

Flash Games for Education

• Abstract: This free website allows teachers and students to create interactive Flash games and diagrams for learning and revising material. All diagrams created can be saved as data files or web.

• Subject: Science and Technology, Social Sciences
• Grade Level: Primary, Secondary, Post-secondary

Free Curricula Center

• Abstract: The Free Curricula Center (FCC) helps students worldwide reach their educational potential by producing and distributing university level curricula that can be copied freely and modified cooperatively.
  
  Specifically, FCC serves as a focal point for the development and sharing of textbooks, instructor guides, and other educational materials. These materials, called free curricula, are released at no cost into the public domain or under an "open source" style license. This license allows anyone to make and distribute copies without having to pay, and to modify the curricula as long as those modifications are released under the same terms.

The GNU Free Documentation License

• Abstract: The GNU Free Documentation License is a form of copyleft intended for use on a manual, textbook or other document to assure everyone the effective freedom to copy and redistribute it, with or without modifications, either commercially or noncommercially.

• Subject: Science and Technology

Hot Potatoes

• Abstract: The Hot Potatoes suite includes six applications, enabling you to create interactive multiple-choice, short-answer, jumbled-sentence, crossword, matching/ordering and gap-fill exercises.

• Subject: Science and Technology, Social Sciences
• Grade Level: Primary, Secondary, Post-secondary

IMS Learning Resource Meta-Data

• Abstract: The purpose of this document is to provide users and implementers of the IMS Learning Resource Meta-data1 v1.3 Specification with a narrative description of the data model along with guidelines on its use, including the creation of application profiles. This Best Practice and Implementation Guide also provides a brief description of IEEE P1484.12.3 Draft Standard for Extensible Markup Language (XML) Schema Definition Language Binding for Learning Object Metadata plus guidelines on binding meta-data instances. Designers and developers of online learning materials have an enormous variety of software tools at their disposal for creating learning resources. These tools range from simple presentation software packages to more complex authoring environments. They can be very useful in allowing developers the opportunity to create learning resources that might otherwise require extensive programming skills. Unfortunately, the wide variety of software tools available from a wide variety of vendors produce instructional materials that do not share a common mechanism for finding and using these resources.