Interactive functions for etextbooks -- teacher wish list and ensuring cross platform functionality
Open Source Text Canada (OSTC) is a new foundation seeking to create Open Source versions of K-12 Canadian curricula.
Even before Apple launched iBooks textbooks for iPad and raised the bar, teachers were telling us that they wanted ways to engage their students and at the same time leverage etextbooks to help them manage the workload of testing and assignments.
OSTC is seeking the broadest possible platform at the least expense for the electronic versions of texts which appears to be the EPUBReader plugin for Mozilla's Firefox with javascripts running within an EPUB. This platform provides MathML, MusicML through free plugins, and superior conformity to HTML5 and CSS3.
So we are seeking input from the broader education community on in-book apps, how testing might work, the roles and ratios of written sections versus multiple choice, innovative ideas for assignments to encourage students to read a section and submit a review, and any other idea you might be willing to share.
The resulting ideas will move on to programmers (either hired or volunteers) and made available under the Creative Commons Canada licence.
Looking forward to your responses,
Glenn Ross CEO, Open Source Text Canada
