Thread:Initial thoughts ... (1)

"The success of OER depends on many volunteers all over the world taking part in creating these resources. For that reason, this section on creating OER is an important one."


 * On a few occasions it has crossed my mind that we come across as saying "We need you to help us make a success of OER" ... would it not be better to be saying "finding and using OER has these benefits ... helping you be more effective in your teaching/learning ...".

How about an opening statement along these lines:


 * If you don't find ready-made resources that are easily adapted for use in your situation, then you may have to build some from scratch. Here's how ...". [Footnote: we recommend sharing your resource as early as possible in the creation process in order to attract like minds and develop synergies. See "Sharing OER" (proposed rename for the "Publish" section].

The second paragraph may be omitted - or blended into the Licensing section/chapter.

The third paragraph is important and it could touch on "Learning Design" - this is an aspect which I am not sure whether it should be a chapter or an all pervasive theme. The paragraph could read something like:


 * We illustrate the process of building OER through a story about an educator creating a module on conservation of momentum for a physics class in a school which happens to have intermittent Internet connectivity. The example uses WikiEducator as the repository of choice, and a particular set of tools, but the principles are generally applicable.

Then the main part of the chapter starts ... perhaps with some planning/design hints including choice of repository, whether to host it locally, etc. (i.e. a brief overview). The sections become a very specific tutorial illustrating how the educator built the resource with reference to the appendices (the tables) which describe alternative tools etc..

I understand this suggestion could lead to significant rework.