Comments on: Petition to philanthropists: liberate educational content http://blog.citizendium.org/2008/03/24/a-plea-to-liberate-educational-content/ Weblog about the Citizendium project and its Citizens. Fri, 25 Jul 2008 00:19:58 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.1.2 By: t http://blog.citizendium.org/2008/03/24/a-plea-to-liberate-educational-content/#comment-89632 t Sun, 23 Mar 2008 23:42:06 +0000 http://blog.citizendium.org/2008/03/24/a-plea-to-liberate-educational-content/#comment-89632 mcGraw Hill sells a lot of e-books online.http://www.mheducation.com/home/index.shtml LWW also began an online sales of books now too: http://www.lww.com/index.html mcGraw Hill sells a lot of e-books online.http://www.mheducation.com/home/index.shtml

LWW also began an online sales of books now too: http://www.lww.com/index.html

]]> By: t http://blog.citizendium.org/2008/03/24/a-plea-to-liberate-educational-content/#comment-89635 t Sun, 23 Mar 2008 23:47:12 +0000 http://blog.citizendium.org/2008/03/24/a-plea-to-liberate-educational-content/#comment-89635 bad spelling / english above. don't know how to edit the last post bad spelling / english above. don’t know how to edit the last post

]]> By: Larry Sanger http://blog.citizendium.org/2008/03/24/a-plea-to-liberate-educational-content/#comment-89826 Larry Sanger Mon, 24 Mar 2008 15:40:12 +0000 http://blog.citizendium.org/2008/03/24/a-plea-to-liberate-educational-content/#comment-89826 I'm sure it is possible to <i>buy</i> all sorts of digital textbooks. I'm suggesting that philanthropists buy (digital) copies of the best textbooks (and other educational material) for everyone, basically. Suppose a philanthropist gave a million dollars to a team of people to create a sixth-grade science textbook, as good as or better than any available on the market, to be released to the world for free. That's what I mean. I’m sure it is possible to buy all sorts of digital textbooks. I’m suggesting that philanthropists buy (digital) copies of the best textbooks (and other educational material) for everyone, basically. Suppose a philanthropist gave a million dollars to a team of people to create a sixth-grade science textbook, as good as or better than any available on the market, to be released to the world for free. That’s what I mean.

]]> By: Daniel Mietchen http://blog.citizendium.org/2008/03/24/a-plea-to-liberate-educational-content/#comment-89879 Daniel Mietchen Mon, 24 Mar 2008 21:47:49 +0000 http://blog.citizendium.org/2008/03/24/a-plea-to-liberate-educational-content/#comment-89879 thank you, larry, for bringing this up. I will add just a few points: * Such initiatives integrate well with projectes like the One laptop Per Child initiative (http://laptop.org/; here, governments play the role Larry proposed for the philanthropists) dedicated to foster computer literacy among children in poor countries, so as to provide them with options for a sustainable future * In order to provide free education on a global scale, cultural diversity has to be taken into account, which will certainly complicate the picture. This primarily concerns language but also more subtle issues like biased perspectives on historic events (for an interesting approach to tackle these, see http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,2144,2078903,00.html ). * Free online education already takes place at an acedemic level (e.g. http://www.world-lecture-project.org/ ) but projects of this type are not well integrated with each other, nor with other similar projects targeting other stages of education (e.g. children or pensioneers) * There is an ongoing petition on the subject (The Cape Town Open Education Declaration, http://www.capetowndeclaration.org/ ) thank you, larry, for bringing this up. I will add just a few points:
* Such initiatives integrate well with projectes like the One laptop Per Child initiative (http://laptop.org/; here, governments play the role Larry proposed for the philanthropists) dedicated to foster computer literacy among children in poor countries, so as to provide them with options for a sustainable future
* In order to provide free education on a global scale, cultural diversity has to be taken into account, which will certainly complicate the picture. This primarily concerns language but also more subtle issues like biased perspectives on historic events (for an interesting approach to tackle these, see http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,2144,2078903,00.html ).
* Free online education already takes place at an acedemic level (e.g. http://www.world-lecture-project.org/ ) but projects of this type are not well integrated with each other, nor with other similar projects targeting other stages of education (e.g. children or pensioneers)
* There is an ongoing petition on the subject (The Cape Town Open Education Declaration, http://www.capetowndeclaration.org/ )

]]> By: Tom Hoffman http://blog.citizendium.org/2008/03/24/a-plea-to-liberate-educational-content/#comment-89909 Tom Hoffman Tue, 25 Mar 2008 00:25:28 +0000 http://blog.citizendium.org/2008/03/24/a-plea-to-liberate-educational-content/#comment-89909 There is also quite a bit of "abandonware" educational content, either out of print commercial curricula or material created by academics but never marketed. Some of this material is of very high quality. As an English teacher I'm particularly irked by the unavailability of the Pacesetter English curriculum formerly marketed by ETS. It was a very forward-looking 12th grade English course developed in the 90's that came out right as their AP curriculum began a new spike in popularity, taking away the need for it in their product line. There is also quite a bit of “abandonware” educational content, either out of print commercial curricula or material created by academics but never marketed. Some of this material is of very high quality. As an English teacher I’m particularly irked by the unavailability of the Pacesetter English curriculum formerly marketed by ETS. It was a very forward-looking 12th grade English course developed in the 90’s that came out right as their AP curriculum began a new spike in popularity, taking away the need for it in their product line.

]]> By: t http://blog.citizendium.org/2008/03/24/a-plea-to-liberate-educational-content/#comment-89918 t Tue, 25 Mar 2008 00:52:00 +0000 http://blog.citizendium.org/2008/03/24/a-plea-to-liberate-educational-content/#comment-89918 I got that, but I thought a sentence implied that publishers were not selling content digitally. I guess I misread it. Or maybe I needed to click the link. I also, just wanted to spread the word for some great online resources for sale. I got that, but I thought a sentence implied that publishers were not selling content digitally. I guess I misread it. Or maybe I needed to click the link. I also, just wanted to spread the word for some great online resources for sale.

]]> By: Larry Sanger http://blog.citizendium.org/2008/03/24/a-plea-to-liberate-educational-content/#comment-89936 Larry Sanger Tue, 25 Mar 2008 01:51:35 +0000 http://blog.citizendium.org/2008/03/24/a-plea-to-liberate-educational-content/#comment-89936 Daniel -- interesting thoughts. On your second point: curricula are tied not just to specific languages, but to individual countries and (in the U.S.) individual states, school districts, schools, and teachers. No one should expect any philanthropist to spend his money trying to meet <i>all</i> these different specific needs; that's just unrealistic. The hope is that, eventually, support from all around the world will materialize for the very large diversity of content needed. It shouldn't all come from, e.g., American philanthropists. Also, I'm familiar with the Cape Town declaration; pleasant sentiments and good PR for the open education movement, but that movement has existed for a long time now. Tom H -- precisely. It's a travesty that such content is sitting idle, making no one any money and benefiting no one, when it really <i>could</i> benefit a lot of people. I'm not sure entirely what to do about this, but I feel that something <i>can</i> be done. Daniel — interesting thoughts. On your second point: curricula are tied not just to specific languages, but to individual countries and (in the U.S.) individual states, school districts, schools, and teachers. No one should expect any philanthropist to spend his money trying to meet all these different specific needs; that’s just unrealistic. The hope is that, eventually, support from all around the world will materialize for the very large diversity of content needed. It shouldn’t all come from, e.g., American philanthropists. Also, I’m familiar with the Cape Town declaration; pleasant sentiments and good PR for the open education movement, but that movement has existed for a long time now.

Tom H — precisely. It’s a travesty that such content is sitting idle, making no one any money and benefiting no one, when it really could benefit a lot of people. I’m not sure entirely what to do about this, but I feel that something can be done.

]]> By: Chunbum Park http://blog.citizendium.org/2008/03/24/a-plea-to-liberate-educational-content/#comment-89946 Chunbum Park Tue, 25 Mar 2008 02:50:05 +0000 http://blog.citizendium.org/2008/03/24/a-plea-to-liberate-educational-content/#comment-89946 this is a great idea. if this doesn't help american schools, it should still help the students of the poorer countries who cannot afford textbooks & papers & pencils but are still ambitious & want to learn & have the advantage of that MIT's $100 laptop program. this is a great idea. if this doesn’t help american schools, it should still help the students of the poorer countries who cannot afford textbooks & papers & pencils but are still ambitious & want to learn & have the advantage of that MIT’s $100 laptop program.

]]> By: Larry Sanger http://blog.citizendium.org/2008/03/24/a-plea-to-liberate-educational-content/#comment-89965 Larry Sanger Tue, 25 Mar 2008 04:28:43 +0000 http://blog.citizendium.org/2008/03/24/a-plea-to-liberate-educational-content/#comment-89965 I've just completely rewritten this blog post and transformed it into a petition drive. Please sign! I’ve just completely rewritten this blog post and transformed it into a petition drive. Please sign!

]]> By: Yuval Langer http://blog.citizendium.org/2008/03/24/a-plea-to-liberate-educational-content/#comment-90070 Yuval Langer Tue, 25 Mar 2008 14:04:39 +0000 http://blog.citizendium.org/2008/03/24/a-plea-to-liberate-educational-content/#comment-90070 Cultural perspectives aren't much of a problem when dealing with hard science. Books like Stryer's Biochemistry and Vender's Physiology. This effort reminds me of Blender's history. It was a closed source proprietary software but when the company owning it went bankrupt, the free software community bought the source and released it under the GNU Public License. Cultural perspectives aren’t much of a problem when dealing with hard science. Books like Stryer’s Biochemistry and Vender’s Physiology.
This effort reminds me of Blender’s history. It was a closed source proprietary software but when the company owning it went bankrupt, the free software community bought the source and released it under the GNU Public License.

]]> By: Stephen Ewen http://blog.citizendium.org/2008/03/24/a-plea-to-liberate-educational-content/#comment-90127 Stephen Ewen Tue, 25 Mar 2008 18:58:03 +0000 http://blog.citizendium.org/2008/03/24/a-plea-to-liberate-educational-content/#comment-90127 I strongly agree in principle with this but it is premature and thus misplaced. Teaching must first routinely provide a truly living wage, a much more important place to focus. I strongly agree in principle with this but it is premature and thus misplaced. Teaching must first routinely provide a truly living wage, a much more important place to focus.

]]> By: Stephen Ewen http://blog.citizendium.org/2008/03/24/a-plea-to-liberate-educational-content/#comment-90149 Stephen Ewen Tue, 25 Mar 2008 20:20:02 +0000 http://blog.citizendium.org/2008/03/24/a-plea-to-liberate-educational-content/#comment-90149 To illustrate my post above, consider the following. Larry said, "Suppose a philanthropist gave a million dollars to a team of people to create a sixth-grade science textbook, as good as or better than any available on the market, to be released to the world for free." One unintended outcome of this would be that teachers who are able to supplement their typically inadequate teacher's salary by writing and publishing textbooks will by and large have this venue removed. It becomes a very poor choice of one's time to attempt to write a good textbook when the market has been subverted by a philanthroposit making one "as good as or better than any available on the market" available for free. An unintended consequence of that would be diminished innovation in writing superior textbooks. To illustrate my post above, consider the following.

Larry said, “Suppose a philanthropist gave a million dollars to a team of people to create a sixth-grade science textbook, as good as or better than any available on the market, to be released to the world for free.”

One unintended outcome of this would be that teachers who are able to supplement their typically inadequate teacher’s salary by writing and publishing textbooks will by and large have this venue removed. It becomes a very poor choice of one’s time to attempt to write a good textbook when the market has been subverted by a philanthroposit making one “as good as or better than any available on the market” available for free. An unintended consequence of that would be diminished innovation in writing superior textbooks.

]]> By: Larry Sanger http://blog.citizendium.org/2008/03/24/a-plea-to-liberate-educational-content/#comment-90150 Larry Sanger Tue, 25 Mar 2008 20:33:23 +0000 http://blog.citizendium.org/2008/03/24/a-plea-to-liberate-educational-content/#comment-90150 I don't know, but I imagine that very, very few teachers make any significant money from textbooks. More importantly, <i>teachers continue to be paid this way,</i> just not by publishers -- they are paid, instead, by philanthropists. The whole idea of "the market being subverted" is fascinating, but needs elaboration. I am inclined to reject the very possibility of markets being "subverted" by philanthropy. Philanthropists are <i>part of</i> a free market. I don’t know, but I imagine that very, very few teachers make any significant money from textbooks. More importantly, teachers continue to be paid this way, just not by publishers — they are paid, instead, by philanthropists.

The whole idea of “the market being subverted” is fascinating, but needs elaboration. I am inclined to reject the very possibility of markets being “subverted” by philanthropy. Philanthropists are part of a free market.

]]> By: Historia i Media | Larry Sanger apeluje o darmowe podręczniki http://blog.citizendium.org/2008/03/24/a-plea-to-liberate-educational-content/#comment-90328 Historia i Media | Larry Sanger apeluje o darmowe podręczniki Wed, 26 Mar 2008 08:14:54 +0000 http://blog.citizendium.org/2008/03/24/a-plea-to-liberate-educational-content/#comment-90328 [...] Larry Sanger, jeden z założycieli Wikipedii, apeluje o finansowanie darmowych podręczników w licencji open-source. [...] […] Larry Sanger, jeden z założycieli Wikipedii, apeluje o finansowanie darmowych podręczników w licencji open-source. […]

]]> By: Doug Holton http://blog.citizendium.org/2008/03/24/a-plea-to-liberate-educational-content/#comment-90346 Doug Holton Wed, 26 Mar 2008 09:50:35 +0000 http://blog.citizendium.org/2008/03/24/a-plea-to-liberate-educational-content/#comment-90346 I would look into opening up educational software, too. And like someone above mentioned, there is some abandonware or older stuff out there that would be nice if it were opened up. For example, the Understanding by Design website charges teachers to share and access lessons. There was a very effective video-based math curriculum called the Jasper Woodbury series. See some other research-based educational software and resources here: http://edtechdev.blogspot.com/2008/02/learning-sciences-open-education_14.html The Concord Consortium and TERC and other organizations like those have done great work developing K-12 curriculum and software. But those organizations and most funding goes purely to math & science. You see little funding or free software or textbooks for history, geography, writing, etc. I would look into opening up educational software, too. And like someone above mentioned, there is some abandonware or older stuff out there that would be nice if it were opened up.
For example, the Understanding by Design website charges teachers to share and access lessons. There was a very effective video-based math curriculum called the Jasper Woodbury series. See some other research-based educational software and resources here:
http://edtechdev.blogspot.com/2008/02/learning-sciences-open-education_14.html

The Concord Consortium and TERC and other organizations like those have done great work developing K-12 curriculum and software. But those organizations and most funding goes purely to math & science. You see little funding or free software or textbooks for history, geography, writing, etc.

]]> By: Larry Sanger http://blog.citizendium.org/2008/03/24/a-plea-to-liberate-educational-content/#comment-90452 Larry Sanger Wed, 26 Mar 2008 19:03:34 +0000 http://blog.citizendium.org/2008/03/24/a-plea-to-liberate-educational-content/#comment-90452 You know, I included educational software under my second bullet point above...without realizing that, er, that's software, not content. (So I agree there.) Well, I've been using enough educational software lately that it just seems to me mainly content, not software. The software part is not the part users are interested in; we want it mainly as a way to deliver content. You know, I included educational software under my second bullet point above…without realizing that, er, that’s software, not content. (So I agree there.) Well, I’ve been using enough educational software lately that it just seems to me mainly content, not software. The software part is not the part users are interested in; we want it mainly as a way to deliver content.

]]> By: Wikipedia Co-Founder Supports Free Textbooks at Degree Space http://blog.citizendium.org/2008/03/24/a-plea-to-liberate-educational-content/#comment-90749 Wikipedia Co-Founder Supports Free Textbooks at Degree Space Fri, 28 Mar 2008 04:38:14 +0000 http://blog.citizendium.org/2008/03/24/a-plea-to-liberate-educational-content/#comment-90749 [...] week Wikipedia co-founder Larry Sanger issued a statement urging philanthropists to support the creation of free online textbooks. Wired Campus reports: [...] […] week Wikipedia co-founder Larry Sanger issued a statement urging philanthropists to support the creation of free online textbooks. Wired Campus reports: […]

]]> By: Ecclesial Dreamer… » Food for thought… http://blog.citizendium.org/2008/03/24/a-plea-to-liberate-educational-content/#comment-92024 Ecclesial Dreamer… » Food for thought… Thu, 03 Apr 2008 05:36:33 +0000 http://blog.citizendium.org/2008/03/24/a-plea-to-liberate-educational-content/#comment-92024 [...] of interesting articles have caught my ecclesial dreamer eye recently. First, is this call to liberate educational content. I find this type of thinking very inspiring not necessarily because I agree with everything but [...] […] of interesting articles have caught my ecclesial dreamer eye recently. First, is this call to liberate educational content. I find this type of thinking very inspiring not necessarily because I agree with everything but […]

]]> By: Kelly http://blog.citizendium.org/2008/03/24/a-plea-to-liberate-educational-content/#comment-93251 Kelly Mon, 07 Apr 2008 14:42:25 +0000 http://blog.citizendium.org/2008/03/24/a-plea-to-liberate-educational-content/#comment-93251 I really would like to have some help with getting a proposal funded for teaching about maps to my first graders. We have to start somewhere and I for one know that kids love learning, but if teachers do not have the tools necessary, they have a very difficult job! I have written a proposal for books to teach about maps and space. If you want to read it, I have added the link below: http://www.donorschoose.org/donors/proposal.html?id=161418&verify=-392735715&zone=0 I really would like to have some help with getting a proposal funded for teaching about maps to my first graders. We have to start somewhere and I for one know that kids love learning, but if teachers do not have the tools necessary, they have a very difficult job! I have written a proposal for books to teach about maps and space. If you want to read it, I have added the link below:
http://www.donorschoose.org/donors/proposal.html?id=161418&verify=-392735715&zone=0

]]> By: amerlino http://blog.citizendium.org/2008/03/24/a-plea-to-liberate-educational-content/#comment-108328 amerlino Wed, 28 May 2008 13:01:15 +0000 http://blog.citizendium.org/2008/03/24/a-plea-to-liberate-educational-content/#comment-108328 I am assuming that posting this information on a secure sight to avoid any manipulation of the material that users will be learning from is a given!? <a href="http://www.thesoftwarespot.com" rel="nofollow">Kids Learning Tools</a> I am assuming that posting this information on a secure sight to avoid any manipulation of the material that users will be learning from is a given!?
Kids Learning Tools

]]> By: Deep Currents » Archives » Monitoring and Scanning Report http://blog.citizendium.org/2008/03/24/a-plea-to-liberate-educational-content/#comment-111384 Deep Currents » Archives » Monitoring and Scanning Report Fri, 06 Jun 2008 01:59:15 +0000 http://blog.citizendium.org/2008/03/24/a-plea-to-liberate-educational-content/#comment-111384 [...] http://blog.citizendium.org/2008/03/24/a-plea-to-liberate-educational-content/ [...] […] http://blog.citizendium.org/2008/03/24/a-plea-to-liberate-educational-content/ […]

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