#243 Poster

Monday 16 April 15:00 - 17:15 Bar/Conservatory

OCW and OER-Based Digital Textbooks in Teacher Education Programs

Han Liu, Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania, US

Conference Theme: Innovation

Summary: This session introduces the design, content, development, and application of two OCW and OER-based digital textbooks for teacher education.

Abstract: It is particularly significant to help teacher candidates to get customary in applying OERs and OCW in their classroom instruction and life-long professional development, because teacher are leaders and role models who demonstrate digital age learning and digital-life experience to the next generation on the daily basis. This presentation will introduce the design and content and demonstrate the development and application of two OCW and OER-based digital textbooks for teacher preparation programs. One is on instructional technology and the other is on social studies methods. These two digital textbooks have been used consecutively for eight semesters with an accumulated user population of more than six hundred. A sets of longitudinal research data indicated that the users value the digital textbooks greatly as they have been so closely involved as editors and OER contributors themselves. 
The OCW and OER-based digital textbook is compiled and edited by the instructor, using carefully evaluated and re-organized open sources (mostly internal and external hyper-links to relevant OCW or OERs) as major contents presented and delivered in website format.
Students are encouraged and required to contribute their shares to the digital textbook content, be it a website, a segment of text information, a podcast, a video, a game, or a quiz, etc.   Each chapter of the Digital Textbook includes a chapter introduction, a lecture PowerPoint focusing on theories and concepts, and a set of questions for reflection, followed by assessments elected from open sources or developed by the instructor. The features of the digital textbook are summarized as the following:

• The digital textbook is compiled and edited by the instructor and the learner.
• Open sources are adapted and reorganized as major chapter contents
• Contents are presented and delivered predominantly in multimedia formats through the Internet
• Instructor design and develop OERs distributed through YouTube, Wikispaces and other venues
• Student are heavily involved in contributing OCW and OERs in updating the digital textbook
• Interactive functionality is facilitated with online quizzes, blogging, twittering, and student personal Wiki website, etc. 
• The digital textbook (website) is updated constantly and instantly on an on-going basis, and the large scale revision is to happen whenever deemed necessary by the instructor.
• Pure text readings are reduced and condensed compared to regular textbooks, while more multimedia sources like video, game, and interactives hold a significant portion to present the course content
• An organically organized learning community is formed for information communication, distribution, and sharing.

The development of the OCW and OER-based digital textbook followed three steps:

• Plan the textbook against high academic rigor and professional standards. Clearly list the goals and objectives the course intends to achieve. Design the website the hosts the digital textbook.
• Evaluate the relevant, accurate, dependable, and up-to-date OCW or OERs using the following steps: Identify, Classify, Aggregate, Compare Select, and Re-organize.
• Design assignments, projects, and course portfolio that require applying online learning tools, especially web2.0 tools.