Our first monthly check-in will take place on June 10th. The check-ins will give us the opportunity to dive deeper into topics we’ve discussed over the first twelve weeks of the program, or to discuss something completely new. Is there something you’d like to explore at our upcoming session? Let us know below!
We’ve started this poll below with some preliminary suggestions, and can always add to it with your suggestions. If there’s a particular topic here you’d like us to address, vote for it (you can choose multiple topics)
Creating accessible tables in Pressbooks
Print-on-demand set-up screenshare
Specific frontmatter and backmatter types
0voters
We’ll also use the check-ins as a space to highlight strides on projects, share updates, bring up any challenges you are facing, or ask questions. The check-ins will complement our discussions in the forum, so we’ll keep an eye out for conversations taking place outside the calls and make adjustments as needed.
@feb20-cohort reminder that our check-in is taking place in just a few weeks, on June 10th. Is there anything particular you’d like me to prepare or present about? Some suggestions are in the poll above, but more are welcome! Reply below with ideas more pertinent to your projects, or vote in the poll if the options here are interesting.
Hello everyone @feb20-cohort. It’s time tomorrow for the first of our check-ins, and we’ll meet as usual at the very early hours of 9am ET on Zoom (at our standard meeting link). The meeting password has not changed, but I’ve shared it over Direct Message as a reminder.
We’ll use our time to share updates, ask questions, for a mini-session, and for more discussion. Based on the results of the poll, we’ll have a mini-session on Accessible Tables and Frontmatter & Backmatter Types. I’ve prepared the following resources as references:
We’ll also devote a few minutes looking ahead to our check-in next month, where we might talk about print-on-demand, or something else that you find pertinent. See you all tomorrow!
Thanks @apurva. The two most innovative Backmatter components that we’ve working on in our Penn State OER project on the Holocaust are the common Glossary and the common list of References (or common Bibliography). We are hoping to make use of a (cloud-linked) Zotero group to have an accessible and free software for authors to use when adding common source references; have others used Zotero in this way? We’d like to learn from past experiences. Thanks!
I have had “accessibility” as a primary goal for our resource from the moment we began, thinking toward writing it for an audience as global, for all students. Do you have examples of resources that already do this? Having taught classes restricted to international students for several years, it’s been very disappointing to find text after text that are “US Centric”. I want ours to be inclusive in every way.
Good to hear, Michael! You mentioned that your Glossary list has over 80 items so far, which is very impressive.
In terms of Zotero, the Pressbooks User Guide has a very brief chapter on how books can be added to your Zotero library. Using Zotero groups will only improve the collaborative nature of the project as students can compile and share references, including those mentioned in the book. I haven’t heard of specific examples of Pressbooks projects using Zotero in this way, but wonder if @steel, product manager at Pressbooks, knows of any?
Hi Ann, I’ve seen many projects specify their audiences as “global” or identify the target readers as someone enrolled in, for example, an introductory level course in any institution around the world. Carrying out this goal requires not only making the content representative of global audiences, but also improving the core team creating the content in the first place. I think stating very clearly that one of the goals of the project is to move away from a US-centric approach is important. This will make it explicit to authors but also potential collaborators from all over that they (and their perspectives are welcome).
Even making small changes to examples in the book, such as editing names so they are representative of the actual makeup of classrooms: example tweet from Rajiv Jhangiani
It was good to see you all in the @feb20-cohort at yesterday’s session! Thank you all for taking the time to join, share your updates, listen to my mini-session and ask questions. Given the short length of the mini-sessions, I’m hoping that the slides and resources in the handout will prove to be reference enough, but if that’s not the case, please let me know.
Our next check-in will take place July 8 — please take a look at more details in the July Monthly Check-in thread.
Chat Transcript & Resources
I’ve compiled a list of the resources shared on the call or in the chat transcript:
I’ll make introductions between teams in the May cohort shortly, on your various project homepages.
Lastly, for anyone who is yet to fill out the Post-Sessions Evaluation — Feb. 20 Cohort, please take a moment to give me your thoughts! As you know, the program is flexible to best suit your needs, so your feedback is invaluable.
