Session Two Recap

Textbook Success Program June 2023 Cohort
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Thanks for the excellent session today, @june23-cohort. and thanks again for your patience with me and Zoom! Here is a link to our chat transcript.

Before I recap the extensive information we covered today, I want to point out that the Week 3 homework (expected deliverables) is at the bottom of this recap announcement. I’ve included links to any documents and locations that are relevant to a particular task. Let me know if you run into any issues.

Key Links

Recap

This session started off with a brief overview of the different stages of the open publishing process. Knowing what goes into publishing can help you as a creator plan for the work involved. The model depicted in the slides is cyclical to demonstrate that you will progress through the publishing process in unique ways, sometimes circling back or working in multiple stages all at one, in correspondence with the unique parameters in your project. There is no one “right” way for all projects in our cohort, but understanding the different stages in the process, will help you plan ahead to better navigate those unique contexts.

We also discussed the importance of putting key systems in place to manage your project. Your group should already have some ideas about how you want to manage information.

One important consideration is how you will license your work. Here’s the link to the Creative Commons license overview pdf I shared today.
I also shared these websites where you can learn more about open licensing:

Prior to our next session, please complete the activities listed on your Handout for Session 2 [link above], under the Homework Activities. I’ve copied the checklist to the bottom of this recap. The checklist includes further working on your Project Summary [link above], and starting to locate suitable OER in your discipline. As a reminder in the template, you’ll consider:

  • Title: informative for reader and adopter.
  • About the project: Brief, highlight any unique elements or aspects about the resource
  • Audience: Think beyond the courseThe/classroom about student accessibility needs, reading levels, backgrounds, contexts, etc.
  • Significant Learning Outcomes: Phrasing Overarching OER Outcomes and more specific sub-goals can guide you in the location of suitable resources or inform you of gaps that you will need to fill.
  • About the content: list of topics or concepts covered, plus a brief structural breakdown of the book or course materials
  • Licence: Thinking about the permission you might (not) want to grant future adopters will help you define the licence of your choice down the road.
  • Team: list the full group of people involved in the project
  • Support or funding: mention institutional support and/or funding if applicable
  • Participation options: pathways to contact the team to get involved
  • Measures of Success: short and long-term goals that don’t solely need to be quantitative

Another important part of the Project Scoping stage is the coordination and forming of an equitable team. We discussed how a first step in this process is for you to set up systems and tools that will help your team to organise and make transparent all project- related communication. This will also allow for everybody to feel fully involved and contribute seamlessly, i.e. access, discuss, write, edit, and/ or format your OER. If you haven’t done so yet, please finalise this setup with your teams.

Next week, we’ll continue to plan and finalise the vision for the project with our session on storytelling and communication. I look forward to connecting with you then again.

As you prepare for Session Three, please complete the following homework activities:

  1. OPTIONAL: Example Project Summary

Take 2 minutes to look at any one of the following project summaries. What sections do you notice?

  1. Begin Working on your Project Summary

Continue the discussion with your team about the missing parts of this summary. Note this will take you a few weeks.

  1. Update Project Forum

  • Now access your own Rebus Community Project Forum. The easiest way is to go to your cohort landing page, click on the “About your cohort’ page.
  • Then click on the link to your respective project.
  • Finally, find the project summary post and add your information to it.

  1. Locate existing OER [I recommend you work with a librarian on this]

  1. Share Team Progress Updates in Forum

To let each other know of the progress you are making as you are working through the tasks of the week, post your reply to this thread in the Discussion Forum prior to our next session:

  • What activities have you managed to complete [use reflective checklist below]?
  • What challenges have you faced and what solutions have you found to address those?
  • Leave a few thoughts around the outcomes in Session 3: Storytelling and Communications [Read the initial 5 slides]:
    • that excite you,
    • you would like to know more about,
    • or you have questions about.
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I am excited as we move into session 3 to focus on Storytelling. I participated in some workshops this past year on mutual aid storytelling as it applies to teaching and research in the humanities. It was presented by the Inclusion Imperative (a project with several universities in Maryland), so the focus on care for the community and inclusivity of many voices was at the forefront.

Storytelling is at the forefront of the courses I teach- the stories of the past, the stories of the students, the artists, the communities. I had not thought about the work on the project as storytelling but I see now that it is, and it is vital to my goals and motivation as well- growing the OER Dance Community.

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Jill, I hope you will share more about your experience with the Inclusion Imperative today!