Using Business Calculus resource instead of OpenStax?

Hey cohort!

I hate to intervene too much with the beginning of the editing process, but I want us to think about how much editing we will need to make for the OpenStax book that was cloned into the pressbook shell versus doing work to use the Business Calculus (formerly Applied Calculus), by Shana Calaway, Dale Hoffman, and David Lippman: https://www.opentextbookstore.com/appcalc/appcalc.pdf resource. I just feel this is a better content resource.

(Here is another link with chapter PDFs: http://www.opentextbookstore.com/appcalc/)

So, Elizabeth at LOUIS tested bringing a section of this resource into Pressbook, here is what is looks like:
https://louis.pressbooks.pub/sandbox2/chapter/business-calculus-section-1-2-operations-on-functions-test/

Her comments about this import are as follows:

  • This one is tricky. There is a web version but each chapter is a separate link and it’s in PHP, which Pressbooks won’t directly import. I had success viewing the source code for a chapter, copying the HTML into notepad text editor; and then adding [latex] tags. Images don’t import this way, though, and will need to be added separately.
  • Conversely, I can export the version and convert to Word, in which case they would need to manually redo all the equations
  • Or, like Trigonometry, I can do a hybrid approach where I import and convert the formulas from the web version into Pressbooks, and convert the PDF to Word so they can leave the images as placeholders and copy and paste text edits back into Pressbooks around the [latex] tagged formulas. Same question as Trig–should Elizabeth go ahead and import the web version one chapter at a time and also make a Word doc? Or will the cohort want to use the first approach/web version import?

I just wonder if the efforts of getting the content we want into pressbook, then cleaning up is better than using a text resource that has way more than what is needed.

Thoughts???

I am open to using the Business Calculus book. I was already using it as a supplement to the Calculus 1 book we were using. If we continue with the Calculus 1 book, we will have to make numerous decisions on content, what to include or exclude, and how to rearrange information. By switching to the Business Calculus book, our work will be primarily cleaning up codes, and updating images and videos. Also, this may better coincide with your moodle/canvas online problems that I am hoping we will use during the next phase of developing this course. I think we should see what Elizabeth can do.

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@bkunwor @James.Boffenmyer what are your thoughts?

@bkunwor - I am not sure if what Elizabeth is saying she had to do is the same as what you did for the Trig resource. Is it possible to see if you can copy over the content from the Business Calculus website into Pressbook?

I agree with Karen, this cleaning up may be better on our efforts than rearranging an entire Calculus text to make it Applied Calculus.

@jeusea @karen.perilloux Thank you, Jared and Karen, for sharing your thoughts. I have previously utilized David Lipman’s book, and I also believe that it is more in line with our objectives. His examples and exercises are consistent with his video solutions, which will certainly help us save time. I will begin importing the relevant chapters; I believe that shouldn’t take very long.

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@jeusea I was able to bring the first two sections from the web version yesterday for testing purposes. I can finish bringing the rest of the body into Pressbook today. Hoping, This will reduce the amount of editing required and be helpful to Elizabeth.

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Thank you @bkunwor! I will let Elizabeth know to look out for it all brought in.

@jeusea I have completed importing the book and will group them into chapters later. Currently, they are located directly below the front matter and are labeled with ‘Section’ titles

@bkunwor @karen.perilloux @James.Boffenmyer - So the clean-up of the Business Calculus resource will be a very intensive process. LOUIS suggested we stick with what is in the pressbook shell for now, then after a clean-up with removal of what is not needed, we can look to add in the Business Calculus content.

Hi to all, @jeusea @bkunwor @James.Boffenmyer
I just wanted to see if there was an updated recommendation from Elizabeth on whether we could use the Business Calculus book instead of the Calculus 1 book. We will need a final answer on this before we can start editing.

Karen,

I currently do not have an update, but I’m sure we’ll discuss this in detail during our cohort meeting tomorrow.

James B.

I have an update for us that I will share tomorrow - unfortunately, we will have to make a tough decision. A lot of editing will be done one way or another.