Mailing List Archive

Global Text Project
FYI - we need to talk to these people.

http://globaltext.org/

Global Text Project

* The goal is to create a free library of 1,000 electronic
textbooks for students in the developing world
* The library will cover the range of topics typically encountered
in the first two years of a university's undergraduate programs
* The global academic community and global corporations will be
engaged in creating and sponsoring this library

The project will create open content electronic textbooks that will be
freely available from a Web site. Distribution will also be possible
via paper, CD, or DVD. Our goal initially is to focus on content
development and Web distribution, and we will work with relevant
authorities to facilitate dissemination by other means when bandwidth
is unavailable or inadequate. Thus, while the goal, educating the
disadvantaged, is the same as that of the $100 laptop project, we are
not tied to a particular device or medium.

We have experience with developing a free textbook, XML: Managing Data
Exchange. This project started in January 2004 when a graduate class
at the University of Georgia wrote the first version of the book.
Subsequent graduate and undergraduate classes at the University of
Georgia and elsewhere have improved and extended the book. It has been
used as the XML text in a variety of classes, and in each case the
class has been required to leave the book in better shape that they
received it at the beginning of the term.

Experience with this project and the success of WikiBooks has
convinced us that we can further develop the idea of free and open
content books to increase the value of these books to students,
particularly those who cannot afford paper-based textbooks. We want to
add several innovations to improve the quality of the books.


--
Peace & Love,
Erik
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Re: Global Text Project [ In reply to ]
Erik Moeller wrote:

>FYI - we need to talk to these people.
>
>http://globaltext.org/
>
>Global Text Project
>
> * The goal is to create a free library of 1,000 electronic
>textbooks for students in the developing world
> * The library will cover the range of topics typically encountered
>in the first two years of a university's undergraduate programs
> * The global academic community and global corporations will be
>engaged in creating and sponsoring this library
>
>The project will create open content electronic textbooks that will be
>freely available from a Web site. Distribution will also be possible
>via paper, CD, or DVD. Our goal initially is to focus on content
>development and Web distribution, and we will work with relevant
>authorities to facilitate dissemination by other means when bandwidth
>is unavailable or inadequate. Thus, while the goal, educating the
>disadvantaged, is the same as that of the $100 laptop project, we are
>not tied to a particular device or medium.
>
>We have experience with developing a free textbook, XML: Managing Data
>Exchange. This project started in January 2004 when a graduate class
>at the University of Georgia wrote the first version of the book.
>Subsequent graduate and undergraduate classes at the University of
>Georgia and elsewhere have improved and extended the book. It has been
>used as the XML text in a variety of classes, and in each case the
>class has been required to leave the book in better shape that they
>received it at the beginning of the term.
>
>Experience with this project and the success of WikiBooks has
>convinced us that we can further develop the idea of free and open
>content books to increase the value of these books to students,
>particularly those who cannot afford paper-based textbooks. We want to
>add several innovations to improve the quality of the books.
>
>
>
>
This is a wonderful project and effort. I will visit the site and start
translations into several target languages.

Jeff
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Re: Global Text Project [ In reply to ]
The Global Text project has been getting some press lately:

Story from the New Scientist:
http://www.newscientisttech.com/article/dn9906-wikistyle-textbooks-to-aid-poorer-nations.html
Nature:
http://www.nature.com/news/2006/060911/full/060911-13.html (which talks
about Wikibooks)
Ars Technica (which mentions Wikiversity)
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060905-7662.html

Apparently, the project's innovation is editorial control -- the Nature
story quotes the project manager, who is from the Universty of Georgia, as
saying "Anyone will be able to contribute to the new textbooks, true — but
unlike wikipedia, the online, user-made encyclopedia, only an editor will be
able to approve contributions. "

They don't seem to have gotten very far yet; their biggest example text
(about XML) is actually hosted on en.wikibooks.

--
phoebe ayers | brassratgirl /at/ gmail.com


On 9/5/06, Erik Moeller <eloquence@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> FYI - we need to talk to these people.
>
> http://globaltext.org/
>
> Global Text Project
>
> * The goal is to create a free library of 1,000 electronic
> textbooks for students in the developing world
> * The library will cover the range of topics typically encountered
> in the first two years of a university's undergraduate programs
> * The global academic community and global corporations will be
> engaged in creating and sponsoring this library
>
> The project will create open content electronic textbooks that will be
> freely available from a Web site. Distribution will also be possible
> via paper, CD, or DVD. Our goal initially is to focus on content
> development and Web distribution, and we will work with relevant
> authorities to facilitate dissemination by other means when bandwidth
> is unavailable or inadequate. Thus, while the goal, educating the
> disadvantaged, is the same as that of the $100 laptop project, we are
> not tied to a particular device or medium.
>
> We have experience with developing a free textbook, XML: Managing Data
> Exchange. This project started in January 2004 when a graduate class
> at the University of Georgia wrote the first version of the book.
> Subsequent graduate and undergraduate classes at the University of
> Georgia and elsewhere have improved and extended the book. It has been
> used as the XML text in a variety of classes, and in each case the
> class has been required to leave the book in better shape that they
> received it at the beginning of the term.
>
> Experience with this project and the success of WikiBooks has
> convinced us that we can further develop the idea of free and open
> content books to increase the value of these books to students,
> particularly those who cannot afford paper-based textbooks. We want to
> add several innovations to improve the quality of the books.
>
>
> --
> Peace & Love,
> Erik
> ______________________________________________
>
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Re: Global Text Project [ In reply to ]
phoebe ayers wrote:

>The Global Text project has been getting some press lately:
>
>

Need to see it get some editors and a lot more content though ... :-)

Jeff
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