Open Educational Resources Initiatives Open Educational - ADEA

ASSOCIATION FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF 

EDUCATION IN AFRICA (ADEA) 

(Draft Document) 

Open Educational Resources Initiatives 

Prepared by 

: Parahoo Sanjai K (WGDEOL Coordinator) 

With Research Assistance : Bheenick Bhavna 

: Doshina Ramsamy 

Edited by : H B Dansinghani (Director, Ministry of Education & 

Human Resources) 

WGDEOL Secretariat 

Mauritius 

October 2007

TABLE OF CONTENTS 

CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCION ON TO OER.......................................................................1 

1.1 DEFINITION ....................................................................................................................... 1 

1.2 BACKGROUND.................................................................................................................. 1 

1.3 THE CURRENT STATE OF OER...................................................................................... 2 

1.4 TRENDS IN OER DEVELOPMENT AND USE ............................................................... 2 

CHAPTER 2. PORTALS AND GATEWAYS TO OER ...................................................4 

2.1 GENERAL PORTALS AND GATEWAYS ....................................................................... 4 

2.2 NATIONAL PORTALS AND GATEWAYS ..................................................................... 5 

2.3 INDIVIDUAL FACULTY PORTALS AND GATEWAYS............................................... 6 

CHAPTER 3. TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES..................................................................7 

3.1 TOOLS FOR OER CREATION .......................................................................................... 7 

3.2 TOOLS FOR LOCATION AND RETRIEVAL OF OER................................................... 8 

3.2.1 Learning Object Repository Software........................................................................... 9 

3.2.2 Metadata Standards ....................................................................................................... 9 

3.3 TRANSLATION AND LOCALISATION INITIATIVES ............................................... 10 

3.4 TECHNOLOGY FOR OER DELIVERY.......................................................................... 11 

CHAPTER 4. OER DEVELOPMENT AND PUBLISHING INITIATIVES................12 

PART 1 : PUBLISHING INITIATIVES ....................................................................12 

4.1 NATIONAL INITIATIVES............................................................................................... 12 

4.1.1 Subject-specific national initiatives ............................................................................ 12 

4.2 INSTITUTIONAL INITIATIVES..................................................................................... 12 

4.2.1 Subject-Specific Institutional Initiatives ..................................................................... 13 

4.2.2 Open Courseware Initiatives ....................................................................................... 14 

4.2.3 Videos and Podcasts.................................................................................................... 18 

4.3 INDIVIDUAL INITIATIVES............................................................................................ 19 

4.4 COLLABORATIVE DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS........................................................ 20 

4.4.1 Subject-Specific Collaborative Development Projects ............................................... 23 

PART 2 : TOOLS FOR PUBLISHING P 

AND DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES ..........25 

PART 3 : OPEN COURSEWARE 

..............................................................................40 

3.1 DEFINITION ..................................................................................................................... 40 

CHAPTER 5. OER FOR DIFFERENT TARGET GROUPS 

........................................44 

PART 1 : OER FOR TERTIARY TIARY EDUCATION..........................................................44 

5.1 ICT INFRASTRUCTURE IN AFRICA ............................................................................ 44 

5.2 COMPUTER SYSTEM REQUIREMENT FOR ONLINE LEARNING.......................... 46 

5.3 ICT AND TERTIARY EDUCATION IN AFRICAN COUNTRIES ............................... 47 

5.4 ONLINE COURSEWARE FROM SPECIFIC TARGET GROUPS ................................ 50 

5.4.1 Agricultural Science.................................................................................................... 51 

5.4.2 Biology ........................................................................................................................ 57 

5.4.3 Botany ......................................................................................................................... 59

5.4.4 Chemistry .................................................................................................................... 60 

5.4.5 Economics ................................................................................................................... 64 

5.4.6 Electronic Engineering................................................................................................ 64 

5.4.7 General Engineering.................................................................................................... 65 

5.4.8 Earth Sciences ............................................................................................................. 67 

5.4.9 Geography & Geology ................................................................................................ 69 

5.4.10 History....................................................................................................................... 73 

5.4.11 Languages & Linguistics........................................................................................... 74 

5.4.12 Law............................................................................................................................ 87 

5.4.13 Literature ................................................................................................................... 95 

5.4.14 Mechanical Engineering............................................................................................ 96 

5.4.15 Paleontology.............................................................................................................. 97 

5.4.16 Physics....................................................................................................................... 98 

5.4.17 Political Science ...................................................................................................... 108 

5.4.18 Psychology .............................................................................................................. 108 

5.4.19 Arts .......................................................................................................................... 112 

5.4.20 Computer Science ................................................................................................... 118 

5.4.21 Civil Engineering .................................................................................................... 136 

5.4.22 Health and Medicine ............................................................................................... 140 

5.4.23 Architecture............................................................................................................. 150 

5.4.24 Archaeology ............................................................................................................ 151 

5.4.25 Audio & Video ........................................................................................................ 152 

5.4.26 Humanities .............................................................................................................. 153 

5.4.27 Social Sciences (General)........................................................................................ 161 

5.4.28 Management Science............................................................................................... 163 

5.4.28.1 Business and Organizational Science .............................................................................................172 

5.4.28.2 Marketing ........................................................................................................................................177 

5.4.29 Mathematics ............................................................................................................ 184 

CHAPTER 6. PUBLICATIONS ON OER .................................................................199 

6.1 JOURNALS AND ARTICLES........................................................................................ 199 

6.1.1 Journals Covering Open Educational Resources ...................................................... 199 

6.1.2 Open Access Journals................................................................................................ 199 

6.1.3 Background Articles, Papers and Publications on OER ........................................... 199 

6.1.4 Articles and Papers on MIT Open CourseWare........................................................ 200 

6.1.5 Articles and Papers on Learning Objects and Repositories ...................................... 201 

6.1.6 Articles and Papers on Copyright and Intellectual Property ..................................... 201 

6.1.7 Blogs and Newsletters On OER ................................................................................ 202 

6.2 COMMUNITIES.............................................................................................................. 203 

6.2.1 Online forums............................................................................................................ 203 

6.3 WGDEOL PUBLICATIONS........................................................................................... 203 

6.3.1 Costing Distance Education and Open Learning in Sub-saharan Africa: A Survey of 

Policy and Practice ............................................................................................................. 203 

6.3.2 Technological Infrastructure and Use of ICT in Education in Africa....................... 204 

6.3.3 Open and Distance Learning in Sub-Saharan Africa. A Literature Survey of Policy 

and Practice ........................................................................................................................ 204 

CHAPTER 7. COPYRIGHTS AND OPEN LICENCES.............................................205 

7.1 INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................ 205 

7.2 THE CREATIVE COMMONS........................................................................................ 205 

7.3 CREATIVE COMMONS LICENSING - OPEN CONTENT LICENSING................... 206 

7.3.1 Baseline Features....................................................................................................... 207 

7.3.2 Optional Features ...................................................................................................... 207

7.4 CREATIVE COMMONS AND OER.............................................................................. 207 

7.5 EXCEPTION AND CONSTRAINTS ............................................................................. 208 

7.5.1 Fair Use and Educational Use ................................................................................... 208 

7.5.2 Practical Difficulties for Obtaining Rights................................................................ 209 

7.5.3 Commercial Use of Open Educational Resources .................................................... 210 

7.5.4 Lack of Awareness of Copyright Issues.................................................................... 211 

CHAPTER 8. POLICY IMPLICATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 

TIONS...................212 

8.1 INTERNATIONAL LEVEL............................................................................................ 212 

8.2 NATIONAL LEVEL........................................................................................................ 213 

8.3 INTERMEDIATE LEVEL .............................................................................................. 214 

8.4 INSTITUTIONAL LEVEL.............................................................................................. 215 

CHAPTER 9. OER STORAGE 

GE..................................................................................217 

9.1 GENERAL REPOSITORIES .......................................................................................... 217 

9.2 NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL REPOSITORY INITIATIVES........................ 219 

9.2.1 Subject-Specific National Repositories..................................................................... 221 

9.3 REGIONAL AND INSTITUTIONAL REPOSITORY INITIATIVES .......................... 224 

9.3.1 Subject-Specific Regional And Institutional Repositories........................................ 226 

9.4 INDIVIDUAL REPOSITORY INITIATIVES................................................................ 227 

ACRONYMS ...........................................................................................................228


Chapter 1. INTRODUCION TO OER 

1.1 DEFINITION 

Open Educational Resources are defined as "technology-enabled, open provision of 

educational resources for consultation, use and adaptation by a community of users for noncommercial 

purposes". They are typically made freely available over the Web or the Internet. 

Their principal use is by teachers and educational institutions support course development, but 

they can also be used directly by students. Open Educational Resources include learning objects 

such as lecture material, references and readings, simulations, experiments and demonstrations, 

as well as syllabi, curricula and teachers’ guides." 

1.2 BACKGROUND 

In 1994 Wayne Hodgins coined the term "learning object" and this term quickly entered the 

vernacular of educators and instructional designers. One role of learning objects in the history of 

OER is its popularization of the idea that digital materials can be designed and produced in such 

a manner as to be reused easily in a variety of pedagogical situations. Along with its emphasis 

on reuse, the learning object movement spawned several standards efforts aimed at detailing 

metadata, content exchange, and other standards necessary for users to find and reuse digital 

educational content (ARIADNE, IMS, IEEE LTSC / LOM, SCORM, &c.). 

In 1998 David Wiley coined the term "open content" and while targeted at the educational 

community (and learning object creators specifically), the term quickly entered the vernacular of 

internet users. One role of open content in the history of OER is its popularization of the idea 

that the principles of the open source / free software movements can be productively applied to 

content, and the creation of the first widely adopted open license for content (the Open 

Publication License). 

In 2001 Larry Lessig and others founded the Creative Commons and released a flexible set of 

licences that were both a vast improvement on the Open Publication License’s confusing license 

option structure and significantly stronger legal documents. One role of Creative Commons in 

the history of OER is the increase in credibility and confidence and their legally superior, much 

easier to use licences brought to the open content community. 

Also in 2001 MIT announced its OpenCourseWare initiative to publish nearly every university 

course for free public access for noncommercial use. MIT OpenCourseWare has played many 

roles in the history of OER, including being an example of commitment at an institutional level, 

working actively to encourage similar projects, and lending the MIT brand to the movement. 

In 2002 UNESCO held a Forum comprised of some of the people who "wished to develop 

together a universal educational resource available for the whole of humanity". 

Source : http://opencontent.org/blog/archives/247 

© WGDEOL Secretariat, Mauritius, October 2007


1.3 THE CURRENT STATE OF OER 

There are active OER initiatives at colleges and universities around the world: 

• Over 150 universities in China participate in the China Open Resources for Education 

initiative, with over 450 courses online. http://www.core.org.cn/cn/jpkc/index_en.html 

• Eleven universities in France have formed the ParisTech OCW project, which currently 

offers over 130 courses. http://graduateschool.paristech.org/ 

• Seven universities in Japan have formed the Japanese OCW Alliance that offers over 140 

courses. http://www.jocw.jp/ 

• Seven universities in the United States with OER projects (MIT, Rice, Johns Hopkins, 

Tufts, Carnegie Mellon, and Utah State University) offer over 1400 courses. 

http://ocw.mit.edu/, http://cnx.rice.edu/, http://ocw.jhsph.edu/, http://ocw.tufts.edu/, 

http://www.cmu.edu/oli/, http://ocw.usu.edu/ 

Altogether there are over 2000 freely available university courses currently online. And more 

OER projects are emerging at universities in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Hungary, India, Iran, 

Ireland, the Netherlands, Portugal, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Thailand, the UK, the US, and 

Vietnam. 

There are also several translation efforts underway to broaden the impact of OER initiatives. 

These include Spanish and Portuguese translations (http://mit.ocw.universia.net/ and 

http://www.universiabrasil.net/mit/index.jsp), CORE simplified Chinese translations 

(http://www.core.org.cn/OcwWeb/Global/all-courses.htm), and OOPS traditional Chinese 

translations (http://www.cocw.net/). Universities in South Korea and Thailand are also 

considering launching additional translation projects. 

The number of non-course OER available is exploding as well. Rices Connexions project 

currently hosts over 2,700 open learning objects (http://cnx.rice.edu/) available for mixing and 

matching into study units or full courses. Textbook Revolution (http://textbookrevolution.org/) 

contains links to hundreds of freely available, copyright-clean textbooks. Freely accessible 

encyclopedias like Wikipedia (http://wikipedia.org/) and Math World 

(http://mathworld.wolfram.com/) are growing in size and quality. 

The momentum behind OER is clearly building. 

1.4 TRENDS IN OER DEVELOPMENT AND USE 

The following trends in the development of OER are noteworthy: 

• Many OER projects at universities and colleges are beginning at the “bottom,” being 

driven by faculty rather than administration. There is even an example of a project being 

driven by the students within a university (http://ocw.hampshire.edu/). 

• Most OER projects are using Creative Commons licences (http://creativecommons.org/) 

or the GNU Freed Documentation License (http://www.gnu.org/licences/fdl.html) to 

© WGDEOL Secretariat, Mauritius, October 2007 

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license their content. Among Creative Commons users, the Attribution-NonCommerical- 

ShareAlike option is the most popular. 

• Projects like eGranary (http://www.widernet.org/digitalLibrary/) are making it easier 

than ever to mirror open educational resources for use in settings where connections to 

the Internet are slow, expensive, and / or unreliable. For example : eGranary currently 

mirrors OERs for approximately 40 partner sites in Bangladesh, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, 

Indonesia, Kenya, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia. 

• Projects like the open source eduCommons software 

(http://educommons.sourceforge.net/) are making it easier than ever to do 

OpenCourseWare projects. eduCommons is a content management system customized 

specifically for OCW users with specialized workflow, copyright tracking, etc. 

• Podcasting, screencasting, and videocasting are becoming increasingly popular as 

inexpensive ways to capture and distribute course content (e.g., see 

http://boilercast.itap.purdue.edu:1013/Boilercast/ or http://itunes.stanford.edu/). 

• Syndication formats like RSS and ATOM are becoming increasingly popular ways to 

distribute metadata and provide access to content (e.g., see 

http://www.mcli.dist.maricopa.edu/show/merlot03/). RSS aggregators are looking and 

behaving more and more like learning object assembly tools (e.g., 

http://opencontent.org/tagging-as-authoring/). 

• Folksonomic approaches to creating metadata and index - OERs are gaining in 

popularity with end users (e.g., see http://del.icio.us/ or http://flickr.com/). 

There is limited data and analysis of the use of OER. The following trends are summarized from 

MIT OCW 2005 Evaluation Report: 

• People who are neither teachers nor students in formal programs access OERs primarily 

to enhance their personal knowledge. 

• Students who access OERs do so mostly to complement a course they are taking, to 

enhance personal knowledge, and to plan their course of study. 

• Teachers who access OERs do so mostly to plan or prepare a course, enhance their 

personal knowledge, or learn about topics related to their research. 

Examples of OER Initiatives :- 

• Open University (UK) Open Content Initiative (http://oci.open.ac.uk/) 

• Rice Connexions (http://cnx.org/) 

• Carnegie Mellon Open Learning Initiative (http://www.cmu.edu/oli/) 

• UNESCO Open Training Platform (http://opentraining.unesco-ci.org/) 

• MIT OCW (http://ocw.mit.edu/) 

• National Repository of Online Courses (http://courserepository.org/) 

Source : http://opencontent.org/blog/archives/247 


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Chapter 2. PORTALS AND GATEWAYS TO OER 

This chapter is divided into 3 sections, namely :- 

1. General portals and gateways 

2. National portals and gateways 

3. Individual faculty portals and gateways 

2.1 GENERAL PORTALS AND GATEWAYS 

OER Commons (http://www.oercommons.org/) 

Designed as a teaching and learning network, OER Commons has links to OER materials for all 

levels of education as well as related links, such as news stories, articles, conferences and 

discussion forums. It aims to expand educational opportunities by increasing access and 

facilitating the creation and re-use of OER. Features include a "My OER Portfolio" function. 

Users can create a personalized portfolio to give them quick access to their previous use of the 

OER Commons, including reviews and ratings. They can then choose to share their portfolio 

with others, or view others’ portfolios to see how people are finding, using and interacting with 

OER. 

OER Commons is maintained by ISKME (http://www.iskme.org/), with support from The 

William and Flora Hewlett Foundation (http://www.hewlett.org/Default.htm). 

It includes 10 737 links 

OpenCourseWare Consortium (http://www.ocwconsortium.org/) 

A collaboration of more than 100 higher education institutions and associated organizations 

from around the world creating a broad and deep body of open educational content using a 

shared model. The mission of the OpenCourseWare Consortium is to advance education and 

empower people worldwide through opencourseware. The site enables users to find course 

materials by browsing the individual OpenCourseWare sites of member institutions or by 

searching across all courses. It also features resources to help institutions start an 

opencourseware initiative of their own. 

OpenEducation.com (http://www.openeducation.com/) 

Directory of free educational resources. Encourages all free educational resources to submit their 

listings and suggestions. 

It includes 8 links 


4


Open Educational Resources Development Gateway Community 

(http://topics.developmentgateway.org/openeducation/) 

A worldwide OER clearinghouse. The African Virtual University and Utah State University's 

Center for Open and Sustainable Learning serve as expert guides, and work with members, 

cooperating organizations and other volunteers to provide high quality learning content, tools 

and implementation resources to the community. 

It includes 477 resources 

UniversitySurf (http://eunomie.u-bourgogne.fr/elearning/) 

A French language e-learning portal, hosted by the University of Bourgogne. UniversitySurf 

offers free and open access to teaching materials and resources from French universities and 

schools, national research centres (CNRS), Francophone universities worldwide and many 

personal teaching sites. Resources are searchable by level and discipline. Users can suggest links 

to new teaching materials. Educators can put their own resources online through the portal, 

using Moodle. The portal also gathers information on higher education in France and open and 

distance learning. 

It includes 1400 courses and links to thousands more online resources in French 

2.2 NATIONAL PORTALS AND GATEWAYS 

EdNA (Education Network Australia) Online (http://www.edna.edu.au/edna/page1.html) 

Owned by the Australian Government, EdNA Online is a gateway to resources and services that 

aims to support and promote the benefits of the Internet for learning, education and training in 

Australia. It is organised around the Australian curriculum and provides users with access to 

materials of interest to teachers and learners of all levels, covering a wide range of subjects. 

EdNA harvests resources from select Australian collections, as part of a movement to develop a 

distributed repository of Australian learning materials. It also considers for inclusion resources 

suggested by users. 

N.B. Only Australian educators have free access to EdNA. 

Resource Discovery Network (RDN) (http://www.rdn.ac.uk/) 

The UK's free national gateway to Internet resources for the teaching, learning and research 

community. The RDN is a collaboration of over seventy educational and research organisations, 

including the Natural History Museum and the British Library. The service links to resources 

through a series of subject-based information gateways. Although primarily aimed at users in 

UK higher and further education, the network is freely available to all. 

It includes over 100 000 resources 


5

Wisconsin Online Resource Center (http://www.wisc-online.com/) 


A large, searchable repository of learning objects in wide range of subjects, all implemented in 

Flash (as is much of the website). Users have to register to use the site, but this is free. Users can 

deep-link to objects within the site. 

It includes 2 158 objects 

2.3 INDIVIDUAL FACULTY PORTALS AND GATEWAYS 

EduResources Portal (http://sage.eou.edu/SPT/SPT--Home.php) 

A gateway to higher education instructional resources on the Internet, maintained by Joseph 

Hart at Eastern Oregon University. 


OpenCourseWare-Repositories (http://marcjelitto.de/lernobje/kursrep.htm) 

List of open courseware initiatives from around the world created by Marc Jelitto, a PhD student 

of the Institut für Umweltkommunikation of the Lüneburg University. 

It includes approximately 30 initiatives 

Source : http://oerwiki.iiep-unesco.org/index.php?title=Portals_and_gateways 


6


Chapter 3. TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES 

3.1 TOOLS FOR OER CREATION 

eduCommons (http://sourceforge.net/projects/educommons/) 

An open source OER management system, developed by Utah State University's Center for 

Open and Sustainable Learning and available from SourceForge. eduCommons is designed to 

support MIT-type open courseware projects. It provides the functionality to develop and manage 

an open access collection, including a workflow process that leads users through uploading 

materials into a repository, the copyright clearance process, reassembly of materials into 

courses, a quality assurance process, and final publication of the materials. The front end of 

eduCommons is designed to visually align with other OCWs, while the back end architecture 

allows all resources to be stored as individual learning objects in order to facilitate easy reuse 

later on. eduCommons now also includes the social software previously distributed under the 

name Open Learning Support (OLS). OLS seeks to facilitate free and open educational support 

opportunities that scale to extremely large numbers of learners. 

Available under the GNU General Public Licence from SourceForge 

Open Courseware Laboratory (http://open.ncsu.edu/) 

Founded at North Carolina State University in 1998 by Professor Michael Rappa, the mission of 

the Open Courseware Lab is to invent novel ways of using the Internet to promote the open 

exchange of knowledge within the academic community. This includes the provision of research 

and course materials that are made freely available for non-commercial use. The Lab also 

provides assistance to NC State University faculty and staff for the development and operation 

of open educational Web sites and with conducting research online. 

It provides support to 21 open projects at North Carolina State University 

OpenCourse.org (http://www.opencourse.org/) 

A free collaboration platform for educators. OpenCourse.org hosts virtual communities that 

develop, evaluate and use open, non-proprietary learning objects in their discipline. Anyone is 

free to join an existing community, start a collobaration of their own or use OpenCourse.org 

services for their own developer community. OpenCourse.org claims to provide the necessary 

tools and resources for a group of faculty developers to go from concept to collaboration in half 

an hour or less. 

It hosts 5 collaborative projects, including the Harvey Project; no information about copyright, 

although all projects must be "open" 


7


Wikieducator (http://www.wikieducator.org/) 

A collaborative authoring environment using wiki technology in conjuction with eXe (eLearning 

XHTML editor - http://exelearning.org/) for recontextualising and customising open e-content 

with the ability to export resources using interoperability specifications (IMS & SCORM). The 

initiative also aims to provide a practical solution for content authors working on the Virtual 

University for Small States of the Commonwealth (VUSSC - 

http://www.col.org/virtualu_invite.htm) initiative to facilitate recontextualisation of materials, 

and to create an environment to facilitate future development of the import/export functionality 

between eXe and Mediawiki software. Wikieducator is open for anyone to participate. 

Wikieducator content available under a Creative Commons Attribution licence; eXe available 

under the GNU General Public Licence 

Qedoc (http://www.qedoc.org/) 

Qedoc provides interactive learning resources which centre on quiz-making and quiz-taking. 

Qedoc learning modules are self-contained modifiable pieces of learning software which you 

can download to play with, learn from, modify and upload again. According to their homepage, 

anyone can use or contribute learning resources for free. Qedoc also has a commercial services 

arm at www.qedoc.com. In short, Qedoc provides: (1) Interactive learning software (quizzes), 

and (2) software to inspect, modify, and contribute to respository of learning resources. 

3.2 TOOLS FOR LOCATION AND RETRIEVAL OF OER 

DLorn (Distributed Learning Object Repository Network) 

(http://www.downes.ca/cgi-bin/dlorn/dlorn) 

Aims to be a "one-stop source for learning object syndication". DLorn harvests and stores 

learning object metadata from across the web. 

OAIster (http://oaister.umdl.umich.edu/o/oaister/) 

An information retrieval resource from the University of Michigan's Digital Library Production 

Service. OAIster harvests digital resource metadata from registered institutions, to create a 

collection of freely available, previously difficult-to-access resources, easily searchable by 

anyone. 

It includes 6 341 619 records from 604 institutions 

Stingy Scholar's Wayfaring map of university podcasts, webcasts and OCWs 

(http://www.wayfaring.com/maps/show/10585) 

Created by Wynn Williamson (http://oerwiki.iiep- unesco.org/index.php?title=Community 

_member_list#Wynn_Williamson), this map of the world allows users to link to OCW, podcasts 

8 



and webcasts by locating the institutions offering them in physical space. The map provides an 

unusual view on the world of OER and alternative to regular listings. Users can add their own 

"waypoints" (links on the map) to other institutional OCW, podcast and webcast initiatives. 

It includes links to 65 institutions offering OCW, podcasts and webcasts 

3.2.1 Learning Object Repository Software 

Commonwealth of Learning LOR software (http://www.col.org/lor/) 

Institutions or governments in Commonwealth countries can establish a shared repository of 

learning content by accessing free open source software from COL's LOR. COL is hosting the 

software and is collaborating with the African Virtual University, who will upload and make 

available open source courseware that Commonwealth countries can access free of charge. COL 

anticipates partnering with other groups as awareness of the LOR grows. 

It is available under the GNU General Public Licence 

3.2.2 Metadata Standards 

CanCore (http://www.cancore.ca/) 

The CanCore Metadata Initiative assists project implementers and indexers in the development 

of high-quality systems and records to support the use and reuse of digital learning objects, by 

developing a set of best practice recommendations for using the Learning Object Metadata 

(LOM) standard. The site gathers documents, presentations and other resources related to the 

Initiative in both English and French. CanCore is funded by the Multimedia Learning Group of 

Industry Canada, and supported by TéléUniversité and Athabasca Univeristy. 

Best practice recommendations available under a Creative Commons Attribution licence 

CETIS (Centre for Educational Technology Interoperability Standards) 

(http://www.cetis.ac.uk/) 

Represents UK higher and further education institutions on international learning technology 

standards initiatives. The site has some useful background articles, including an introduction to 

learning technology standards, and why they are important. CETIS is home to the UK Learning 

Object Metadata (UK LOM Core- http://www.cetis.ac.uk/profiles/uklomcore). 

Dublin Core Metadata Initiative(http://dublincore.org/) 

The Dublin Core Metadata Initiative is the body responsible for the ongoing maintenance of 

Dublin Core - an interoperable metadata standard. DCMI is currently hosted by the OCLC 

Online Computer Library Center, Inc., a not-for-profit international library consortium. The 

work of DCMI is carried out by contributors from all over the world. DCMI is organized into 


9


working groups to address particular problems and tasks. These working groups are open to all 

interested parties. The site also has a useful glossary of metadata terms 

(http://dublincore.org/documents/usageguide/glossary.shtml) 

IEEE Learning Technology Standards Committee (LTSC) (http://www.ieeeltsc.org/) 

The IEEE Learning Technology Standards Committee develops accredited technical standards, 

recommended practices, and guides for learning technology, including the Learning Object 

Metadata (LOM) standard (http://www.ieeeltsc.org/wg12LOM/) 

SCORM (Shareable Content Object Reference Model) 2004 

(http://www.adlnet.gov/scorm/index.cfm) 

A collection of standards and specifications adapted from multiple sources to provide a 

comprehensive suite of e-learning capabilities that enable interoperability, accessibility and 

reusability of Web-based learning content. SCORM 2004 was developed by the US 

Government's Advanced Distributed Learning Initiative. 

3.3 TRANSLATION AND LOCALISATION INITIATIVES 

CORE (China Open Resources for Education) (http://www.core.org.cn/en/index.htm) 

A consortium of Chinese universities with the mission to enhance quality education in China. 

CORE has introduced and promoted OER (most notably MIT OCW) in Chinese universities. A 

major activity is the translation of institutional OCW initiatives into Mandarin, adapting them 

where necessary, and making them available through Chinese mirror sites. CORE also shares 

Chinese Quality OCW (CQOCW) with universities internationally through its website. 

• 109 MIT OCW courses available in Mandarin on mirror site 

(http://www.core.org.cn/ocw.jhsph.edu/ocw.jhsph.html) under the Creative Commons 

MIT OCW Licence (Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike, with some exceptions) 

• 10 John Hopkins OCW courses available in Mandarin on mirror site 

(http://www.core.org.cn/ocw.jhsph.edu/ocw.jhsph.html) under a Creative Commons 

Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike licence 

• Links to 451 Chinese Quality OCW courses 

(http://www.core.org.cn/cn/jpkc/index_en.html) 

• 23 Premier Courseware learning objects 

(http://www.core.org.cn/cn/resourses_project/premier_award.htm) 

OOPS (Opensource Opencourseware Prototype System) - simplified Chinese 

(http://www.cocw.net/) and traditional Chinese (http://www.twocw.net/) sites 

A volunteer-based grassroots project, created by Lucifer Chu, a Chinese translator, and launched 

in February 2004. OOPS aims to localize MIT's OCW - and other institutional course 

publication initiatives - into both simplified and traditional Chinese, so that all Chinese people 

can access OER. 

10 



• Simplified Chinese mirror sites for MIT OCW (http://www.cocw.net/mit/index.htm), John 

Hopkins OCW (http://www.cocw.net/jhsph/index.htm) and Utah State University OCW 

(http://www.cocw.net/usu/Index/index.htm) 

• Traditional Chinese mirror sites for MIT OCW, John Hopkins OCW and Utah State 

University OCW 

• Site for volunteer translators (http://oops.editme.com/) 

Universia.net (http://mit.ocw.universia.net/) 

A consortium of universities that aims to provide leadership in the development of the 

Information Society in Hispanic university education. Universia has entered into a formal 

agreement with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to translate OCW courses in Spanish 

and Portuguese. In addition to translated courses, the Universia OCW portal offers information 

about OCW in Spanish and Portuguese, translations of MIT's monthly OCW newsletter, 

information about Creative Commons licences, and an online discussion forum for Spanishspeaking 

OCW users. 

• 105 courses on the Spanish site (http://mit.ocw.universia.net/), available under the 

Creative Commons MIT OCW licence (Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike, with 

some exceptions) 

• Courses from 29 departments on the Portuguese site 

(http://www.universiabrasil.net/mit/index.jsp), available under the Creative Commons 

MIT OCW licence 

3.4 TECHNOLOGY FOR OER DELIVERY 

eGranary Digital Library (http://www.widernet.org/digitalLibrary/index.htm) 

Part of the WiderNet Project at the University of Iowa, the eGranary Digital Library provides 

digital educational resources to institutions in developing countries with little or no Internet 

connectivity. Through a process of garnering permissions, copying Web sites, and delivering 

them to intranet Web servers inside partner institutions, the project delivers millions of media 

rich digital teaching and learning tools can be instantly accessed by patrons over local area 

networks at no cost. 

It includes over 2.7 million items republished 

N.B. Material accessible on Local Area Networks of partner institutions in developing countries 

(principally at the moment in Africa) 

Source : http://oerwiki.iiep-unesco.org/index.php?title=Tools 


11


CHAPTER 4. OER DEVELOPMENT AND 

PUBLISHING INITIATIVES 

PART 1 : PUBLISHING INITIATIVES 

4.1 NATIONAL INITIATIVES 

4.1.1 Subject-specific national initiatives 

National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning (NPTEL) 

(http://nptel.iitm.ac.in/indexHome.php) 

Launched in September 2006, NPTEL is a joint venture of seven Indian Institutes of Technology 

(IITs) and the Indian Institute of Science Bangalore, funded by the Indian Ministry of Human 

Resource Development. The main objective of the programme is to enhance the quality of 

engineering education in India by developing curriculum-based video and web courses at all 

levels of undergraduate and postgraduate teaching - learning materials, digitally taped classroom 

lectures, supplementary materials and links to research materials. Message boards are also 

available for each course. 

It includes 118 courses in 6 areas of engineering, Copyright 

N.B. Use of the site is not restricted, but all new users must first register in order to access the 

materials 

4.2 INSTITUTIONAL INITIATIVES 

Carnegie Mellon Open Learning Initiative (OLI) (http://www.cmu.edu/oli/) 

A collection of “cognitively informed”, openly available and free online courses and course 

materials that enact instruction for an entire course. The project adds to online education the 

crucial elements of instructional design grounded in cognitive theory, formative evaluation for 

students and faculty, and iterative course improvement based on empirical evidence. A primary 

objective is to build a community of use that will play an important role in ongoing course 

development. The courses are developed in a modular fashion to allow faculty at a variety of 

institutions to deliver the courses as designed, or to modify the content and sequence to fit their 

needs. 

It includes 8 courses, available under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial licence 


12


Open University (UK) OpenLearn (http://openlearn.open.ac.uk/) 

A project to make a selection of the UK Open University's learning materials available free of 

charge to educators and learners around the world. The OpenLearn web site was launched in 

October 2006. The Open University has drawn on its experience in supported open learning to 

provide an environment that contains high quality learning materials, together with a range of 

learning support and informal community building tools, including online discussion forums. 

The site has two parts: 

• LearningSpace (http://openlearn.open.ac.uk/) : Provides a first selection of Open 

University learning materials that are freely available for learners to use for their own 

study, away from any formal teaching environment. Learning materials cover academic 

subjects, professional development and study skills development. 

• LabSpace (http://labspace.open.ac.uk/) : Described as "the experimental zone for 

OpenLearn", LabSpace is designed as a community-led site, primarily for educators, 

providing a range of online tools to foster the concept of sharing and re-use of materials. 

It includes 19 units in 11 topics, available under a Creative Commons Attribution- 

NonCommercial-ShareAlike licence 

Sofia Open Content Initiative (http://sofia.fhda.edu/) 

An open content publishing initiative launched by the Foothill - De Anza Community College 

District, which promotes faculty and institutional sharing of community college-level course 

materials. Faculty from community colleges and four-year universities who have developed 

exemplary course materials, and are willing to share it openly with others, are encouraged to 

contribute content to Sofia. 

It includes 8 courses, available under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial- 

ShareAlike licence 

4.2.1 Subject-Specific Institutional Initiatives 

ADUni.org (http://aduni.org/) 

Website of the alumni of ArsDigita University (ADU), a one-year, intensive post-baccalaureate 

program in Computer Science based on the undergraduate course of study at MIT. The 

programme was forced to shut down in 2001, but the course materials are available on the site 

for free use. 

It includes 13 computer science courses, available under a Creative Commons Attribution- 



13


Berklee Shares (http://www.berkleeshares.com/) 

An electronic publishing initiative of Berklee College of Music. Berklee Shares' goal is to 

provide free access to faculty-authored Berklee music lessons designed for musicians, music 

students and music educators. The Berkleeshares.com web site is a library of free music lessons 

that are available for downloading, listening, viewing or reading. 

It includes music lessons for 5 topics and 8 instruments, available under a Creative Commons 

Attribution-NoDerivatives-NonCommercial licence 

PhET (Physics Education Technology) 

(http://www.colorado.edu/physics/phet/web-pages/index.html) 

A suite of Java or Flash simulations for teaching and learning physics from the Physics 

Education Technology project of the University of Colorado. The simulations are animated, 

interactive and game-like environments in which students learn through exploration. They 

emphasise the connections between real life phenomena and the underlying science and seek to 

make the visual and conceptual models of expert physicists accessible to students. Findings from 

prior research and student testing are incorporated into the design. The simulations run directly 

from the website. Users can also download and install the entire website on to any local machine 

for use offline. A guide (http://www.colorado.edu/physics/phet/web-pages/publications/ 

physics%20teacher_finalwithpicts.pdf) details how the simulations can be best used to support 

both in-class teaching and individual learning. Simulations are also available in Spanish. 

(http://www.colorado.edu/physics/phet/webpages/publications/physics%20teacher_ 

finalwithpicts.pdf) 

It includes 49 simulations for physics 

Virtual Courseware Project (http://www.sciencecourseware.com/) 

A project of the US National Science Foundation and California State University to create 

interactive, online simulations for the life science laboratory or for earth science field studies. 

The activities are designed to enhance an existing curriculum and include online assessments. 

They can be used by school and college level students. 

It includes 18 labs and simulations for the life and earth sciences, Copyright Virtual 

Courseware Project, All rights reserved 

4.2.2 Open Courseware Initiatives 

Fulbright Economics Teaching Program OpenCourseWare 

(http://ocw.fetp.edu.vn/home.cfm) 

Fulbright Economics Teaching Program OCW will provide access to course materials (syllibi, 

lecture notes, reading lists, problem sets etc.) in English and Vietnamese for all FETP courses. 


14


FETP is a partnership of the University of Economics, Ho Chi Minh City and the John F. 

Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. FETP is regarded as Vietnam’s leading 

public policy teaching centre. Its programmes incorporate economics, management, technology 

and law. 

It includes 37 economics courses, available under a Creative Commons FETP Licence 

(Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike) 

John Hopkins School of Public Health OpenCourseWare (http://ocw.jhsph.edu/) 

JHSPH OCW provides access to course materials (syllibi, lecture notes, reading lists etc.) for 

John Hopkins' most popular courses. Courses are also being translated into simplified and 

traditional Chinese by OOPS. 

It includes 17 public health courses, available under a Creative Commons Attribution- 

NonCommercial-ShareAlike licence 

Keio University Open Courseware (http://ocw.dmc.keio.ac.jp/) 

A member of the Japan OCW Alliance, Keio Open Courseware is openly available educational 

content from Keio University’s courses, including syllabi and lecture notes, in both English and 

Japanese. 

It includes 12 courses, Copyright Keio University 

Kyoto-U OpenCourseWare (http://ocw.kyoto-u.ac.jp/en/) 

A member of the Japan OCW Alliance, Kyoto University OCW is a free and open publication of 

course materials in both Japanese and English. The goal of the OCW@KU Project is to transmit 

educational information from Kyoto University to the rest of the world, and through this, 

contribute to the improvement of educational environments not only in Japan but also 

throughout the world. Kyoto-U aims to provide support to universities, particularly those in 

Japan, starting up similar projects. 

It includes 44 courses, Copyright Kyoto University 

MIT OpenCourseWare (http://ocw.mit.edu/index.html) 

The first OpenCourseWare initiative. MIT OCW is a free and open website offering high quality 

teaching and learning materials, organized as courses, and created by Massachusetts Institute of 

Technology faculty for their own classroom teaching. For any given course, the materials 

convey the parameters of the course’s subject matter and pedagogy, ideally representing a 

substantially complete set of all the materials used in the course. Some courses also have video 

lectures. The OCW initiative has two goals: 

• provide free, searchable, access to MIT's course materials for educators, students, and 

self-learners around the world; 

• extend the reach and impact of MIT OCW and the “opencourseware” concept. 


15


Mirror sites make MIT OCW available to users in Spanish, Portuguese and Chinese. 

It includes 1,400 courses, available under the Creative Commons MIT OCW licence 

(Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike, with some exceptions) 

Open Polytechnic of New Zealand OER Project (https://eduforge.org/projects/oer/) 

The objective of the project is to develop courseware that will be freely available to for all 

tertiary education institutions in New Zealand. On the basis of a successful pilot, a further output 

of the project is to develop a model to initiate future projects for the benefit of the education 

sector at a system-wide level. 

The subject areas being developed are in Business, Building and Construction, and ICT. All 

courseware is being developed for openness. The content is being developed with high levels of 

granualarity, packaged with appropriate standards, and with content and presentation separated 

where possible. 

Distributed collaboration methodologies, and a sustainability model are also outputs of the 

project. 

It initially includes 1 computer science courses, 6 business courses, 3 building and construction 

courses to be available under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike licence 

Osaka University Open Courseware (http://ocw.osaka-u.ac.jp/index.php) 

A member of the Japan OCW Alliance, Osaka Open Courseware is a collection of Osaka 

University's educational materials used in the courses taught at the University. Courses available 

reflect the University's bias towards the sciences and are available in Japanese and English. 

It includes 30 science, technology, engineering and mathematics courses, Copyright Osaka 

University 

ParisTech OpenCourseWare (http://graduateschool.paristech.org/index.php?type=cours) 

A collection of teaching and learning materials, created by the faculty of the 11 French 

engineering schools that make up the ParisTech consortium, and used for their own classroom 

teaching. The research and teaching at the 11 institutions is complementary and cover virtually 

all sectors of the various engineering sciences. Course materials are mainly in French, although 

the site interface is also available in English and Spanish. 

It includes 1 152 resources, mainly for engineering; no standard copyright licence for all 

materials 

Rai CourseWare (http://rcw.raifoundation.org/home.htm) 

A collection of educational materials used in the courses taught at the 21 Indian campuses of the 

Rai Foundation. 

It includes 58 courses 


16


N.B. There is no copyright information on the materials. The site asks that educational 

institutions wishing to use Rai CourseWare for their students can do so but must publish an 

acknowledgement to Rai Foundation Colleges as "Source". 

Tokyo Tech Open Course Ware (http://www.ocw.titech.ac.jp/index.php?lang=EN) 

A member of the Japan OCW Alliance, Tokyo Tech OCW is a platform maintained by Tokyo 

Institute of Technology for providing free access to course materials in English and Japanese for 

users around the world. The initiative aims to release Tokyo Tech's high-level science and 

technology educational resources as the world's public property. 

It includes courses in 58 science, technology and engineering subjects, Copyright Tokyo 

Institute of Technology 

Tufts University OpenCourseWare (http://ocw.tufts.edu/) 

Tufts OCW provides access to course materials, including syllibi, lecture notes and reading lists. 

The initial offering relects the University's strength in the life sciences, and demonstrates a 

multidisciplinary approach and international perspective. 

It includes 15 courses, with a particular bias towards life sciences, available under the Creative 

Commons Tufts OCW licence (Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike, with some exceptions) 

University of Southern Queensland OpenCourseWare (http://ocw.usq.edu.au/) 

A sample offering of 10 distance education courses from each of the five faculties of the 

university, including three courses from its Tertiary Preparation Program. The courses are 

published in either ICE (Integrated Content Environment), an open source content management 

system developed by USQ, HTML or GOOD (Generic Online Offline Delivery), an earlier 

publishing application developed by USQ. 



University of Tokyo OpenCourseWare (http://ocw.u-tokyo.ac.jp/english/index.html) 

A member of the Japan OCW Alliance, University of Tokyo OCW is a free and open 

publication of course calendars, syllabi, educational notes and texts, in both Japanese and 

English. UT OCW plans to add 10 new courses every year. 

It includes 13 courses, available under a custom open licence, similar to Creative Commons 

Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike, although with some restricted materials 

Utah State University OpenCourseWare (http://ocw.usu.edu/Index/ECIndex_view) 

A free and open educational resource offering high quality materials that are used in the teaching 

of undergraduate and graduate subjects at USU. Materials are available on the Internet, free of 

charge, to any user anywhere in the world. The initial offering has focused on content that 


17


enables users to build local capacity in key areas, including irrigation engineering, instructional 

design and agriculture. The initiative also aims to catalyze the growth of communities of 

learners around USU's OpenCourseWare. 



Waseda University OpenCourseWare (http://www.waseda.jp/ocw/index.html) 

A member of the Japan OCW Alliance, Waseda OCW is a collection of Osaka University's 

educational materials, in both Japanese and English, used in the courses taught at the University. 

Users can also access the archives of the Tsubouchi Memorial Theatre Museum and that of Aizu 

Museum. 

It includes 14 computer science and asian studies courses, available under a Creative Commons 

licence 

University of the Western Cape open courseware - under development 

(http://elearn.uwc.ac.za/index.php?module=splashscreen) 

The South African University of the Western Cape's open coursware initiative will provide 

access to course materials (syllibi, lecture notes, exam papers etc.). The model is slightly 

different to the rest of the open courseware initiatives in this section: the principal target 

audience will be the university's own staff and students, and funding for the project will have to 

be covered in the university's budget. 

It includes courses will be available under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike licence 

4.2.3 Videos and Podcasts 

Berkeley on iTunes U (http://itunes.berkeley.edu/) and webcast.berkeley 

(http://webcast.berkeley.edu/) 

The University of California at Berkeley has maintained a public podcasting site for several 

years (webcast.berkeley), and has been podcasting courses since last fall. Lectures will now also 

be available on iTunes. Users can download lectures individually to subscribe to a semester of 

podcasts. Berkeley is the first university to distribute all materials through iTunes to the general 

public, rather than restricting them to students and alumni. 

It includes 38 webcasts and podcasts on webcast.berkeley from the Spring 2006 semester, with 

archived material going back to Fall 2001; lectures from almost 30 courses on iTunes 

Stanford on iTunes (http://itunes.stanford.edu/) 

Free access to a wide range of Stanford-related digital audio content via the iTunes Music Store. 

The project includes two sites: 


18


• a public site, which includes Stanford faculty lectures, learning materials, music, sports 

reports etc. 

• a restricted-access site for Stanford students, delivering course materials and support 

content. 

N.B. Course content generally restricted to Stanford community. 

University of Arizona Searchable Video Library (SVL) 

(http://www.vala.arizona.edu/vss-bin/vss_SR/torpey/search) 

Designed to increase accessibility of course content for University of Arizona staff and students, 

this web site is also available to the general public. The SVL provides access to video 

presentations and taped class lectures. Videos are transcribed by state-of-the-art voice 

recognition or closed-captioning so that the spoken text of the presentation can also be searched. 

It includes 41 courses, Copyight University of Arizona 

N.B. Some courses password protected at request of instructor. 

World Lecture Project (http://www.world-lecture-project.org/) 

A directory with links to audio and video lectures from academics around the world, created by 

a group of freelance academics from Berlin, Germany. Registered users may add content and 

edit lecture descriptions. The site will also soon host forums for those concerned and involved in 

science and teaching. 

It includes 749 lectures 

4.3 INDIVIDUAL INITIATIVES 

Free-Ed (http://www.free-ed.net/free-ed/) 

Founded in 1997 by David L. Heiserman to provide free, quality course materials over the 

Internet for a global audience of self learners, covering areas of professional need, as well as 

critical academic areas. Courses are built from materials that are readily available elsewhere on 

the Web as open content. 

It includes approximately 100 courses, Copyright Free-Ed.Net, All rights reserved 

Light and Matter physics and astronomy resources 

(http://www.lightandmatter.com/index.html) 

Created by Benjamin Crowell, physics and astronomy professor at Fullerton College in southern 

California, the site offers a series of introductory physics textbooks, free to download, some 

astronomy learning objects, and some course materials for Dr Crowell's astronomy and physics 

own courses. Some resources have partial French translations. 


19


It includes 8 physics textbooks, 3 astronomy learning objects and materials from 5 physics and 

astronomy courses, available under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike licence 

Managing the Digital Enterprise (http://digitalenterprise.org/) 

An educational site created by Michael Rappa, Professor of Technology Management and 

Director of the Open Courseware Laboratory in the College of Management at North Carolina 

State University. The site surveys the many opportunities and challenges managers face in an 

increasingly digital world, and is open to students and instructors alike. The site is divided into 

fifteen discussion topics, or “modules”. Each module has the same basic structure: a description 

of the topic that highlights the issues at hand, plus several sub-sections with links to a variety of 

educational resources. The modules are updated continuously throughout the year, with new 

resources added. The site contains over 120 web pages and over 1,200 external links to openly 

available resources on the Internet. 

It includes 1 course on technology management, Copyright Michael Rappa 

The OpenFiction Project (http://www.tofp.org/index.htm) 

An opencourseware resource for teaching and learning the art of fiction writing. The 

OpenFiction Project was created by Stephen Carson and contains the materials that he developed 

for a distance learning introductory fiction class, originally offered through Emerson College's 

continuing education programme. (Stephen Carson now works on the MIT OpenCourseWare 

initiative.) Course materials are available on the site or for download (as a zip file of the live 

contents or as a PDF). There is also an online forum to support users. 

It includes 1 course on creative writing, available under a Creative Commons Attribution- 

NonCommercial-ShareAlike license 

PEOI (Professional Education Organization International) (http://www.peoi.org/) 

Created by John Petroff, a retired economics professor, PEOI is a volunteer-based project that 

aims to provide online course content for professional university-level education to improve the 

skills of aspiring professionals. Anyone can use PEOI course content free of charge. PEOI also 

offers a range of services such as testing, grading, grade maintenance and attestation of course 

completion, for a fee to cover costs. Content is available in a range of languages, including 

English, French, Spanish, Russian, German and Arabic. 

It includes 7 completed courses (not all available in all languages), available under a custom 

open licence - Education Material Universal Common Licence 

4.4 COLLABORATIVE DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS 

Connexions (http://cnx.rice.edu/) 

The Connexions project at Rice University has created an open environment for collaboratively 

developing, freely sharing, and rapidly publishing scholarly content on the Web. Connexions 

20 



hosts a “Content Commons” of electronic course material divided into small “knowledge 

chunks” – modules – that connect into larger courses. Anyone is free to contribute materials, or 

take existing materials, adapt them to their needs and contribute them back to the Content 

Commons. Materials exist in English, Chinese, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish and Thai. 

It includes 2,700 modules and 115 courses, available under a Creative Commons Attribution 

licence 

Curriki (http://www.curriki.org/xwiki/bin/view/Main/) 

A collection of free lessons, assessments, resources and textbooks for grades K-12. The 

resources have all been developed by members of the 20,000-strong Curriki community. In the 

near future members will be able to comment on and edit the materials. For now, Curriki staff 

and volunteers are reviewing all of the contributed materials. 

Curriki was launched in January 2006 and is the result of work done for GELC - the Global 

Education and Learning Community - an online project started by Sun Microsystems to develop 

works for education in a collaborative effort. 

It includes 542 resources. Uploaded materials are assigned the Creative Commons Attribution 

licence by default, although creators can opt out and select a different licence. 

EOE (Educational Object Economy) (http://www.eoe.org/) 

A community of educators, developers and businesses working together to use, create and 

collaborate on educational Java objects on the web. Includes a library of Java applets, sorted by 

subject. 

It includes 3,312 Java applets 

Free Curricula Center (http://www.freecurricula.org/index.php) 

Aims to be a focal point for the development and sharing of textbooks, instructor guides and 

other educational materials. The Center helps its participants work together to create materials 

for the subjects in which they have expertise. They do this by providing online tools to help 

educators collaborate successfully and by providing a space on the Internet where students can 

have free access to their finished products. FCC works on a system of academic subject 

committees, made up of subject-specialist volunteers. A committee may write a textbook chapter 

by chapter, after first devising a table of contents. Alternatively it may take a classic work in the 

subject that has entered the public domain, format and annotate it to produce a "Twenty-First 

Century Revision" of the work. 

It includes 7 textbooks (mathematics, philosophy and physics) dedicated to the public domain or 

available under an open licence 


21


The Global Text Project (http://www.globaltext.org/) 

The Global Text Project seeks to solve the problem of the high cost of textbooks for students in 

developing countries with a new model that will create a free library of 1000 electronic texts on 

the Internet. Distribution will also be possible via paper, CD, DVD, or eBook. 

Global Text engages the collective intelligence of academics and practitioners in writing open 

content textbooks, under editorial control, and a Creative Commons license. Books can be 

tailored for the needs of individual countries. They will be continually updated by their creators 

and, importantly, by the community of academics and students that use them. 

As of August, 2007, the project is in the proof of concept stage with two books: Information 

Systems and Business Fundamentals. Books are being written in English and will be translated 

initially into Arabic, Chinese, and Spanish. Contributed books in Spanish and Arabic will be 

available soon. 

Books will be available under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License 

LeMill - Learning Mill (http://www.lemill.net/) 

LeMill is a web community for finding, authoring and sharing learning resources. First at all, 

you can find learning resources. The stuff you find you can use in your own teaching or 

learning. You may also add your own learning content to LeMill. You may edit your content and 

combine out of the media pieces some larger junks of learning materials. If you wish you might 

also join one of the groups producing or editing some learning content. In LeMill the content is 

always easily found where and when ever you need them. Anyone may also start their own 

LeMill website. You can download LeMill engine, install it on your own server and put it 

online. After this you will automatically be part of the global network of LeMill servers. 

Because of this, LeMill is also "do it yourself" learning resource website engine. 

Open of Course (http://www.open-of-course.org/) 

Multilingual portal for free and open content courses and tutorials, created by two Dutch 

companies, Mingos and Freelancenetwerk. The focus is on creating and publishing lifeskills and 

career development courses, rather than purely academic subjects. At the moment, most courses 

are for computing or language skills. Courses and tutorials are accessible without the need for 

permenant internet access. 

The project is currently seeking course content developers, translators and coordinators for each 

language section of the portal. 

It includes 8 multilingual courses/tutorials, 23 English-language courses/tutorials, 1 Dutch 

course/tutorial, available under a free (i.e. GNU/GPL or Creative Commons) licence 


22


Wikieducator (http://www.wikieducator.org/) 

WikiEducator is a free community resource supported by the Commonwealth of Learning 

(COL) (http://www.col.org/) for the development of free educational content. Wikieducator is 

used for: 

• planning of education projects linked with the development of free content; 

• development of free content on Wikieducator for e-learning; 

• work on building open education resources (OERs) on how to create OERs. 

• networking on funding proposals developed as free content. 

All content resources are available under a CC-BY-SA license. 

Wikiversity (http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Wikiversity) 

A wiki-based learning community for the creation and use of open content learning materials, 

courses and textbooks. Wikiversity is currently hosted by Wikibooks, although a formal 

proposal has been submitted to make it an independent project of the Wikimedia Foundation. 

The ultimate aim is to build an electronic institution of learning that will be used to test the 

limits of the wiki model for developing electronic learning resources, for teaching, and for 

conducting research and publishing results. Wikiversity has portals in 17 different languages. 

It includes courses in 10 different "schools", available under the GNU Free Documentation 

Licence 

Qedoc (http://www.qedoc.org/) 

Qedoc specialises in interactive open educational resources. It provides software tools for the 

creation and playback of resources, and for the conversion of resources into formats which other 

systems (such as Moodle) can use. It also hosts a MediaWiki-driven repository of open 

educational resources created with Qedoc tools. The repository also allows for community 

discussion of use and development of new resources. 

It includes 130 interactive resources published under CC licences. 

4.4.1 Subject-Specific Collaborative Development Projects 

e-LEE (e-Learning Tools for Electrical Engineering) 

(http://www.lei.ucl.ac.be/multimedia/eLEE/EN/index.htm) 

A project of the European Community SOCRATES programme, the Association for the 

Promotion of e-Learning Tools for Electrical Engineering aims to develop, disseminate and 

evalute multimedia learning tools for engineering teaching, especially electrical engineering. 

The Association currently has four institutional members, in Belgium, France, Portugal and 

Romania. Materials are consequently available in French, Portuguese and Romanian, as well as 

English. 


23

It includes 4 electrical engineering tutorials, Copyright e-lee.net 

Harvey Project (http://harveyproject.org/) 


Launched in July 1998 with the goal of empowering individual faculty to create their own 

physiology courses, using high-quality, peer-reviewed, highly interactive learning objects. The 

project is an international collaboration of educators, researchers, physicians, students, 

programmers, instructional designers and graphic artists, and is hosted by Wayne State 

University. 

It includes 12 physiology learning objects, available under a custom open licence similar to the 

GNU Public Licence 

Source : 

http://oerwiki.iiepunesco.org/index.php?title=OER_development_and_publishing_initiatives 


24


PART 2 : TOOLS FOR PUBLISHING AND 

DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES 

Many Open Education Resources (OER) that have been introduced by governments, 

universities, and individuals within the past few years. OERs provide teaching and learning 

materials that are freely available and offered online for anyone to use. Whether you're an 

instructor, student, or self-learner, you have access to full courses, modules, syllabi, lectures, 

assignments, quizzes, activities, games, simulations, and tools to create these components. 

While some OERs include OpenCourseWare (OCW) or other educational materials, they may 

also offer the means to alter those courses through editing, adding to those courses through 

publication, and the ability to shape the tools that share those resources. Additionally, they may 

maintain forums or other platforms where individuals can collaborate on building educational 

tools and documentation and the reach for those materials. 

The list below — arranged in alphabetical order — includes 80 online resources that can be used 

to learn how to build or participate in a collaborative educational effort that focuses on 

publication and development of those materials. Although some choices focus solely on 

publication, development, or tools used to accomplish either effort, some provide multifaceted 

venues that offer communities a space to collaborate on one or all of these efforts. Collaborators 

can include institutions, colleges or universities, educators, students, or the general public. 

This list is not all-inclusive, as resources that offer limited collaboration were excluded. Two 

examples include the University of North Carolina's Open Courseware Lab 

(http://open.ncsu.edu/) and the Maricopa Learning Exchange (http://www.mcli.dist.maricopa. 

edu/mlx/), as both facilities make their information public but collaboration is limited to 

educators within those colleges. Finally, the resources below focus solely on higher education or 

encompass all levels of education. 

1. AEShareNet (http://www.aesharenet.com.au/) — AEShareNet is a collaborative 

system to streamline the licensing of intellectual property so that Australian learning 

materials are developed, shared and adapted efficiently. There are two ways to connect 

people: firstly, using Instant Licences, which are freely available, when you attach a 

relevant Mark; or alternatively, through Mediated licences, which are transacted online 

through the AEShareNet Service. 

2. Apple Learning Interchange (http://edcommunity.apple.com/ali/) — The new Apple 

Learning Interchange (ALI) is a set of free resources for educators that provides a single 

access point to find media and ideas for classroom activities produced by their peers, by 

Apple, and by Apple content affiliates like NASA, The Smithsonian, and the George 

Lucas Educational Foundation. Educators can connect with each other through simple 

searching, messaging, iChat and collaborative publication tools, and they can submit 

projects as simple as classroom snapshots or as complex as multi-page abstracts for 

assessment, enhancement, and peer review. 


25


3. Ariadne (http://www.ariadne-eu.org/)— The ARIADNE Foundation was created to 

exploit and further develop the results of the ARIADNE and ARIADNE II European 

Projects, which created tools and methodologies for producing, managing and reusing 

computer-based pedagogical elements and telematics supported training curricula. 

Software design and development expertise, accumulated by Europe's best IT/ODL 

academic departments and ARIADNE engineers in building educational software tools, 

might also be exchanged and transfered to those members that volunteer to participate 

in the Foundation tools' further development. 

4. ATutor (http://www.atutor.ca/)— ATutor is an Open Source Web-based Learning 

Content Management System (LCMS) designed with accessibility and adaptability in 

mind. Administrators can install or update ATutor in minutes, develop custom 

templates to give ATutor a new look, and easily extend its functionality with feature 

modules. Educators can quickly assemble, package, and redistribute Web-based 

instructional content, easily retrieve and import prepackaged content, and conduct their 

courses online. 

5. Center for Open and Sustainable Learning (http://cosl.usu.edu/) — COSL provides a 

mix of research, development, and teaching resources, projects, and activities for the 

educational community. COSL is part of the Department of Instructional Technology at 

Utah State University (http://it.usu.edu/) in Logan, UT. 

6. Citadel (http://www.citidel.org/) — A collaboration among Hofstra University 

(http://www.hofstra.edu/home/index.html), the College of New Jersey 

(http://www.tcnj.edu/), Pennsylvania State University (http://www.psu.edu/), Villanova 

University (http://www.villanova.edu/homepage/index.htm) and Virginia Tech 

(http://www.vt.edu/), as part of the US National Science Foundation's National Science 

Digital Library Project (http://nsdl.org/). CITIDEL is a digital library of educational 

resources for the computing field, harvested from ten differerent source 

collections.Additionally, with professional associations and publishers such as ACM 

(http://www.acm.org/) and the IEEE Computer Society (http://www.ieee.org/ 

portal/site), they intend to engage in a broad range of community development activities 

such as workshops, where they intend to expand knowledge and skills regarding the 

creation and use of innovative online courseware for computing and information 

technology education. 

7. Citizendium (http://en.citizendium.org/wiki/Main_Page)— The Citizendium (sit-ih- 

ZEN-dee-um), a "citizens' compendium of everything," is an experimental new wiki 

project. The project, started by a founder of Wikipedia, aims to improve on that model 

by adding "gentle expert oversight" and requiring contributors to use their real names. 


26


8. Civicus (http://www.civicus.org/new/content/civitoolkits2.htm) — Based upon requests 

from members, CIVICUS has produced several toolkits to enable organisations to 

improve their capacity in a number of areas. From communications and planning skills 

to writing funding proposals, you'll find tips, tools, and ideas to help strengthen your 

organisation. Toolkits are available in English, French, Spanish and Russian in MS 

Word and PDF formats. 

9. CLOE (http://cloe.on.ca/) — The Co-operative Learning Object Exchange (CLOE) is a 

collaboration among Ontario universities and colleges for the development, sharing, 

and reuse of multimedia-rich learning resources. This occurs through the CLOE 

Learning Object repository. 

10. Confluence (http://www.atlassian.com/software/confluence/) — An enterprise Wiki 

that makes it easy for your team to collaborate and share knowledge. 

11. Connexions (http://cnx.org/)— Rice University's (http://www.rice.edu/) Connexions 

project creates an open environment for collaborative development, free sharing, and 

publishing scholarly content through non-linear modules. Anyone may view or 

contribute materials, adapt them, and contribute them back to the Content Commons 

which is free to use and reuse under Creative Commons "attribution" license. 

Documents are offered in English, Chinese, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish and 

Thai. 

12. Contentbank (http://www.contentbank.org/) — This site promotes the development of 

online content for and by low-income and underserved communities. It is a project of 

The Children's Partnership (http://www.childrenspartnership.org/AM/ 

Template.cfm?Section=Home) (TCP), a national, nonprofit child advocacy 

organization. Goals include the ability to make it easier for community-based 

organizations and the individuals they serve to create their own content and to 

encourage the public and private sectors to develop useable content for low-income and 

underserved Americans. 

13. Commonwealth of Learning (http://www.col.org/colweb/site/pid/3324) — This link 

will take you to their Curriculum and course material development and transfer, one 

valuable tool among many contained on this stie that will help you with your publishing 

efforts. COL also maintains two online databases (http://www.col.org/colweb/site/ 

pid/2922) of learning content (Learning Object Repository) that provides support to 

Commonwealth countries free of charge. 


27


14. Development Gateway Communities (http://topics.developmentgateway.org/ 

openeducation)— This site offers learning content, tools, and implementation resources 

for educators, students and self-learners a wide range of subjects and course materials 

aggregated from leading schools and OER portals. The main objective of this Web site 

is to make available training and capacity-building resources developed by a variety of 

stakeholders worldwide in a myriad subject, including literacy, computers, business, 

environment, community development and much more. It aims at providing trainers and 

learners with the resources they need and a space where they can share and use 

material. 

15. Digital Divide Network (http://www.digitaldividenetwork.org/) — At DDN, you can 

build your own online community, publish a blog, share documents and discussions 

with colleagues, and post news, events and articles. 

16. DSpace (http://www.dspace.org/) — DSpace is an open source digital repository 

software system for research institutions. Sponsored by MIT Libraries 

(http://libraries.mit.edu/) & Hewlett-Packard Company (http://www.hp.com/), 

developers can use the DSpace Wiki to keep in touch with one another and to share and 

contribute code fixes and enhancements. 

17. EDNA (http://www.edna.edu.au/edna/go) — The Education Network of Australia 

(edna) is a collaborative project between the Commonwealth, state and territory 

governments, across all education sectors, to establish and operate an educational 

electronic network. Anyone may access the edna website to use the resources, 

information and communication areas for education and training purposes, and 

contribute by suggesting websites, news and events, by providing feedback via 'contact 

us,' by joining an email discussion list or online group, or by becoming a member of the 

metadata harvesting community. 

18. Educational Object Economy (http://www.natomagroup.com/eoe.html) — EOE is an 

online community that explores issues in technology and learning, open and 

collaborative development, and sustainability. The site sustains a digital library, 

projects, and reports on outreach to developing countries and countries in transition, 

including Turkey (where the EOE site is now mirrored), Brazil,and the Republic of 

Kazakhstan. 

19. EduCause (http://www.educause.edu/eli) — EDUCAUSE is a nonprofit association 

whose mission is to advance higher education by promoting the intelligent use of 

information technology. Get involved in one of their many initiatives, including ELI 


28


(http://www.educause.edu/eli), the EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative that supports new 

collegiate learning environments that use IT to improve the quality of teaching and 

learning, contain or reduce rising costs, and provide greater access to higher education. 

20. eduCommons (http://sourceforge.net/projects/educommons/) — eduCommons is an 

OpenCourseWare management system designed specifically to support 

OpenCourseWare projects like the MIT OCW (http://ocw.mit.edu/) and USU OCW 

(http://ocw.usu.edu/). 

21. EduForge (http://eduforge.org/) — Eduforge is an open access environment designed 

for the sharing of ideas, research outcomes, open content and open source software for 

education. You are welcome to use their community resources or start your own project 

space. Explore, test, and create in EduForge's Toolbox environment, create content 

using their eXe (eLearning XHTML Editor Project) off-line authoring environment. 

22. EduTools (http://www.edutools.info/index.jsp?pj=1) — WCET’s EduTools provides 

independent reviews, side-by-side comparisons, and consulting services to assist 

decision-making in the e-learning community. Their Online Course Evaluation Project 

(OCEP) provides access and functionality to give users of this content an effective tool 

to search and compare course evaluations. 

23. ELGG (http://elgg.org/) — Elgg is an open source social networking platform 

developed for LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP) which encompasses weblogging, 

file storage, RSS aggregation, personal profiles, FOAF functionality and more. 

Curverider Ltd, the company behind Elgg, are looking for developers who are 

proficient in PHP and command a detailed knowledge of the platform. Their workload 

is increasing and they require some coding help. 

24. ESCOT (http://www.escot.org/) — ESCOT is a testbed for the integration of 

innovative technology in middle school mathematics. The project is comprised of a 

handful of organizations, including research institutions, software publishers, and a 

Web portal. The project investigates replicable practices that produce predictably high 

quality digital learning resources. 

25. ETUDES Project (http://etudesproject.org/) — The ETUDES Consortium is a 

community of institutions and individuals who are supporting teaching, learning, and 

collaboration, and expanding educational opportunities to learners through ETUDES- 


29


NG. The ETUDES Project leads open source software development of web-based 

learning tools and offers centralized hosting, training, and support to its members. 

ETUDES-NG is the project's custom Sakai implementation. 

26. The Facilitation of the Transfer of Learning Material (http://www.eldis.org/static/ 

DOC7086.htm) — Part of the Eldis Gateway (http://www.eldis.org/), this material 

provides practical advice to producers and users in selling, transferring, purchasing and 

acquiring teaching materials. It is designed to facilitate the inter-institutional 

negotiation processes between producers and users and to identify the roles that COL 

may play in specific transfer and accreditation situations. 

27. Filamentality (http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/fil/) — Filamentality is a fill-in-theblank 

tool that guides you through picking a topic, searching the Internet, gathering 

good Internet links, and turning them into online learning activities. In the end, you'll 

create a web-based activity you can share with others even if you don't know anything 

about HTML or serving web pages. Take advantage of AT&T's workshops 

(http://www.kn.pacbell.com/support/ workshops.html) and videoconferencing 

(http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/ vidconf/vidconf.html) capabilities that enhance 

educational collaboration. AT&T also maintains the Blue Web'n library where you can 

search for 2064 Internet sites categorized by subject, grade level, and format. 

28. Free Curricula Center (http://www.freecurricula.org/index.php) — The Center helps 

its participants work together to create textbooks, instructor guides, and other materials 

for the subjects in which they have expertise. They do this by providing online tools to 

help educators collaborate successfully and by proving a space on the Internet where 

students can have free, easy access to their finished products. They also serve as a link 

to the resources of others, and mirror their material when permitted. 

29. Global Education & Learning Community (https://edu-gelc.dev.java.net/nonav/ 

index.html) — GELC embraces open source and Java developers around the globe who 

share a passion and commitment to contributing to the development of useful, quality 

code for applications/services that meet the needs of their end users. for the 

development of useful tools, resources and best practices that help education world 

wide. 

30. Globewide Network Academy (http://www.gnacademy.org/) — GNA is a 501(c)(3) 

non-profit whose purpose is the research and development of open source tools that 

promote distance learning and online communities. They are happy to share their 

research and code and to provide support services to other open source projects and 


30


non-profits. They are currently in the process of moving their WikiGuides to 

Wikiversity. 

31. Google for Educators (http://www.google.com/educators/index.html#utm_ campaign= 

en&utm_source=en-ha-na-usgoogle&utm_medium=ha&utm_term=google 

%20education) — Find a teacher’s guide to Google Tools for Your Classroom, as well 

as a number of additional tools. And to spark your imagination, you'll find examples of 

innovative ways that other educators are using these tools in the classroom. Take 

advantage of the Google OCW (http://opencontent.org/googleocw/), Google's answer to 

a search tool for a federated search of all OCWs and various other collections. 

32. Harvey Project (http://www.ocwconsortium.org/) — Founded in 1998, the Harvey 

Project is an international collaboration of educators, researchers, physicians, students, 

programmers, instructional designers and graphic artists working together to build 

interactive, dynamic human physiology course materials on the Web. The Harvey 

Project has developed over forty learning objects, mostly Java simulations and 

Flash(tm) animations. 

33. iberry (http://iberry.com/) — iberry Alpha (beta) was the initial development stage of a 

content management system (CMS) allowing iberry.com to be upgraded with database 

functionality. iberry.com has no funding, no institutional support and is not-for-profit. 

The site offers a directory for OCW, forums, jobs list, and news. 

34. IBM University Initiative (http://www-304.ibm.com/jct09002c/university/scholars/ 

ur/index.html)— The IBM University Initiative helps faculty and researchers at higher 

education institutions worldwide use and implement the latest technology into 

curriculum and research. By joining, you will gain access to software, hardware, 

training, course materials, and other tools for academic research and collaboration. 

35. ICT4D.ph (http://www.ict4d.ph/) — The general objective of this program is to 

examine past and current ICT projects for their transformational impacts on Philippine 

society; and to distill critical learning for ICT decision/policymaking, planning and 

programming. Students are also offered opportunities for internships, contests, and IT 

certification (http://oedb.org/online-programs/technology/information-technology/ 

master- certificate-in3). 


31


36. IMS Global Learning Consortium, Inc. (http://www.imsglobal.org/) — The IMS 

Global Learning Consortium develops and promotes the adoption of open technical 

specifications for interoperable learning technology. Several IMS specifications have 

become worldwide de facto standards for delivering learning products and services. 

IMS specifications and related publications are made available to the public from 

www.imsglobal.org. 

37. infoDev (http://www.infodev.org/en/index.html) — infoDev is a global partnership of 

international development agencies that focus on how information and communication 

technologies (ICT) can help to combat poverty and promote opportunity, empowerment 

and economic growth in developing countries. This partnership is coordinated and 

served by an expert Secretariat housed at the World Bank, one of infoDev's principal 

donors and founders. infoDev is developing an integrated curriculum of briefing sheets, 

handbooks, toolkits, case studies, best practice and lessons learned, and is sponsoring 

related training activities focusing on the appropriate use of ICTs in education 

38. Isoph Institute (http://www.isophinstitute.com/) — Isoph Institute offers high-quality 

online courses, affordable Web conferencing, and a variety of e-learning resources for 

associations, charitable organizations, and advocacy groups. They provide the ReadyGo 

Web Course Builder (http://www.isoph.com/readygo.htm) and the Articulate Presenter 

(http://www.isoph.com/presenter.htm) as two tools that allow individuals tocreate 

online presentations, briefings, tutorials, and courses. 

39. Ithaka OOSS (http://www.ithaka.org/) — Organization for Open Source Software 

Study Ithaka is an independent not-for-profit organization with a mission to accelerate 

the productive uses of information technologies for the benefit of higher education 

worldwide. They help promising not-for-profit projects develop sustainable 

organizational and business models. They also work with established institutions that 

are rethinking the way they serve their core constituents. 

40. ItrainOnline (http://www.itrainonline.org/itrainonline/english/index.shtml) — 

ItrainOnline is a joint initiative of eight organizations with exceptional expertise in 

computer and Internet training in the South.Collaborative workspace tools such as 

wikis, blogs, and social bookmarking as well as increasing access to voice-over-internet 

protocol (VOIP) services offer organisations new options for online collaboration. 

41. KEEP Toolkit (http://www.cfkeep.org/static/index.html) — The KEEP Toolkit is a set 

of web-based tools that help teachers, students and institutions quickly create compact 

and engaging knowledge representations on the Web. Collaborations 


32


42. KM4Dev (http://www.km4dev.org/) — KM for Development (KM4Dev) is a 

community of international development practitioners who are interested in knowledge 

management and knowledge sharing issues and approaches. International development 

is the specific, underlying context to their exploration of KM/KS issues and approaches 

as members regularly undertake specific projects linked to their own interests. 

43. LAMS (http://www.lamsinternational.com/)— LAMS is a tool for designing, managing 

and delivering online collaborative learning activities. It provides teachers with a highly 

intuitive visual authoring environment for creating sequences of learning activities. 

These activities can include a range of individual tasks, small group work and whole 

class activities based on both content and collaboration. Caters to English, Italian, and 

Spanish languages 

44. Learning Object Authoring Zone (http://www.loaz.com/) — Learn from others, read 

their development stories and share your experiences through Learning Object 

Authoring Templates (also referred as LearningTools, Learning Object Template). 

These templates provide an easy to use, web based, cheap (often free of cost) 

application that empowers non-technical subject matter experts to create interactive, 

multimedia based learning objects through step-by-step procedures and guidelines. 

45. LeMill (http://lemill.net/) — Add and edit online content, join groups that are 

producing or editing learning content, and start a LeMill Web site.You can download 

LeMill engine, install it on your own server and put it online to become part of the 

global network of LeMill servers. Utilize this service in eight languages. 

46. LogiCampus (http://logicampus.sourceforge.net/) — LogiCampus allows a college, 

university, or school district to run existing classes or online learning classes via the 

web as well as provide the foundation for an institution to create additional integrated 

applications. LogiCampus provides the standard tools for faculty to create their online 

courses, process assignments, make tests and stay in contact with students. 

47. LOLA Exchange (http://www.lolaexchange.org/) — LOLA is also the home to a 

collection of Information Literacy Learning Objects that are being developed as part of 

a collaborative Information Literacy Project among Wesleyan, Trinity, and Connecticut 

Colleges. To facilitate this aspect of the project, LOLA allows for the creation of 

customized metadata schemes that allow the basic metadata schema to be extended to 

meet local needs. 


33


48. .LRN Consortium (http://dotlrn.org/about/consortium/) — The .LRN Consortium is a 

tax-exempt, not-for-profit corporation focused on creating and supporting a freely 

available suite of web based educational applications to support learning communities. 

Their mission is to convene a global community of innovative people and organizations 

in educational technology to share knowledge and applications using open source 

principles.Membership in the Consortium is not required in order to use the .LRN 

software or to participate in the worldwide community dedicated to developing 

innovative educational software. 

49. Math Forum (http://mathforum.org/) — Drexel University offers a wealth of problems 

and puzzles; online mentoring; research; team problem solving; collaborations; and 

professional development. 

50. MERLOT (http://www.merlot.org/merlot/index.htm) — MERLOT (Multimedia 

Education Resource for Learning and Teaching online) maintains its currency through 

ongoing and continuing communication with its worldwide supporters in a variety of 

ways, including the annual MERLOT International Conference 

(http://taste.merlot.org/mic.html), the Journal of Online Learning and Teaching 

(http://taste.merlot.org/joltinformation.html) (JOLT), member publications, and news. 

The Web site contains leading edge, user-centered, searchable collections of peer 

reviewed, higher education, online learning materials created by registered members 

and a set of faculty development support services. 

51. Moodle Course Management System (http://moodle.org/) — Moodle is a a free, 

Open Source software package course management system (CMS) designed using 

sound pedagogical principles to help educators create effective online learning 

communities. 

52. Museum Learning Collaborative (http://www.museumlearning.org/) — The objective 

of the Museum Learning Collaborative is "to generate a research agenda — and in time, 

a body of research — sufficiently broad and powerful to guide the study of learning in 

informal contexts." The context pulls researchers and museums together to progress 

beyond a collection of studies of the particular factors that are important in individual 

places (e.g., visitor studies or evaluations of exhibits or galleries) toward a cumulative 

body of knowledge dealing with learning in the museum setting. 

53. National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning (http://nptel.iitm.ac.in/ 

indexHome.php) — The main objective of the NPTEL program is to enhance quality of 

engineering education in India by developing curriculum based video and web courses. 


34


This project is coordinated by seven IITs (Indian Institutes of Technology), the Indian 

Institute of Science Bangalore (IISc Bangalore, http://math.iisc.ernet.in/) among other 

institutions, and funded by the Indian Ministry of Human Resource Development. You 

must register to access the site's contents. 

54. NEEDS (http://www.needs.org/needs/) — NEEDS is a digital library with links to 

online learning materials in engineering and related areas of science and math. They 

currently partner with TeachEngineering in the development of the Engineering 

Pathway (http://www.engineeringpathway.com/ep/), a portal to a comprehensive 

collection of resources for all types of engineering education.They also offer the 

Premier Award annually for Excellence in Engineering Education Courseware to 

recognize high-quality, non-commercial courseware designed to enhance engineering 

education. 

55. OER Commons (http://www.oercommons.org/) — OER Commons is the first 

comprehensive open learning network where teachers and professors from pre-K to 

graduate school can access their colleagues' course materials, share their own, and 

collaborate on affecting today's classrooms. It uses Web 2.0 features (tags, ratings, 

comments, reviews, and social networking) to create an online experience that engages 

educators in sharing their best teaching and learning practices. 

56. OLAT (http://www.olat.org/public/index.html)— OLAT (Online Learning And 

Training) is a web-based Learning Management System (LMS) / Learning Content 

Management System (LCMS) used in the public sector of Switzerland. 

57. Open of Course (http://www.open-of-course.org/)— Open-Of-Course has a focus on 

multilingual educational information where people can benefit from in daily life. Open 

content courses and tutorials can be added through Moodle. 

58. OpenACS (http://openacs.org/) — OpenACS (Open Architecture Community System) 

is a toolkit for building scalable, community-oriented web applications. OpenACS is 

the foundation for many products and websites, including the .LRN e-learning platform 

(see #48) 

59. OpenCourse.org (http://opencourse.org/) — OpenCourse.org hosts virtual 

communities that develop, evaluate, and use open, non-proprietary learning objects in 

their discipline. Collaboration among teachers, researchers and students is welcome 


35


with the common purpose of developing open, reusable learning assets (e.g. animations, 

simulations, models, case studies, etc.). Anyone with an interest in education, 

collaboration and sharing can join in. 

60. OpenCourseWare Consortium (http://www.ocwconsortium.org/) — The 

OpenCourseWare Consortium is a collaboration of more than 100 higher education 

institutions and associated organizations from around the world creating a broad and 

deep body of open educational content using a shared model. 

61. Open Learning Initiative (http://www.cmu.edu/oli/) — The OLI project, initiated by 

Carnegie Mellon (http://www.cmu.edu/index.shtml), offers modules based upon crucial 

elements of instructional design grounded in cognitive theory, formative evaluation for 

students and faculty, and iterative course improvement based on empirical evidence. 

Each module undergoes scrutiny by OLI researchers who conduct a variety of studies to 

examine the effectiveness and usability of various educational innovations. Some 

courses are open, others are accessible to students with access codes. These courses are 

disseminated at no cost to individual students and at low cost to institutions. 

62. The Open University (http://openlearn.open.ac.uk/) — The Open University (OU) is 

the United Kingdom's only university dedicated to distance learning. Through academic 

research, pedagogic innovation and collaborative partnership, the OU seeks to be a 

world leader in the design, content and delivery of supported open and distance 

learning. The latter development process is conducted through the OU's LabSpace 

(http://labspace.open.ac.uk/), described as "the experimental zone for OpenLearn." 

LabSpace is designed as a community-led site, primarily for educators, providing a 

range of online tools to foster the concept of sharing and re-use of materials. 

63. OSSLET (http://mathdl.maa.org/mathDL/3/?pa=content&sa=viewDocument&nodeI 

=1032) — The Open Source Sharable Applet Collection allows students and others to 

utilize modules called "osslets" to bring the power of the open source movement from 

software development to curriculum development. The curriculum materials 

accompanying each osslet are written in generally available formats – for example, 

Microsoft Word – and users are encouraged to modify them. Each osslet also includes 

at least one interactive component that uses either Macromedia Shockwave or 

Macromedia Flash. 

64. Plone (http://plone.org/) — Plone is an out-of-the-box ready content management 

system that is built on the powerful and free Zope Application server (see #80). It 


36


requires minimal effort to set up, is deeply flexible, and provides you with a system for 

managing web content that is ideal for project groups, communities and intranets. 

65. Qedoc (http://www.qedoc.org/wiki/index.php?title=Main_Page) — Qedoc's software is 

ideally suited to the creation of language learning quizzes, such as grammar and 

voabulary trainers. So far there are modules for Ancient and Modern Greek, Latin, 

Spanish, Dutch, Chichewa, Hebrew, Japanese, German and English as a Second 

Language. Some of the modules include audio-visual support for language learning. 

66. Research Channel (http://www.researchchannel.org/) — In cooperation with the 

University of Washington (http://www.washington.edu/), ResearchChannel is 

developing a laboratory as a testbed to facilitate collaborative investigations into 

cutting-edge technologies. Having dedicated engineering spaces and high-performance 

network facilities including 10Gigabit Ethernet allows ResearchChannel to more 

effectively carry out its work of developing, testing and demonstrating media streaming 

and networking innovations. Recent projects include multipoint low-latency highdefinition 

videoconferencing and live, high-definition video from the seafloor. 

67. Sakai (http://sakaiproject.org/) — Sakai is an online collaboration and learning 

environment. Many users of Sakai deploy it to support teaching and learning, ad hoc 

group collaboration, support for portfolios and research collaboration. Sakai's 

development model is called "Community Source" because many of the developers 

creating Sakai are drawn from the "community" of organizations that have adopted and 

are using Sakai software. 

68. Scholar's Box (http://iu.berkeley.edu/IU/SB) — One goal for the University of 

California at Berkeley (http://www.berkeley.edu/) project is to develop tools and 

environments in the Scholar's Box suite that enable university faculty, K-12 teachers, 

and all students and learners to gather, create and share digitized information. 

69. Schooltool (http://www.schooltool.org/) — SchoolTool is a Shuttleworth Foundation 

project designed to develop a common global school administration infrastructure that 

is freely available under an Open Source licence. Schooltool.org is the home for the 

SchoolTool community: users, administrators, developers, and others interested in the 

development of open source administrative applications for schools. 


37


70. Smete Digital Library (http://www.smete.org/smete/)— More than a repository, this 

site offers collaboration with the SMETE Open Federation (http://ucberkeley.citrisuc.org/research/projects/an_open_federation_for_the_national_smete_digital_library), 

where member collections and services will have free access to shared technology. 

71. Sofia (http://sofia.fhda.edu/) — The Sofia initiative was launched by Foothill-De Anza 

Community College (http://www.foothill.fhda.edu/index.php) District in March of 

2004. The goal of Sofia is to publish community college-level course content and make 

it freely accessible on the web to support teaching and learning. Quality materials are 

identified and selected from the submissions through a peer review process. Materials 

are reviewed for quality, depth, instructional design, completeness, and use of 

interactivity and multimedia prior to publication. 

72. SWIK (http://swik.net/) — SWiK is a community driven resource for people who use 

open source software. Find free software or read and submit news and articles on 

software development and open source projects, tag projects to help organize the world 

of open source. 

73. The Vega Science Trust (http://www.vega.org.uk/) — The Vega Science Trust aims to 

create a broadcast platform for the science, engineering and technology (SET) 

communities, so that they can communicate on all aspects of their fields of expertise 

using the exciting new TV and Internet opportunities. Vega also develops broadcasts 

for the Internet and are actively expanding their library of archive recordings. 

74. VUE (http://vue.uit.tufts.edu/) — The Visual Understanding Environment (VUE) 

project at Tufts UIT Academic Technology (http://uit.tufts.edu/at/) is focused on 

creating flexible tools for integrating digital resources into teaching and learning. VUE 

provides a visual environment for structuring, presenting, and sharing digital 

information. Using VUE's concept mapping interface, faculty and students design 

semantic networks of digital resources drawn from digital libraries, local and remote 

file systems and the Web. The resulting content maps can then be viewed and 

exchanged online. 

75. WebJunction (http://www.webjunction.org/do/Home) — WebJunction is a cooperative 

of library staff sharing and using online resources that enable us to identify and 

embrace appropriate technologies and apply them to our daily work. 


38


76. WikiEducator (http://www.wikieducator.org/Main_Page) — The WikiEducator is an 

evolving community intended for the collaborative planning of education projects 

linked with the development of free content and work on building open education 

resources (OERs) on how to create OERs. The site also offers free eLearning content 

that anyone can edit and use. 

77. Wikimatrix (http://www.wikimatrix.org/) — Not only can you find, choose, compare, 

and talk about just about every Wiki source online, you can add your own Engine to the 

Matrix or share your knowledge about Wikis in WikiMatrix's Documentation Wiki. 

78. Wikipedia (http://www.wikieducator.org/Main_Page) — The mission of the 

Wikimedia Foundation is to empower and engage people around the world to collect 

and develop educational content under a free license or in the public domain, and to 

disseminate it effectively and globally. The Foundation provides the essential 

infrastructure and an organizational framework for the support and development of 

multilingual wiki projects in ten languages. 

79. Wikiversity (http://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/Wikiversity:Main_Page) — Wikiversity is a 

community for the creation and use of free learning materials and activities. Wikiversity 

is a multidimensional social organization dedicated to learning, teaching, research and 

service. Available in Dutch, French, Spanish, and English. 

80. Zope (http://www.zope.org/) — Zope is an open source application server for building 

content management systems, intranets, portals, and custom applications. Membership 

gives you your own home folder on Zope.org where you can create and manage your 

own Zope objects. The objects you create and maintain will be available to all people 

who visit Zope.org. 

Source : http://oedb.org/library/features/80-oer-tools 


39


PART 3 : OPEN COURSEWARE 

3.1 DEFINITION 

According to the Open Courseware Consortium: 

"Open Courseware (OCW) is a free and open digital publication of high quality university-level 

educational materials, often including syllabi, lecture notes, assignments and exams. Open 

educational resources are based on the notion that knowledge and education are common goods 

that must be supported by a defined community. It is available for use and adaptation under an 

open license and it does not typically provide certification or access to instructors." 

hile OCW initiatives typically do not provide a degree, credit, certification, or access to 

instructors, the materials are made available, for free, under open licences for use and adaption 

by educators and learners anywhere. 

This chapter contains information about OER Open Courseware, rather than OER itself. Below 

there is a list of some Open Courseware :- 

• Academic Commons (US) (http://www.academiccommons.org/)- community of faculty, 

academic technologists, librarians, administrators, and other academic professionals 

creating web resource focused on liberal arts education: Center for Teaching and 

Learning, Developer's Kit, Library 

• California University (US), Open Source Development and Distribution of Digital 

Information (http://opencontent.org/blog/) Economic, Legal and Social Perspectives: 

notes, slides, video 

• China Open Resource for Education (CORE) (CN) (http://www.core.org.cn/en/)- nonprofit 

organization, promotes closer interaction & open sharing of educational resources 

between Chinese & international universities: latest news, sponsors, scholarship, FAQ, 

resources & programs, benefits & obligations, member universities, international 

partners, join core, conferences & seminars 

• Commonwealth of Learning (COL) (http://www.col.org/) - intergovernmental 

organisation created by Commonwealth heads of govt. to encourage development & 

sharing of open learning/distance education knowledge, resources & technologies, 

helping developing nations improve access to quality education & training: news & 

features, programmes & services (collaboration, resource for training, capacity builder, 

information/knowledge provider, conferences & special events, reporting on COL’s 

work), knowledge resources (services & databases, start-up guides & training resources, 

operational guides, publications, consultants reports, cd-roms, videos, speeches & 

presentations, consulting & professional services, links 

• Creative Commons (US), share, reuse, and remix — legally 

(http://creativecommons.org/)- provides free tools that let authors, scientists, artists, and 

educators easily mark their creative work with the freedoms they want it to carry, 

nonprofit organization, Everything, including software, is free: OER Commons, Weblog, 


40


FAQ, People, Opportunities, Press Kit, Newsletter, Choosing a License, Legal Concepts, 

Think, Policies, Privacy, Explore (Audio, Video, Images, Text, Education, Software) 

• Digital Scholarship (US) (http://www.digital-scholarship.org/) - Weblog, Open Access 

Bibliography, Scholarly Electronic Publishing (Bibliography, Weblog, Resources), Open 

Access Webliography & tools, other works 

• Earlham College (US), Open Access News 

(http://www.earlham.edu/%7Epeters/fos/fosblog.html) - putting peer-reviewed scientific 

and scholarly literature on the internet, making it available free of charge and free of 

most copyright and licensing restrictions 

• Education Commons (US) (http://www.educationcommons.org/) - virtual community of 

academic systems users, designers and systems implementers sharing knowledge, 

experiences and best practices, goal to create open transparent system of communication 

between diverse groups committed to advancing the state of education worldwide 

• Educators Coop (US), Residential Community in Second Life (http://educatorscoop.org/) 

- building collaborative community that provides educators and researchers with 

cooperative residential environment in Second Life, offering opportunities for creating 

meaningful new relationships and collaborations: What is the Coop?, Rules & 

Responsibilities, How Do I Apply?, Terms of Service, White papers, Blog, FAQs 

• EducauseConnect (US), Podcast Coverage of the SAC Session on OpenCourseWare 

(http://connect.educause.edu/library/abstract/ClairMapleMemorialAd/43107) - Global 

connectivity via the Internet presents many challenges and opportunities for higher 

education. One major opportunity is the democratizing and empowering force of openly 

shared educational materials. Reflecting on MIT's experience to date with its 

OpenCourseWare initiative and related activities, this presentation envisions the rise of a 

global meta university 

• Iterating Toward Openness (blog) (US) (http://opencontent.org/blog/ ) - by David Wiley 

• Japan Opencourseware Consortium (JOCW) Official Site (JP) (http://www.jocw.jp/) - 

consortium of Japanese universities: history, members, events 

• Jimmy Ruska, Free Education (US) (http://www.jimmyr.com/blog/0_ 

Free_Education.php )- Top 10 (Free Educational Software, Universities With Free 

Courses Online, Podcasts), Research Sites All Students Should Know, Free Ebooks and 

Courseware Texts, Drawing, Photography, Free Education For Programmers, Musicians, 

Speed Arithmetic, Web 2.0, Free documentaries And Videos, Learning Any Language 

Online, Educational Tools 

• Katarina Tomasevski, Free or Fee (2006 Global Report) 

(http://www.katarinatomasevski.com/) - how ill fares the right to education today, 

globally it is denied despite UN rhetoric on human rights mainstreaming & rights-based 

development: get report 

• LinuxWorld, Free Culture (US): What we need from you 

(http://www.linuxworld.com/events/keynotes/lwsf06-lessig.html)- Lawrence Lessig 

Professor of Law, Stanford Law School: video (Free Culture movement and support it 

needs from Free Software, struggles and threats are largely parallel, solutions need to be 

parallel as well) 

• MIT OpenCourseWare (US) (http://web.mit.edu/ocw/)- informational resource about 

MIT OpenCourseWare project: faculty, students 

• North Carolina State University (US), Open Courseware Laboratory 

(http://open.ncsu.edu/) - promotes open exchange of knowledge within academic 

community via internet including provision of research & course materials made freely 


41


available on WWW for non-commercial use: open (people, alumni, photo gallery, 

projects, resources, sponsors, news, hosted sites) 

• Online Education Database (OEDb) (US), Top 100 Open Courseware Projects 

(http://oedb.org/library/features/top-100-open-courseware-projects)- Agriculture, Arts, 

Architecture, Archaeology, Audio & Video, Biology, Botany, Chemistry, Civil 

Engineering, Economics, Electronic Engineering, General Engineering, Earth Sciences, 

Geography, Geology, History, Languages & Linguistics, Law, Literature, Mechanical 

Engineering, Paleontology, Physics, Political Science, Psychology, Social Sciences 

• OpenAcademic (US), Bringing Education to All (http://openacademic.org/)- 

demonstrates options available using existing open source tools: Create intranet, Blog, 

Podcast. Manage school website, Create private workspace, Manage a class, Share files: 

design, development, and hosting services 

• Open Archives Initiative (OAI) (US) (http://www.openarchives.org/)- develops and 

promotes interoperability standards that aim to facilitate the efficient dissemination of 

content: Community, Specifications, Projects 

• Open Learning Content Observatory Services (OLCOS) project (http://www.olcos.org/)- 

aims at building an (online) information and observation centre for promoting the 

concept, production and usage of open educational resources, in particular, open digital 

educational content (ODEC) in Europe 

• Open Knowledge Foundation (UK), Protecting and Promoting Open Knowledge in a 

Digital Age (http://www.okfn.org/) - promotes openness of knowledge in all its forms in 

belief that freer access to info will have far-reaching social & commercial benefits: 

weblog & news, projects, participate, wiki, mailing lists, open knowledge trail, research, 

activities, roadmap 

• OpenCourseWare Consortium (http://www.ocwconsortium.org/) - free & open digital 

publication of high quality educational materials, organized as courses, collaboration of 

more than 100 higher education institutions & associated organizations from around 

world creating broad & deep body of open educational content using a shared mode: 

consortium members, news, feedback, find materials, share, support 

• Second Life Education Wiki (US) (http://www.simteach.com/wiki/index.php 

title=Second_Life_Education_Wiki) - resource for educators in SL, environment for 

educators interested in distance learning, computer-supported cooperative work, 

simulation, new media studies & corporate training: Programs for Educators, Institutions 

& Organizations in SL, Competitions, Press, Blogs & Presentations, SL Mailing Lists, 

Blogs & Forums, In-World Groups, Academic Research, Classroom Management, 

Lesson Plans, Teaching Resources, Educational Locations 

• Seneca College (CA), Learning Objects Portal (http://ilearn.senecac.on.ca/lop/) - 

gateway to resources about learning objects and repositories: Information, Resources, 

Repositories, Tools, Best Practices, Issues, Activities, Who's Who 

• UNESCO International Institute for Educational Planning's Open Educational Resources 

Community (http://oerwiki.iiep-unesco.org/) - wiki where members can work together on 

questions, issues and documents: Forums and discussion, useful links, glossary 

• Utah State University (US) (http://cosl.usu.edu/) - evangelizes open education, develops 

open source software, strives to create worldwide environment in which individuals gain 

access to learning opportunities projects: publications, conference, stuff, people, forums, 

blog 

• Western Cape University (ZA), Free Courseware Project 

(http://freecourseware.uwc.ac.za/) - Blogs 


42


• Wisconsin University (US), Learning Objects (http://www.uwm.edu/Dept/CIE/AOP 

/learningobjects.html)- introduction: several characterizations, links to (Global Studies, 

others, collections, key organizations associated with learning objects and metadata), 

select bibliograph 

• William and Flora Hewlett Foundation (US), Open Educational Resources (OER) – 

(http://www.hewlett.org/Programs/Education/OER/openEdResources.htm) Making High 

Quality Educational Content and Tools Freely Available on the Web: High Quality 

Academic Content, Remove Barriers to Use and Re-Use, Understand and Stimulate Use, 

Grants, Publications 


43


CHAPTER 5. OER FOR DIFFERENT TARGET 

GROUPS 

PART 1 : OER FOR TERTIARY EDUCATION 

Source: www.adeanet.org 

Author: NEIL BUTCHER 

5.1 ICT INFRASTRUCTURE IN AFRICA 

It was argued that real access to ICT means much more than just a consideration of the 

infrastructure available, having the infrastructure available is still a necessary (although not 

sufficient) condition for access (Mansell & Wehn, 1998). This section considers the state of ICT 

infrastructure available in sub-Saharan Africa. It should be noted that aggregated statistics for 

the African continent can be very misleading given wide disparities in conditions across the 

continent. This is also true within specific countries. For example, in South Africa, the Internet 

industry was rated 18th globally in 1998, but this included a small group of mostly white men in 

the urban centre of Johannesburg. Further, it is difficult to measure Internet access because 

patterns of use in developing countries are different from those in developed countries. For 

example, in developing countries there are many shared Internet accounts and public access is 

most common; thus statistics used in developed countries such as dialup subscriber accounts are 

misleading (Jensen, 2000, 2002). 

In general, the level of technology penetration in Africa is very low compared to developed 

countries (US Internet Council, 2000). Of the 818 million people in Africa, statistics from 2001 

estimate that only: 

• 1 in 4 have a radio 

• 1 in 13 have a television 

• 1 in 35 have a mobile phone 

• 1 in 40 have a fixed line telephone 

• 1 in 130 have a personal computer (PC) 

• 1 in 160 use the Internet 

• 1 in 400 have pay-TV 

(Jensen, 2002) 

There are several reasons for this, including: 

• The general low level of economic activity often makes technology unaffordable 

• Many African countries still have irregular or non-existent electricity supplies, which makes 

ICT use problematic. 

For a detailed discussion please see African Internet Status, available at 

www3.sn.apc.org/Africa/afstat.htm. Much of the information presented in this section is taken 

from this website and from Jensen (2002). 


44


Rail, road, and air transport is limited and this infrastructure is needed to implement and support 

ICT infrastructure, as well as the increased social and economic activity that this technology 

should stimulate 

• Many tax regimes define computers and cellular phones as luxury items, which adds to the 

price of these goods especially as the vast majority must be imported 

• Lack of skills together with the problem of brain drain (as noted above) also makes widespread 

adoption of new technology difficult. 

All of the above issues are further complicated by a business climate that encourages investment 

in Africa through large multinational companies rather than in ways that might be more 

beneficial to the continent. 

Further details of the status of ICT infrastructure in Africa are provided below. It should be 

noted at the outset, however, that, although the challenges facing Africa in the drive to develop 

an African response to the information society/economy are many and great, much has already 

been achieved. Further, as was discussed above, combating the digital divide and using ICTs for 

continental development are fundamental focuses of current development initiatives. 

Tables 2 and 6 below provide a summary of the economic and technology/infrastructure status 

of selected African countries, 

Table 2: Technology in Africa 

Country 

Telephone 

/1000 

Technology and Infrastructure 

Personal 

computers/ 

1000 

Cost/local 

call$/3min. 

Internet 

host/1000 

Benin - - 1.5 00 

Botswan 77.0 00 31.0 6.0 

a 

Burundi 2.8 00 - 00 

C.A.R 2.7 0.5 1.4 00 

Egypt 75.0 00 12 0.3 

Ethiopia 3.1 00 0.7 00 

Ghana 8.0 0.1 2.5 0.1 

Kenya 10.3 0.1 4.2 0.2 

Nigeria - - 6.4 00 

Mozamb 4.0 0.1 2.6 0.1 

ique 

South 125 0.1 54.7 33.4 

Africa 

Tunisia 89.8 0.0 15.3 0.1 

Uganda 2.6 0.2 2.5 0.1 


45


5.2 COMPUTER SYSTEM REQUIREMENT FOR ONLINE LEARNING 

Computer system requirements for online learning include hardware that many computers are 

already equipped with. Although certain computer programming, business, and accounting 

programs may require special software programs, students will be told of these when they begin 

classes. Online colleges try to keep costs down as much as possible and want students succeed 

using the equipment they already own. 

Software Requirements 

• Word 

• PowerPoint 

• Excel 

• Software 

• Web browser 

Suggested Hardware Requirements 

• 128 - 256 MB RAM 

• 20 GB Hard Drive 

• Cable modem/DSL 

• Sound Card 

• CD-ROM Drive 

Students should also have a printer, valid e-mail address, and Internet access. It is recommended 

that they should also have a monitor that is at least 1024x768 resolution to allow images to be 

seen clearly at all times. During the online program, students may be asked to view documents 

that have been scanned into the computer. These images may need to be blown up in order to see 

them accurately. Monitors must be able to handle these images. 

Since online classes rely on computer-generated images, having a monitor, speakers, video and 

sound cards are valuable resources that will be needed to complete most classes. Instructors may 

send over audio lectures and visual worksheets that may further emphasize a point or be used in 

another assignment. 


46


Source: www.adeanet.org 

Author: NEIL BUTCHER 

5.3 ICT AND TERTIARY EDUCATION IN AFRICAN COUNTRIES 

The effects of globalization on learning are perhaps most felt in the tertiary education sector 

where there is increasing competition between institutions, both within countries and 

internationally. As e-learning, ‘virtual’ education, and distance education methods become 

increasingly popular, sub-Saharan African countries will find themselves under increasing 

pressure to provide quality tertiary education that meets the skills needs of their countries. Saint 

(1999) notes that tertiary distance education is the world’s fastest growing educational sector. 

Distance education and ICT have important roles to play in the improvement of tertiary 

education delivery, quality, and access. As noted above, however, use of ‘new’ ICTs is still 

limited in many tertiary institutions because of infrastructure constraints, lack of instructional 

materials, lack of skilled faculty, and because ICT-based pedagogy is still new for many. 

Although some universities in sub-Saharan Africa have embraced the challenge – as is noted 

above in the quotation from the Vice Chancellor of the University of Dar es Salaam – others 

have been slower to respond. 

This section will briefly explore some initiatives making use of ICT within the tertiary education 

sector. It is useful to begin with a look at Table 1, which provides some indication of the extent 

of distance education in the tertiary sector, the types of courses offered, and the technology used. 

Table 1: Distance education technology use at higher education institutions 

Country Institution Courses 

offered 

Botswana Centre of Certificate 

Continuing in Adult 

Education Education; 

Masters in 

Educational 

Côte 

d’Ivoire 

FVU 

ENS 

Planning 

Economic 

Development 

Computer 

Science 

(graduate 

level) 

Environme 

ntal 

Science 

Mathematic 

s 

Technolog 

y used 

Print (audio 

and video 

being 

considered) 

Satellite, 

CD-ROM, 

video, print 

Print 


47

Ethiopia 

Ghana 

Addis 

Ababa 

University 

OKOU 

African 

Virtual 

University 

(AVU) 

Civil 

Service 

College/Wo 

rld Bank 

Learning 

Network 

African 

Virtual 

University 

(AVU) 

University 

of Science 

and 

Technology 

Masters in 

Education, 

Curriculum 

Studies and 

Education 

Planning 

MBA 

Computer 

Engineering, 

Computer 

Science, 

Electrical 

Engineering 


Print (will 

add audio) 

Satellite 

broadcasts, 

Internet, 

fax, phone 

and print 

23 courses V-Sat, 11 

networked 

computers 

Computer 

Science, 

science, 

English, 

French, 

B.Sc 

B.Sc 

Building 

Technology 

Satellite 

broadcast, 

Internet, 

fax, phone, 

print 

Print 


48


Table 1 Continued 

Country Institution Courses 

offered 

Guinea Higher School 

Institute of Administration 

Education 

Mauritius 

Namibia 

FVU 

Agency of 

Technical 

and Cultural 

Cooperation 

National 

Directorate 

of Technical 

and Professional 

Training 

Gamal Abdel 

Nassar 

University 

of Conakry 

University 

of 

Mauritius 

Centre for 

External 

Studies 

University 

of Namibia 

Computer 

Science, 

Economic 

Developme 

nt, 

Environmen 

tal Science 

Vocational 

skills 

School 

Administration 

Public 

Health 

Human 

Rights 

IT, 

Communicat 

ion Skills, 

Management, 

Economics, 

Math, Law, 

Statistics 

Nursing, 

African 

Languages, 

School 

Library, 

Science 

Print, radio 

Technolog 

y Used 

Computers, 

print 

Satellite, 

CD-ROM, 

video, 

print 

Radio, 

TV, print 

Computer 

s, print 

Computer 

s, print 

Print, 

Internet, 

computers 

, audio, 

video, 

tapes 

Print, 

some audio 

tapes, 

radio 


49


Source: 

http://oedb.org/library/beginning-online-learning/computer-system-requirements-for-onlinelearning 

Published on Wednesday 9th of August, 2006 

5.4 ONLINE COURSEWARE FROM SPECIFIC TARGET GROUPS 

Source: http://topics.developmentgateway.org/editor/showPage.do?key=static:overview 

Overview of dgCommunities 

dgCommunities is a collaborative space for professionals working to reduce poverty and 

promote sustainable development worldwide. Members in more than 200 countries share 

knowledge resources, tools, contact information, and more. Each online community is centered 

on specific themes and guided by experts in the field. 

An Online Network for Development 

dgCommunities is provided by the Development Gateway Foundation (DGF) as part of its 

mission to reduce poverty and enable change in developing nations through information 

technology. Knowledge sharing and cooperation at the local and international level has become 

much easier with the spread of the Internet. dgCommunities helps make this happen, aggregating 

thousands of content resources from members, and providing an online connection to 

professional peers. 

Overview of the Top 100 Open Courseware Projects of the Massachusetts Institute of 

Technology 

Open courseware projects provide a head rush for many autodidactics because those projects 

often offer lecture notes, chapters or entire textbooks online, illustrations, charts, and other tools 

that help the reader learn a given subject. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) 

gained notoriety for its online open courseware (OCW) offerings and many other colleges have 

followed this example; however, the self-learner probably knows that many college professors 

have offered their course outlines and materials online for years before MIT laid claim to this 

effort. 

Source: http://oedb.org/library/features/top-100-open-courseware-projects 


50


Source of the Online Module from DgCommunities: 

http://topics.developmentgateway.org/openeducation/ 

5.4.1 Agricultural Science 

Source of the list of all agricultural modules from DgCommunities: 

http://topics.developmentgateway.org/openeducation/rc/BrowseOERContent.do?primaryFilter=f 

alse&selectedSubject=5885&isParent=1&FldName=LearningSubjects 

Contributor: David Wiley 

Published Date: September 21, 2005 

Sources of summary 1: 

http://topics.developmentgateway.org/openeducation/rc/ItemDetail.do~1106491 

FAO book on marker-assisted selection in crops, livestock, forestry and fish 

The UN Food and Agriculture Organization has just published "Marker-assisted selection: 

Current status and future perspectives in crops, livestock, forestry and fish", edited by E.P. 

Guimarães, J. Ruane, B.D. Scherf, A. Sonnino and J.D. Dargie. The 494-page book is organised 

into six sections: an introduction to marker-assisted selection (MAS), in chapters 1-2; case 

studies of MAS in crops (including cassava, common beans, cotton, forage crops, maize, tomato 

and wheat), in chapters 3-9; case studies of MAS in livestock (including dairy cattle, goats, 

poultry and sheep), in chapters 10-13; case studies of MAS in forestry (including eucalyptus), in 

chapters 14-15; case studies of MAS in fish and shellfish, in chapters 16-17; and the final 

section is devoted to a selection of non-technical issues relevant to applications of MAS in 

developing countries, such as national research capacities and international partnerships, 

economic considerations, the impacts of intellectual property rights, and policy considerations 

(chapters 18-22). 

Course Content 

http://www.fao.org/docrep/010/a1120e/a1120e00.htm 



Full online course: Agricultural Science and Policy II - Friedman School of 

Nutrition Science and Policy 


51


Three new courses were launched in the December 2006 by Tufts OCW. This course, semester 

two of a year-long course, highlights the relevance of natural resource conservation for ensuring 

healthy agricultural, food and environmental systems, as well as the various approaches for 

implementing it. The course focuses on plant-pest interaction, crop breeding, plant nutrients, and 

livestock production. Topics covered during the first semester are soils, water, air and energy. 


http://ocw.tufts.edu/Course/40 



Culture is modernized by Science and Technology 

Culture is defined anthropologically, as the sum total of the attainments and activities of any 

specific period, race, or people including their implements, handicrafts, agriculture, economics, 

music, art, religious beliefs, traditions, language and story. An implement is a thing used in a 

manual work. The implements were manufactured; which is a science of man in his physical, 

social, material, and cultural development, including the study of his origins, evolution, 

geographic distribution, and communal forms. Agriculture is the raising of crops, breeding and 

breeding of livestock; this was done in developing countries during the 20th century, but 

gradually decreased during the late 20th century and is continuing in the beginning of the 21st 

century. Quoting from the Bible: Genesis Chapter 1,Verse 29;God said, Behold, I have given 

you every plant yielding seed which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in 

its fruit; you shall have them for food; since then man have done so. Indigenous knowledge 

should be revived with education and training in accordance with the Open Educational 

Resources (OER). The people in the rural areas have lost a culture of raising food crops, and 

livestock, and migrating to towns and cities to seek work. Education and training on science of 

agricultural commerce, is imperative. For implementation in developing countries; software can 

be shared for the benefit of educators and learners, and education and training may be offered in 

educational centers by educators. 


http://www.developmentgateway.org/ 


http://topics.developmentgateway.org/openeducation/rc/ItemDetail.do~1069534?itemId=106953 

4 

CD3WD - digital library for third world development 

Cd3wd is a project which provides free of charge 1.2 gigabytes of electronic books and 

documents on practical technical aspects of 3rd world development both for online browsing and 

(more importantly) for offline usage on pc's. It is comprised of html, jpg, gif and PDF files and 


52


is truly cross-platform, being useable on windows, linux, mac, and unix computers. CD3WD 

covers agriculture, health, appropriate technology and alternative energy, construction, 

education, forestry, fisheries, food processing, metalwork, woodwork, election systems, 

economics, business management, SME management etc ... 


http://www.cd3wd.com/CD3WD 



Conversations About Plant Biotechnology 

This website, provided by the Monsanto Corporation, has a number of videos of experts and of 

farmers talking about the benefits of genetically modified foods and crops. It also has a "World 

at a Glance" page with key statistics about GM crops and foods. Many of the videos are also 

available as transcriptions. There are experts identified in a number of developing nations. 


http://www.monsanto.com/biotech-gmo/index.htm 



MIT OpenCourseWare: Sustainable Energy, Spring 2005 

The assessment of current and potential future energy systems is covered in this course and 

includes topics on resources, extraction, conversion, and end-use, with emphasis on meeting 

regional and global energy needs in the 21st century in a sustainable manner. Different 

renewable and conventional energy technologies will be presented and described within a 

framework that aids in evaluation and analysis of energy technology systems in the context of 

political, social, economic, and environmental goals. This course features a selection of lecture 

notes and a complete set of assignments. 


http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Chemical-Engineering/10-391JSpring- 

2005/CourseHome/index.htm 




53


Equine Resources 

A collection of equine resources including information on issues of health and diseases, 

reproduction, nutrition, and pasture management. 


http://asci.uvm.edu/equine/?Page=Resources.html 



Healthy Farms - Healthy Agriculture 

Information on a variety of topics, including animal biosecurity, visitor biosecurity, and wildlife 

biosecurity. Also includes disease fact sheets and materials designed for children. 


http://www.uvm.edu/~ascibios/ 



Water Management 

Information on a variety of topics, including drought resources and response, energy 

conservation with irrigation water management, irrigation canal seepage, and sprinkler systems. 


http://extension.usu.edu/htm/publications/index.cfm 




54


Soil Science Courseware 

This site houses instructional materials for teaching and learning soil science. The site is in an 

early stage of development so you may find unfinished links and pages. Each page consists of a 

set of subcategories at the top of the page and links related to the current category below. The 

links on the lower part of the pages point to the instructional materials. 


http://courses.soil.ncsu.edu/ 



Forage and Pasture 

Information on a variety of topics including selecting alfalfa varieties and hay quality evaluation. 





4 

Farm Machinery Fact Sheets 

Information on a variety of topics including purchasing used farm machines, tire care, operating 

tractors in cold conditions, and fuel contamination. 





Agricultural Waste Management 

A collection of educational resources including information on animal manure removal methods, 

lagoon monitoring, and safety in manure storage facilities. 


55






Biological and Irrigation Engineering Courses 

The Biological and Irrigation Engineering (BIE) department at Utah State University applies the 

art and science of engineering principles to the solution of problems in biological systems, and 

to the creation of new biological-based systems, processes, and products. The department also 

prepares students for entry into professional schools, including medicine, law, and veterinary 

science. The BIE Department makes several courses available in USU OpenCourseWare, 

including: Biochemical Engineering, Irrigation Conveyance & Control Systems, and Sprinkle & 

Trickle Irrigation. 


http://ocw.usu.edu/Courses/department.2004-12-20.1328839294/Department_listing 

Source of Online Resources for MIT University OpenCourseware: 

http://oedb.org/library/features/top-100-open-courseware-projects 

Agriculture 

You can find free or low-cost classes at local community management offices in rural areas or 

through the resources offered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) 

(http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usdahome); but many colleges also offer resources online and 

through what are often called "Master Gardener" courses. You can use the following to get 

started: 

Agricultural Building Systems 

Course Content: 

http://engrwww.usask.ca/classes/ABE/307/ 

College of Engineering, University of Saskatchewan, offers materials on historic and currently 

successful building systems that can shore any agricultural effort. The lecture notes are the 

most impressive portions to this site. 


56


Design, Analysis, and Interpretation of Experiments 


http://www.plantsciences.ucdavis.edu/agr205/home.htm 

This is a graduate-level course, where students in agricultural and environmental sciences are 

introduced to the research process and statistical methods to plan, conduct, and interpret 

experiments in plant sciences. Jorge Dubcovsky at California University offers this course. 

Lecture Notes on the Major Soils of the World 


http://www.fao.org/DOCREP/003/Y1899E/y1899e00.htm 

This resource is provided by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), 

(http://www.fao.org/) provides a basic foundation for all soils. The lectures follow an 

explanation on the World Reference Base, which serves as a reference system for users 

interested in a broad division of soils and as a catalyst that facilitates soil correlation across a 

wide range of national soil classification systems. You can extend your research at this site 

with specific keywords. 

Source:http://oedb.org/library/features/top-100-open-courseware-projects 

5.4.2 Biology 

Sometimes known as "Life Sciences," biology can cover everything from the human animal to 

how all life forms evolve and interconnect. With that said, the following courses represent a 

mere fraction of all the available online courses that tackle biological sciences: 

Biology: 


http://members.aol.com/BearFlag45/Biology1A/ 

This is a fantastically easy-to-access course on biology, including study guides with hidden 

answers. Frank Orme, Merritt College, Oakland, offers these guides along with lectures notes, 

visuals, and links to many other resources. 


57


Human Biology Course: 


http://www.leeds.ac.uk/chb/humbmods.html#HUMB1020 

Offered by the University of Leeds, this site has expanded to include lecture notes on 

introductory anatomy, evolutionary developmental biology, and workbooks in PDF format. 

Introductory Biology: 


http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Biology/7-014Spring-2005/CourseHome/ 

Visit this MIT course to take advantage of the information provided by four professors. You'll 

need RealOne Player (http://www.real.com/) for the video lectures, but other information 

such as the study materials are provided through PDF. 

Life Sciences in the 21st Century: 


http://www.isis.vt.edu/~nstone/LifeSci/default.html 

Virginia Tech offers materials for such interests as biology, biotechnology, forestry and 

wildlife resources, and animal sciences. The lecture notes are very basics, and the assignments 

offer great ideas on how to expand your biological knowledge. 

The Biology Project: 


http://www.biology.arizona.edu/ 

This project, sponsored by the University of Arizona, provides an amazing amount of 

information about all things biological for anyone. Each click will take you deeper into the 

specifics on a particular subject, so plan to spend some time investigating this resource. 


58


5.4.3 Botany 

Whether you want to study agriculture, mycology (fungi aren't plants, but they're included in 

most basic botanical courses), or biology, botany will provide a broad scientific background for 

you endeavor. You can use these materials in conjunction with local courses at a botanical 

garden if one is available near you. 

Introduction to Botany: 


http://arnica.csustan.edu/boty1050/ 

Dr. Steven J. Wolf, California State University Stanislaus, provides a month's worth of lecture 

notes along with links to many resources, including a nifty little tool called the genetic "code 

cracker." You might also want to visit Dr. Wolf's course, Flowering Plants. 

(http://arnica.csustan.edu/boty3700/) 

Plant Biology: 


http://www.life.umd.edu/emeritus/reveal/ 

James L. Reveal & C. Rose Broome from the University of Maryland provides readers with 

numerous resources for plant biology. Outside the lecture notes and essays, you'll discover 

databases, dictionaries, and journals that will increase your knowledge about all things 

botanical. 

Plant Biology for NonScience Majors 


http://www.life.umd.edu/cbmg/faculty/acaines/bsci124/ 

If you want to learn botanical basics, this is the site for you. Once again offered by the 

University of Maryland, but by Dr. Angela Caines. After you make it through this course's 

objectives you can advance to the more complicated issues covered in the previous listing. 

Systematic of Plants: 


http://www.life.uiuc.edu/plantbio/260/ 

Stephen R. Downie and Kenneth R. Robertson, Life Sciences at the University of Illinois at 

Urbana-Champagne, introduce the principles and methods of identifying, naming, and 

classifying flowering plants. This course includes a great digital resource for the plants they 

59 



cover in their notes. Visit the university's life sciences directory 

(http://www.life.uiuc.edu/help/courses.php) for many more available courses. 

5.4.4 Chemistry 

List of Chemistry topics from Dg Communities 



Source of Summary 1 

Contributor: Thomas BEKKERS 

Published Date: October 2, 2007 

Online full course by MIT OpenCourseWare: From Nano to Macro: Introduction to 

Atomistic Modeling Techniques 

This online full course being published by MIT OCW features complete sets of lecture notes and 

assignments. The objective of this course is to introduce large-scale atomistic modeling 

techniques and highlight its importance for solving problems in modern engineering sciences. 

We demonstrate how atomistic modeling can be used to understand how materials fail under 

extreme loading, involving unfolding of proteins and propagation of cracks. 


http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Civil-and-Environmental-Engineering/1-978January--IAP-- 




Analytical Sciences Digital Library 

ADSL houses annotated links to more than 300 sites about chemical measurements and 

instruments. Aimed at high school through professional levels, the offerings include class notes, 

tutorials, simulations, and protocols. To help teachers share ideas, the site also posts original 

content, such as a complete lab manual and other peer-reviewed contributions. Online forums let 

users discuss how to integrate the materials into class. Edited by Cynthia Larive of the 

University of California, Riverside. 


http://www.asdlib.org/ 


60




Contributor: Riccardo de Marchi Trevisan 

Published Date: April 11, 2006 

Virtual Chemistry 

The Oxford VR Group is developing a three-dimensional simulated laboratory for the teaching 

of chemistry. This laboratory will be modelled using virtual reality techniques and it will contain 

interactive multimedia experiments. Essentially, the student will be able to move around the lab 

in a web browser window and choose to take part in experiments that are distributed around this 

virtual lab. Each experiment will make use of the latest multimedia technology. This will 

include: -digitised video and animations of the experiment being carried out; -animated threedimensional 

simulations of chemical objects (including molecules); -interactive sections where 

the student will be required to work out what is going on and answer questions; -and links to 

other useful internet sites relating to that topic. 


http://www.chem.ox.ac.uk/vrchemistry/ 



Contributor: Center for Open and Sustainable Learning 

Published Date: December 5, 2005 

Chemistry 

Part of a series of free high school textbooks prepared by the government of Kerala, India for its 

students. Sets forth the basic principles of chemistry. 


http://www.education.kerala.gov.in/eng_chem.htm 






61


Digital Chemistry 

The Internet is an ideal vehicle for communicating ideas and information rapidly, conveniently, 

and cost-effectively. The University of Califonia, Berkeley currently maintains a full featured, 

media rich Internet web site known as Digital Chem 1A that supplements our freshman general 

chemistry course. In addition to Berkeley students, our server records show that students from 

other universities currently use Digital Chem 1A to supplement their campus' general chemistry 

courses. We have also received inquires from community colleges and high schools as to how 

they might use the resources we have developed to enhance their course offerings. This proposal 

requests funding to develop a resource that interested educators may use to teach and learn 

chemistry. The resource would consist of an independent, self contained, fully online Course 

based on Digital Chem 1A that can be delivered at another institution or customized to enhance 

an existing course. We propose to accomplish this in five phases; (1) Build an independent 

website delivery platform for the online Course, (2) Enhance and update the content of Digital 

Chem 1A to meet American Chemical Society guidelines for a full year of college chemistry, (3) 

Improve the functionality of the Digital Chem 1A content delivery and assessment tools, (4) 

bring all learning objects contained in the new site into compliance with organizational 

standards for interoperability and integration, and (5) advertise the opening of the site by 

publication and general mailing to potential adopters. 


http://digitalchem.berkeley.edu/ 





The Chemistry Collective 

The Chemistry Collective is a collection of virtual labs, scenario-based learning activities, and 

concepts tests which can be incorporated into a variety of teaching approaches as pre-labs, 

alternatives to textbook homework, and in-class activities for individuals or teams. It is 

organized by a group of faculty and staff at Carnegie Mellon University for college and high 

school teachers who are interested in using, assessing, and/or creating engaging online activities 

for chemistry education. 


http://www.chemcollective.org/ 

Chemistry, like basic physics, requires a lot of memorization. So online courses and resources 

provide the budding chemist with handy tools to help in that learning process. The following 

sites represent a small portion of online available resources: 

Chemistry and Biochemistry: 


62



http://people.uleth.ca/~roussel 

This link takes you to Professor Marc R. Roussel's home page, where you'll find more links to 

lecture notes, illustrations and course materials on five different approaches to chemistry. 

Roussel teaches at the University of Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada. 

Chemistry Classroom: 


http://ull.chemistry.uakron.edu/classroom.html 

The information provided on this site is a service of the Hardy Research Group, Department of 

Chemistry, The University of Akron. This particular offering provides a rundown on 

everything from basic chemistry to radio analytical methods. 

Introduction to Quantum Chemistry: 


http://web.umr.edu/~pchem/qchem/qchem.shtml 

Dr. Scott Kirkby, University of Missouri-Rolla, provides the suggested textbook for this course 

and then leads the student through course lecture notes and problems based upon that book. 

This is an excellent step-by-step method to learn quantum chemistry. 

Physical Chemistry Lecture Notes: 


http://www.colby.edu/chemistry/PChem/Lecture2.html 

Although not a structured "class," the lecture notes provided by Tom Shattuck at Colby 

College's chemistry department provide serious background materials for quantum mechanics, 

spectroscopy, and statistical mechanics. 

Vision Learning: 


http://www.visionlearning.com/library/cat_view.php?cid=1&c3=&let1=Che 

Although this virtual classroom is more of a resource than an actual "class," the materials 

compiled for the chemistry division provide links to cited papers and other materials that can 

supplement any coursework. The chemistry division covers biochemistry, chemical reactions, 

nuclear and organic chemistry, and atomic theory. 


63


5.4.5 Economics 

Yes, you can study the various markets online, but it's nice to know that you can also study 

lecture notes written by professors at some top universities for your edification: 

Economics Interactive Tutorials: 


http://hadm.sph.sc.edu/Courses/Econ/Tutorials.html 

Dr. Samuel L. Baker at the University of South Carolina offers modules that teach economics 

basics. The modules use Java (http://java.sun.com/) applets to help you understand various 

concepts. 

Economics Lecture Notes: 


http://www.j-bradford-delong.net/Teaching_Folder/Econ_101b_F99/lecture_notes.html 

Professor Brad DeLong, Berkeley University, provides his extensive Econ 101 notes for your 

read-through. The notes are provided in HTML and .doc versions. You can visit DeLong's 

macroeconomics 

(http://econ161.berkeley.edu/Teaching_Folder/Econ_100b_S96/macroeconblecturenotes.html) 

page as well. 

Environmental and Natural Resources Economics: 


http://www.humboldt.edu/~envecon/ppt/423/ 

Professor Steve Hackett, Humboldt State University, offers lectures as slides that will lead you 

step-by-step through numerous aspects to this topic. This is an interesting course that fits neatly 

with any earth science focus. 

5.4.6 Electronic Engineering 

The following three listings provide just about all you need to know about electrical engineering 

(http://oedb.org/online-programs/engineering/electrical-engineering) basics and more advanced 

options: 

Electrical Networks I: 


64



http://www.eas.asu.edu/~holbert/ece201/ece201.html 

Get a grip on fundamental network theorems for AC/DC analysis through design and 

measurement of linear analog electrical systems. Dr. Holbert at Arizona State University's Ira 

A. Fulton School of Engineering provides Flash animations, handouts, and homework 

assignments among other tools to keep you busy for a while. When you finish this course, visit 

Dr. Holbert's other courses (http://www.eas.asu.edu/~holbert/courses.html). 

Electrical Science and Linear Circuits: 


http://people.clarkson.edu/~svoboda/ 

Prof. James A. Svoboda at Clarkson University offers these two courses and options within 

those samplings to learn all the basics. Each course option provides links that lead you to 

visuals, more notes, and even an online textbook. Wonderful resources for the beginner or as a 

backup study option for more experienced engineers. 

High Speed Communication Circuits: 


http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Electrical-Engineering-and-Computer-Science/6-776Spring- 

2005/CourseHome/ 

Professor Hae-Seung Lee at MIT provides the course material for those who want to learn 

more about high-speed communication systems, with primary focus being placed on wireless 

and broadband data link applications. Don't limit yourself to this course, as MIT provides many 

courses in their Electrical Engineering and Computer Science 

(http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Electrical-Engineering-and-Computer-Science/index.htm) open 

courseware department. 

5.4.7 General Engineering 

This topic covers nuclear and chemical engineering (http://oedb.org/onlineprograms/engineering/chemical-engineering) 

along with some numerical methods and analytics. 

Advanced Analytic Methods in Science and Engineering: 


http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Mathematics/18-305Fall-2004/CourseHome/index.htm 


65


MIT is the place for an example of this course, where Professor Hung Cheng offers lecture 

notes, projects, and an exam section in a comprehensive treatment of the advanced methods of 

applied mathematics. But you don't need to start or stop here - MIT offers dozens of open 

courseware opportunities within their engineering systems division. 

(http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/web/courses/courses/index.htm#EngineeringSystemsDivision) 

Engineering Graphics: 


http://crown.panam.edu/EG/ 

Dr. Stephen W. Crown at the University of Texas - Pan America offers his lectures and visuals 

on engineering graphics so you can learn through PowerPoint presentations and a Virtual 

Training Camp. Dr. Crown offers the needed software for you if you lack the means to view 

some of the work. If you want more from this professor, visit his homepage 

(http://crown.panam.edu/). 

Engineering Statistics: 


http://www.cmu.edu/oli/courses/enter_statics.html 

Carnegie Mellon's Open Learning Initiative (OLI) provides modules in various courses, and 

engineering statistics 

Java Applets for Engineering Education: 


http://www.engapplets.vt.edu/ 

This project, funded by the National Science Foundation for Virginia Polytechnic Institute, 

offers applets for various engineering applications. Some applications are applets, others are 

links that lead to other resources. 

Nuclear Engineering: 


http://www.nuceng.ca/ 

This is Bill Garland's site from the Department of Engineering Physics, McMaster University. 

At first, the site appears to be a series of links out to other sites (which is a great resource in 

itself); however, if you slide down the left menu, you'll find "courses." This is where you'll 

discover the lectures. Although I couldn't find a syllabus, any autodidactic intent on learning 

this topic will like this site. The sheer amount of information will brim over the edges of your 

monitor. 


66


Numerical Methods in Engineering: 


http://www.nd.edu/~jjwteach/index_441.html 

If the advanced MIT course is way over your head, try the introductory lecture notes on 

numerical methods offered by Professor Joannes J. Westerink at Notre Dame first. 

What is Engineering? 


http://www.jhu.edu/~virtlab/fall01/info.html 

If you don't know, then check out this course outline that provides reading material, notes, and 

examples. Michael Karweit from the Department of Chemical Engineering at Johns Hopkins 

University provides this site. 

5.4.8 Earth Sciences 

This is a hot topic as the world ponders global warming. The following courses provide a great 

background that will help build your debates on this topic, as well as provide diversions for your 

interests in biology, geography, geology, and other earth sciences: 

Biodiversity and Conservation: 


http://darwin.bio.uci.edu/~sustain/bio65/ 

This core course is one of three offered by the interdisciplinary minor in global sustainability 

offered by University of California, Irvine. But, it is the one course that's filled with PDF 

books, lectures, and notes on how to expand your knowledge in this realm. Some information 

is available only to registered students, but the majority of information is freely available to 

anyone, thanks to Dr. Peter J. Bryant. 

Earth & Environmental Sciences: 


http://www.tulane.edu/~sanelson/ 

That link will take you directly to Stephen Nelson's page at Tulane University. He teaches 

several courses through appropriate reading materials, lecture and/or field notes, and 

supplementary links to other online resources. Much of the reading material is presented online 

along with graphic images and charts. 


67

Environmental and Natural Resources Economics: 


http://www.humboldt.edu/~envecon/ppt/423/ 


Professor Steve Hackett at Humboldt State University explains how nature, economies, 

politics, and policy making mix - or not — through a series of slide lectures. 

Field Techniques: 


http://uts.cc.utexas.edu/~wd/courses/373F/ftech.html 

So you can't afford a class in field techniques. So what? Get started on the reading list, get 

some friends together, read over the course notes, and conduct a few exercises at this site, 

which provides an excellent reference for proper field note techniques. Created by William E. 

Doolittle for the University of Texas at Austin. 

Introduction to Environmental Engineering: 


http://www.courses.psu.edu/c_e/c_e270_bas124/CE270.html 

Don't let this title put you off — this is a great introductory site that leads the viewer through 

various basics with slide presentations and notes. This course compiled by Professor Bradley 

A. Striebig at Penn State. 

Wetland Ecology and Management: 


http://www.biology.ualberta.ca/courses/biol333/ 

Dr. Kevin J Devito, University of Alberta, provides his lecture notes and readings for anyone 

interested in water management issues. 


68


5.4.9 Geography & Geology 

Source of the lists of topics from DgCommunities 





8 

Contributor: John Daly 

Published Date: July 21, 2007 

The Electronic Cultural Atlas Initiative 

The Electronic Cultural Atlas Initiative (ECAI) seeks to use time and space mapping to enhance 

understanding and preservation of human culture. ECAI maintains on online Clearinghouse and 

provides the TimeMap Java server. There is a research agenda, supported by research grants. 

The ECAI Central Office, under the Dean of International and Area Studies (IAS) at the 

University of California, Berkeley, acts as the central coordinating body for ECAI. There is a 

very large international team involved in the ECAI network. 


http://ecai.org/ 



Contributor: Mike Pereira 

Published Date: May 2, 2006 

Mapping Our World 

This new, interactive website for teachers helps pupils explore the difference between a map and 

a globe, and how different map projections affect our perceptions of the world. Designed for 

whole class learning on an interactive whiteboard, this resource will transform pupils' 

understanding of their place in the world and develop skills of enquiry and critical thinking. A 

host of colourful characters guide pupils through the activities, including Holey Moley, Bob the 

Pirate, and aliens from the Planet Famox, making learning fun and teachers' lives easier. 

Mapping our World is designed to support Geography teaching and is also ideal for bringing a 

global approach to Citizenship, Personal and Social Education and ICT studies. The resource 

suits all abilities and learning styles, and features nine structured activities and full teachers' 

notes. 

69 




http://www.oxfam.org.uk/coolplanet/mappingourworld/ 




Published Date: January 6, 2006 

The World Factbook 

A website created by the CIA containing excellent and accurate information about countries all 

over the world. Contains appendixes, reference maps, flags of the world, notes and definitions, 

country profiles, a History of The World Factbook, along with frequently asked questions 

(FAQs). 


http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/ 





Encyclopedia of the Nations 

The Encyclopedia of the Nations is a complete source for detailed information about onehundred 

ninety-three countries in the world, information about the United Nations and the 

associated agencies, and World Leaders. The detailed nation profiles are categorized by 

continent and alphabetically arranged and consist of information about each country such as the 

population, history, ethnic groups, culture, language, transportation, government structure, 

technology, and contain notes about museums, media, libraries, technology, and much more. 

Categories represented on the home page include Africa, Americas, Asia and Oceania, Europe, 

World Leaders, United Nations, and United Nations Related Agencies. 


http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/ 



70





An Outline of American Geography: Regional Landscapes of the United States 

A book about the geography of the United States, the central theme being the human imprint on 

the landscape. Divides the United States into a number of areas, each of which has a special 

identity developed out of several interacting elements. Basic themes of chapters include such 

topics as urbanization, industrialization, and resources. 


http://www.uwsp.edu/geo/faculty/ritter/geog101/textbook/title_page.html 





An Outline of American Geography: Regional Landscapes of the United States 

A book about the geography of the United States, the central theme being the human imprint on 

the landscape. Divides the United States into a number of areas, each of which has a special 

identity developed out of several interacting elements. Basic themes of chapters include such 

topics as urbanization, industrialization, and resources. 


http://odur.let.rug.nl/%7Eusa/GEO/index.htm 



Contributor: African Virtual University 


MIT OpenCourseWare: Urban Studies and Planning - Introduction to Urban Design and 

Development 


71


This course introduces graduate students to ideas about the form of cities and how they are 

designed and developed. Part 1 explores the forces which act to shape and to change cities. Part 

2 surveys models of urban design which have been invented in response to forces acting on 

cities. 


http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Urban-Studies-and-Planning/11- 

301JFall2003/CourseHome/index.htm 





MIT OpenCourseWare: Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences - Modern Navigation 

The development of the Global Positioning System (GPS) started in the 1960s, and the system 

became operational in 1992.This course looks at modern and past developments in navigation. 

The course focuses on some salient features of today's navigational world - specifically, the 

GPS. The course will apply many of basic principles of science and mathematics learnt at MIT 

to explore the applications and principles of GPS. It will also use GPS and other equipment in 

the class (and outside on Campus) to demonstrate the uses of this system. 

Plates, shelves, mapping, and general sciences. Many colleges now offer their 

geography/geology notes or slide lectures online, and some focus on specifics like volcanoes or 

earthquakes. Others, like most included in the list below, are general and offer a great basic 

knowledge base in this topic. 

Cornell Geo-Sci Lecture Notes: 


http://www.geo.cornell.edu/geology/classes/Geo656/656notes03.html 

These notes are for the most serious geographers, all offered through PDF format with 

equations and graphics. This site goes to prove that you can find just about anything you need 

online if you look hard enough! 

Geology and Science: 


http://www.uwsp.edu/geo/faculty/ozsvath/g100.htm 


72


Geology 100 is an introduction to scientific inquiry and the scientific method as they apply to 

understanding human interactions with the geologic environment. One textbook, copious note, 

and plenty of links to guide you through this basic course designed by David L. Ozsvath at 

University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. 

GIS Fundamentals (Tools for Spatial Analysis): 


http://www.utdallas.edu/~briggs/poec6381.html 

This course introduces Geographic Information Systems in a multidisciplinary context. This is 

a University of Texas at Dallas course taught by Dr. Ron Briggs. Many course files are 

Microsoft Word .doc files or PowerPoint presentations. 

Matthias Tomczak's Oceanography Web Site: 


http://gyre.umeoce.maine.edu/physicalocean/Tomczak/ 

More than entertaining, this site holds site-specific information about oceanographic conditions 

through lectures, online PDF books, and exercises in physical oceanography. The materials are 

based on Tomczak's lecture notes for the physical oceanography part of the first year 

undergraduate topic, Marine Sciences 1, at the Flinders University of South Australia in 

Adelaide. The site is also available on CD. 

World Geography: 


http://www.harpercollege.edu/mhealy/geg101i/home.htm 

You don't need to register or sign in to access all the lectures, notes, and maps you'll need for 

an overview on world geography. Compiled by Professor Mark L. Healy at William Rainey 

Harper College. 

5.4.10 History 

The benefit to attending college classes in history is to discuss theory. Beyond this, the best way 

to learn history is to read as much as you can on this topic in a specific time and place. Here are 

some suggestions: 

AP History Lesson: 


73



http://www.montereyinstitute.org/nroc/ 

If you know about Cliff Notes (http://www.cliffsnotes.com/WileyCDA/), this course will 

remind you of those course basics because it covers recent American history through 

photographs and brief overviews. This AP History lesson is brought to you by The National 

Repository of Online Courses (NROC), Monterey Institute for Technology and Education. 

History of Western Civilization: 


http://history.boisestate.edu/westciv/ 

This is a college course in European history from ancient times to the early modern era, offered 

by Dr. E.L. Skip Knox through Boise State University. You'll enter the Crusades, the 

Renaissance, and the Reformation as you use the guide to work through primary and secondary 

sources. 

The American Civil War: 


http://www.outreach.washington.edu/openuw/asp/transform.asp?course=Civil&xml=civil_intro 

1 

The University of Washington offers this course along with others (like the American 

Revolution(http://www.outreach.washington.edu/openuw/asp/transform.asp?course=Revolutio 

n&xml=revolution_intro1)) specifically as open courseware. They suggest that you purchase 

specific reading material, and they ask that you register before you can access the materials. 

5.4.11 Languages & Linguistics 

List of Modules for Languages 



Source of summary 1 


Published Date: November 2, 2007 



74


English Exercises for Kids by QeDoc 

This educational resource is classified among the OEr Commons most popular items. It is 

published under Creative Commons license by QeDoc. It contains a Qedoc learning module or 

quiz entitled "English Exercises for Kids". You can download the module from this page to put 

on your computer. You can also launch the module straight off the web using the launch quiz 

link on the right-hand side of this page. Another way to access this quiz is to install the Qedoc 

Quiz Player and bring up its directory of downloadable quizzes. Whichever way you choose to 

use it, it's free. The Qedoc brand was created in 2005 as a name for a suite of quiz software tools 

and a repository of open educational resources. 


http://www.qedoc.org/en/index.php?title=English_Exercises_for_Kids 



Contributor: Jay Fister 

Published Date: August 21, 2007 

Learn Spanish Online with 123TeachMe.com 

123TeachMe is a free service for both students and language schools. Do not be fooled by the 

websites of independent sales agents who demand huge commissions from language schools for 

each student they enroll. 123TeachMe allows you to save money by working directly with 

Spanish language schools. Comment from the OER dgCommunity Content Manager: also this 

resource is not published under Open License, the content is accessible for free and of excellent 

quality, including audio tracks, tests and more. 


http://www.123teachme.com/ 



Contributor: greet goverde 


English language materials and integrated project based on 'Hungry Corporations'. 

This material is gently shared and made available freely by Greet Goverde, a new member of 

dgCommunities: English language materials originally developed for African students at (pre-) 

academic level but also relevant for others. Language: vocabulary exercises with key, reference 

grammar, list of common African mistakes. Project: based on a summary of the book 'Hungy 


75



Corporations', which provides a thorough survey of the developments in agriculture and 

agribusiness in the last 30 years. The projects integrate agriculture, English language, Social 

Sciences and Life Sciences. 


http://www.oogvoorghana.org/ukindex.htm 




Published Date: June 26, 2007 

Online full course: NIH Plain Language Online Training 

The U.S. National Institutes of Health provide this online training course to help people learn to 

write English in a style that is termed "plain language". It is intended to facilitate communication 

of scientific information. The website states that "Plain language is characterized by: * 

Common, everyday words except for necessary technical terms * Personal pronouns (“we” and 

you) * Active voice * Logical organization * An easy-to-read format, including bullets, 

tables and free use of whitespace." Modules one through seven contain tales of medical history, 

some exercises, and a summary. The eighth module contains optional exercises for additional 

practice. The site provides links to Web sites that can be used by those interested in continuing 

to expand their writing skills. 


http://plainlanguage.nih.gov/CBTs/PlainLanguage/login.asp 



6 

Contributor: Rebecca Hallengren 

Published Date: March 8, 2007 

Free Online Spanish Lessons 

Completely free online Spanish course. Students learn over 10,000 unique sentences in Spanish. 

Based on proven, 30-year-old method originally created by the US government for diplomats 

and other government officials working abroad. Students can listen to and learn dialects from 

different Spanish speaking countries. The system is based on a 30-year-old proven teaching 

method created by the Foreign Service Institute (FSI). There are 55 FSI based lessons, each with 

between 500 and 1000 sentences to practice and repeat. Lessons 56 – 63 are dialect lessons 

where you can listen to native Spanish speakers tell personal stories about their lives in their 

own distinct dialects 

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http://www.loquella.com/learn-spanish/ 




Published Date: February 26, 2007 

www.softschools.com: free worksheets and educational games 

SoftSchools.com provides free math worksheets, free math games and free phonics worksheets 

and games. Worksheets and games are organized by grades and topics. Some games and 

worksheets are also available for next topics: phonics, science, social studies and Spanish. 

Educational games can be directly played online. 


http://www.softschools.com/ 



Contributor: Barbara Joseph 


Communication, Language and Literacy in Trinidad and Tobago 

This is an experimental digital course for Trinidad and Tobago teachers in the field of 

Communication, Language and Literacy. It introduces teachers to explore concepts in this field 

of study as this relates to their social environment. This course also serves as supplementary 

material to the campus course LCE 134 (UTT). One aim here is to encourage the use of more 

self-paced, independent-study, internet resources and to have our teachers network with others 

by participating in online discussions and fora. Global visitors are welcome to the site. 


http://cnx.org/content/col10388/1.7 




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Contributor: Carl Weckerle 


Unilang: I want to learn a language! 

The main purpose of the UniLang Community is to provide an online site where people 

interested in languages can unite, openly discuss, and find resources related to language(s), 

linguistics and translations. UniLang is dedicated to the free, online teaching of as many 

languages as possible. They have a vast amount of language resources, created by their 

members, all meant to help you learn whatever language you are interested in. 

Course Content: http://unilang.org/ 





Learn Spanish 

Offers many resources for learning the Spanish language including tutorials on pronunciation, 

grammar, and vocabulary, verb drills, cultural notes, an idiom generator, and other useful links. 


http://www.studyspanish.com/ 





Using English for Academic Purposes 

An online-only manual to help foreign students in their academic endeavors. Offers plenty of 

useful tips for students coming to college in an English-speaking country. Contains resources to 

help in the areas of listening, reading, speaking, vocabulary, and writing. Also contains links to 

other useful sources of information. 


http://www.uefap.com/ 


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Tell Me More 

This is a complete online version of an English textbook written for speakers of Korean. Most of 

the textbook can be also used by non-Korean speakers. The format includes both a student's 

book and a teacher's book. It contains a number of task-based communication activities which 

require students to communicate with each other and practice using English. Situational, 

functional, and structural emphases all have their place in the book in an environment of 

interactive learning, in which students are encouraged to develop their skills and abilities in the 

transferring of information and opinions between themselves, using the target language as the 

medium for this communication. 


http://iteslj.org/t/tmm/ 





Things for ESL/EFL Teachers 

A website containing resources for ESL teachers, including ideas for projects, links to webbased 

textbooks, other lessons, and a database of web links. 


http://iteslj.org/t/ 





The Internet TESL Journal For Teachers of English as a Second Language 

The site of a monthly Internet journal for ESL teachers containing articles, research papers, 

lesson plans, classroom handouts, teaching ideas & links. 


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http://iteslj.org/ 





English Language Learning Materials and Teaching Resources 

A website providing ideas and material for teachers who are teaching English to second 

language learners. Includes such items as lesson materials, topics to discuss, pronunciation, 

phonology, and teaching English. 


http://www.btinternet.com/~ted.power/index.html 





TEFL Methodology Index: Approaches & Methods in Second Language Teaching 

A resource for teaching English to second language learners. Includes topics such as English 

pronunciation, listening to spoken English, syntax & semantics, syllabus and course design, 

testing and assessment, developing a placement test, songs and games, reading and writing. 


http://www.btinternet.com/~ted.power/teflindex.htm 





Common Mistakes in English by Language Background 

A guide to common pronunciation mistakes indexed by dominant language. Includes links to 

information for Arabic, Chinese, Croatian, Dutch, Farsi, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, 

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Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Taiwanese, Thai, and 

Turkish. Also includes an English phoneme chart. 


http://www.btinternet.com/~ted.power/phono.html 





Prepare for Discussion for English language learners 

A list of ideas and resources to assist English language learners. Includes resources such as 

vocabulary exercises, pronunciation techniques, and discussion questions for each topic. Topics 

include subjects like the arts, economics, education, health, language learning, and science & 

technology. Also includes information on issues including alternative beliefs, cultural 

differences, the environment, and the rich & poor world with a glossary of ten discussion 

techniques for use with said topics. 


http://www.btinternet.com/~ted.power/discuss.html 





Practice materials from Beginners to Advanced for English language learners 

Contains ideas for teaching English to all students levels, including beginners and elementary, 

pre-intermediate and intermediate, and higher intermediate and advanced. Also includes 

worksheets to teach English discussion in the context of 28 topic areas, worksheets for 

vocabulary and discussion practice based on song texts (for both language and social studies 

classes), and worksheets to teach English phrasal verbs within a functional context 


http://www.btinternet.com/~ted.power/literacy.html 




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First Time in England 

A graded reader for beginners & elementary level ESL students. The story of two Spanish 

students, Arturo from the Asturias and Rosa from Madrid, who meet for the first time at The 

English Language College in London. They fall in love just before Arturo has to return to Spain, 

and plan to meet again. Each chapter emphasizes certain points of English, including such things 

as nouns, adjectives, writing & speaking, verbs, auxiliaries, prepositions, and vocabulary. 


http://www.btinternet.com/~ted.power/first.html 





English Grammar: Explanations and Exercises 

A book that covers all of the essential points of English grammar. Each point of grammar is 

clearly explained, and is illustrated by examples. For every important point of grammar, one or 

more exercises are provided, to make it easier to learn and remember the material. Answers for 

the exercises are provided. Includes a summary of the uses and formation of the English verb 

tenses is given for easy reference, and grammatically determined rules for spelling, 

pronunciation, and punctuation. Emphasizes the grammar of North American English and points 

out the grammatical differences between formal and informal English. 


http://members.fortunecity.com/leanora/gramdex.html 





Beginning English for Somali Speakers 

This book, Beginning English for Somali Speakers, was written for the benefit of Somali 

speakers who are learning English. The first half of each chapter is written in English, and the 

second half presents the same material in the Somali language. Explains the pronunciation of the 

English consonants and vowels, along with various aspects of basic English grammar. Also 


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contains an English-Somali and Somali-English Vocabulary of around 600 commonly used 

English words. 


http://members.fortunecity.com/leanora/somindex.html 



0 

Contributor: Jennifer Lubrani 


Learn Chinese via Mobile Phones 

This course teaches Chinese language via mobile phones. The course is suitable for both 

children and adults, Chinese and English speakers. This course is presented in a moblog which is 

an effective medium for delivering small amount of knowledge anytime, anywhere. It is also 

effective in drilling, which enables memorization. In this course, the core teaching materials and 

the communication component are accessible via wireless devices. Additional learning materials 

can be accessed via computers. 


http://cnx.rice.edu/content/col10286/latest/ 





Runeberg 

Project Runeberg is a volunteer effort to create free electronic editions of classic Nordic 

(Scandinavian) literature and make them openly available over the Internet. It was founded in 

1992 and is based at LYSATOR, the students' computer club at Linköping University in 

Linköping, Sweden. 


http://runeberg.org/ 




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CANAL (Corporation pour l'avancement de nouvelles applications des langages) 

Designed initially to service the educational needs of Quebecois students, Canal Savoir has 

evolved into a major repository of OERs for the global French speaking community. It utilizes 

the competences of several of the participating organizations to develop useful and interactive 

multimedia tools, specifically in regards to language learning. CANAL (Corporation pour 

l'avancement de nouvelles applications des langages) est un consortium privé à but non lucratif 

qui regroupe la plupart des universités québécoises, des collèges ainsi que des partenaires clés 

du domaine des télécommunications. Ces intervenants mettent en commun leurs efforts et leur 

compétence respective afin d'offrir à la collectivité, par l'utilisation des télécommunications 

audiovisuelles et multimédias, un accès aux contenus éducatifs provenant des établissements 

d'enseignement postsecondaire, des organismes et des entreprises préoccupés par la formation. 


http://www.canal.qc.ca/corporation/mission.html 





Waseda OpenCourseWare: Japanese - 

Students will learn how to read traditional forms of Japanese character, such as "Hentai-Gana" 

and "Kuzushi-Ji" by using a variety of materials from classics to modern. 


http://www.waseda.jp/ocw/AsianStudies/13- 

4446KuzushiCharacter1Spring2004/CourseHome/index.html 





MIT OpenCourseWare: Foreign Languages and Literatures Introduction to Latin 

American Studies, Spring 2002 

This course is designed as an introduction to Latin American politics and society for 

undergraduates at MIT. No background on the region is required. Apart from the course 


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materials, this site offers an extensive list of resources deling with Latin America under the 

"resources" sub-heading. 


http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Foreign-Languages-and-Literatures/21F-084JIntroduction-to-Latin- 

American-StudiesSpring2002/CourseHome/index.htm 





MIT OpenCourseWare: Foreign Langauges and Literatures - Traditional Chinese 

Literature: Poetry, Fiction and Drama, Fall 2002 

Introduction to some of the major genres of traditional Chinese poetry, fiction, and drama. 

Intended to give students a basic understanding of the central features of traditional Chinese 

literary genres. A reading list including all subjects discussed is included, though no PDF 

downloadable files are contained. 


http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Foreign-Languages-and-Literatures/21F-044Traditional-Chinese- 

Literature--Poetry--Fiction-and-DramaFall2002/CourseHome/index.htm 





MIT OpenCourseWare: Foreign Languages and Literatures - index page for all courses 

MIT OpenCourseWare provides free, searchable, access to MIT's course materials for educators, 

students, and self-learners around the world. This site provides links to all Foreign Langauges 

and Literature courses available (undergraduate and graduate level). For each course accessed, 

see left column for available resources (e.g. Syllabus, Calendar, Readings, Lecture Notes, 

Assignments, Study Materials). The FL&L curriculum is divided into six groups that show the 

breadth of the field, with particular emphases on the east asian languages such as: 

Mandarin/Cantonese, Japanese. Adavanced German and Spanish classes are offered at the 

Graduate level as well. 


http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Foreign-Languages-and-Literatures/index.htm 


85






William Shakespeare's Oeuvre 

A site hosted by MIT offering the complete works of William Shakespeare. 


http://shakespeare.mit.edu/works.html 

Languages 

If you want to learn new languages, you're probably familiar with the Free Online Language 

(http://www.word2word.com/coursead.html) portal. Many of these courses contain audio tools 

where you can learn through repetition, which is a great way to learn a language. But, if you 

want to dig deeper into the science of language, you might want to delve into the following 

courses: 

Introduction to the Study of Language: 

Course Content :http://www.linguistics.ucla.edu/people/schlenker/LING1-06.html 

This course examines what the nature of language is, how the science of linguistics analyzes 

language data, and how language is acquired and interacts with human biology and 

psychology. Professor Philippe Schlenker at UCLA compiled this course. 

Language and Mind: 

Course Content : http://www.ling.umd.edu/colin/courses/ling240_2001/index.html 

This course represents a one-semester tour of the science of language and its position within 

the human mind. Not only do you get a grasp on reading materials, but you'll have access to 

homework assignments, lecture notes, and resources. Instructors Colin Phillips & Yi-Ching Su 

offer these materials through the University of Maryland. 

Source of Online Resources from MIT University: 

http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/web/courses/courses/index.htm 


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5.4.12 Law 



Source of Summary 1: 




A repository with learning objects on European citizenship 

The learning objects stored in this database are available in 25 languages and may be used for 

collective or individual learning focusing on European citizenship. The repository is maintained 

by myEUROPE, a Web-based project which aims to help teachers raise their pupils' awareness 

of what it means to be a young citizen in Europe. Thye project is managed by European 

Schoolnet, a programme supported by the European Commission. 


http://myeurope.eun.org/ww/en/pub/myeurope/home/resources/los.cfm 





JurisPedia: a universal legal encyclopedia 

A Wiki type portal, JurisPedia is an encyclopedic project of academic initiative devoted to 

worldwide law, legal and political sciences. Its objective is to create a universal legal 

encyclopedia. The collaborative encyclopedia is released under Open license Creative 

Commons. Jurispedia has developed on the initiative of Équipe de Recherche Informatique et 

Droit (Faculty of Law of the University of Montpellier I , the Faculty of Law of the University 

of Can Tho, the Faculty of Law of the University of Groningen , the Institute for Law and 

Informatics (Saarland University) and the team of JURIS (Université du Québec À Montreal). 

The project is open for cooperation with other partners. Any other teams of research or Faculties 

of Law in the whole world can freely join us. Participation in Jurispedia requires only human 

implication on the shared law. 


http://cyberschoolbus.un.org/3PLUSU/index.html 


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"3 PLUS U": Learn about World of Work with ILO's serious game 

Explore this new digital adventure on the World of Work developed by ILO and discover why it 

is important to protect people at work. This educational game -using flash technology- is 

available for free on the UN cyberschoolbus Web site. The help section of this "serious game" 

provides a user guide as well as a teacher guide. 


http://cyberschoolbus.un.org/3PLUSU/index.html 





ABC - Teaching Human Rights 

This free educational material is published by the OHCHR. "ABC - Teaching Human Rights" 

provides practical activities for primary and secondary schools. It aims to serve as a userfriendly 

tool for human rights education and a multi-coloured umbrella covering a number of 

basic human rights areas. It offers practical advice to teachers and other educators who want to 

foster human rights awareness and action among primary and secondary school children, 

including suggestions for developing learning activities. It is not meant to place an extra burden 

on an already overloaded curriculum but to assist in infusing human rights issues into subjects 

already taught in schools. Please find bellow direct links to all chapters (english language): - 

Chapter 1: http://www.ohchr.org/english/about/publications/docs/abc-ch1.pdf - Chapter 2: 

http://www.ohchr.org/english/about/publications/docs/abc-ch2.pdf - Chapter 3: 

http://www.ohchr.org/english/about/publications/docs/abc-ch3.pdf This publication is also 

available in Arabic, Spanish, French and Russian: 

http://www.ohchr.org/english/about/publications/training.htm 


http://www.ohchr.org/english/about/publications/docs/abc-ch1.pdf 




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Contributor: Victor K. Mugarura 


E-Government - What A Government Leader Should Know 

This is an Online Training Course offered by the UNPAN Training Centre free of charge on E- 

government: What a Government Leader Should Know. This course is designed for individuals 

who have been, are, and/or will be involved in e-government initiatives at the country level. 

Registration: Registration for the courses will start 17th of July 2006 and will continue 

throughout the spring session. Please visit this page later for registration. Duration: 4 months 

Dates: Summer 2006: 17th of July 2006 - 1st of November 2006 Course contents: Part 1. 

Introductory: background knowledge on ICT development and e-government related basic 

concepts;[more] Part 2. Tactical: describing the fundamental infrastructure that is required for 

the success of e-government development;[more] Part 3. Strategic: discussing high-level 

concerns on e-government sustainable development.[more] Course language: English 

Requirements: Proficiency in reading and understanding English. Notes/Comments: Easy 

Internet access is critical for this online training; active participation in the "live" discussion and 

experiences sharing are encouraged. Certificate will be issued upon completion of each part of 

the course. 


http://www.unpan.org/training_egovform.asp 





Good Legal Websites 

The main purpose of the site is to provide information about the 10 signs of reputable legal 

information site. Also includes links for help on understanding legal terminology and 

understanding legal research. 


http://www.peoples-law.org/finding/legal-sites/select%20websites.htm 






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Law Search Engines 

An entire website listing engines for searching legal topics. Contains over 35 listings with links 

to other sites. Example listings include Search Engines Worldwide, Search Engines Galore!, 

LawCrawler, LawResearch, and many others. Engines are available for those at any level of 

understanding of law including lawyers, students of law, and consumers. 


http://icr.prairienet.org/lawsearc.htm 





American Bar Association Law Info 

This site made by the American Bar Association offers information on legal topics that affect 

everyday people, access to resources designed with consumers in mind, and expertise from the 

ABA. General topics referenced on the site include finances, family, jobs, homes, buying and 

selling, the courts, criminal justice, and help finding a lawyer. 


http://www.abalawinfo.org/ 





Legal Information Institute 

Website sponsored by Cornell University containing information about US laws and court 

decisions for non-lawyers. Some subjects include: constitutions & codes, court opinions, law by 

source or jurisdiction, basic legal citation, topical libraries, directories, and publications. Also 

contains a separate section on law events in the news. 


http://www.law.cornell.edu/ 


90






Find Law 

A search engine for legal topics. Topics are available for search by legal issue or location. 

General topics include accidents & injuries, dangerous products, immigration law, bankruptcy & 

debt, divorce & family law, real state, car accidents, employee rights, small business, criminal 

law, and estate planning. Also contains a guide for choosing a lawyer and a legal dictionary. 


http://www.findlaw.com/# 





NOLO 

As stated on the site, the mission of NOLO is to "provide do-it-yourself legal solutions for 

consumers and small businesses." Contains links to books, forms and software (some free and 

some available to purchase) on a wide range of legal issues. Example topics include: wills, estate 

planning, retirement, elder care, personal finance, taxes, housing, real estate, divorce, and child 

custody. We also offer materials on human resources, employment, intellectual property, and 

starting and running a small business. 


http://www.nolo.com/ 





Tufts University OpenCourseWare: Friedman School of Nutrition Science and 

Public Policy 


91


This course examines competing theories, models, and analytical frameworks for understanding 

policymaking. Case study application is used to underscore lessons learned. it endeavours to 

answer several these fundamental questions: Why government gets involved in some things and 

not in others?; How public problems are framed and described?;What criteria are useful in 

developing and assessing policy choices? 


http://ocw.tufts.edu/Course/8/CourseHome 





MIT OpenCourseWare: Anthropology - Violence, Human Rights and Justice, Fall 

2004 

This course examines the contemporary problem of political violence and the way that human 

rights have been conceived as a means to protect and promote freedom, peace and justice for 

citizens against the abuses of the state.Course materials include: Syllabus, Calendar, Readings, 

Lecture Notes, Assignments, Exams, Study Materials. 


http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Anthropology/21A-225JFall-2004/CourseHome/index.htm 





MIT OpenCourseWare: Political Science - Political Philopsophy: Global Justice, 

Spring 2003 

This course explores the foundations and content of norms of justice that apply beyond the 

borders of a single state. It examine issues of political justice, economic justice, and human 

rights. Topics include the case for skepticism about global justice; the idea of global democracy; 

intellectual property rights; the nature of distributive justice at the global level; pluralism and 

human rights; and rights to control borders. It meets jointly with Harvard's Philosophy 271, and 

is taught by Professors Joshua Cohen, Thomas Scanlon, and Amartya Sen. Readings are from 

Kant, Habermas, Rawls, Sen, Beitz, Nussbaum, Stiglitz, Ignatieff, Walzer, among others.Course 

materials include:Syllabus, Calendar, Readings, Lecture Notes, Assignments. 


92



http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Political-Science/17-000JPolitical-Philosophy--Global- 

JusticeSpring2003/CourseHome/index.htm 





MIT OpenCourseWare: Law - Law & Society, Spring 2003 

This course examines the central features of law as a social institution and as a feature of 

popular culture. It will explore the nature of law as a set of social systems, central actors in the 

systems, legal reasoning, and the relationship of the legal form and reasoning to social change. 

The course emphasizes the relationship between the internal logic of legal devices and 

economic, political and social processes. 


http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Anthropology/21A-219Law-andSocietySpring2003/ 

CourseHome/index.htm 

Law practice (http://oedb.org/online-programs/legal/law) usually begins with the basics, but you 

can find many other courses online if you do searches for specific topics within the law field 

(such as criminal law). You might also want to check out sources under political sciences. 





MIT OpenCourseWare: Law - Law for Entrepenuers and Managers 

This course provides a basic understanding of legal issues that corporations face during their 

existence. The course starts by providing the basic building blocks of business law. It then 

follows a firm through its life cycle from its "breakaway" from an established firm through it 

going public. 


http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Sloan-School-of-Management/15-615Law-for-the-Entrepreneurand-ManagerSpring2003/CourseHome/index.htm 




93




Rice Connexions: Law - A Primer in Modern Intellectual Property Law 

This is a very broad primer in intellectual property law from the perspective of its original 

justification, and the basic legal and institutional distinctions that accompany it in the modern 

period (roughly 1700-2000). 


http://cnx.rice.edu/content/m11795/latest/ 

Constitutional Law: 


http://faculty.ncwc.edu/mstevens/410/default.htm 

The syllabus, lecture notes, and links to further resources make this site one of the best basic 

sites on constitutional law. The materials are provided by Professor Mark Stevens at North 

Carolina Wesleyan College. If you like this topic, you might check Prof. Steven's home page 

(http://faculty.ncwc.edu/mstevens/) for more materials, such as criminal or forensic law. 

Criminal Law: 


http://www.law.ua.edu/colquitt/crimmain/crimmain.htm 

What better way to learn about criminal law than from a judge? Judge Colquitt provides a 

syllabus, news, lecture notes, case studies and more through this comprehensive site. 

Economic Analysis of Law: 


http://www.daviddfriedman.com/Law_and_Econ_97/Law_and_Econ_97.html 

This course is a bit old (1997), but relevant nonetheless. The nice perk to this project is that 

portions of Professor David Friedman's Price Theory textbook are available online. 

Law and Veterinary Medicine: 


94




This course acquaints students with basic concepts of law, as well as ethics at a graduate level. 

The course also seeks to enable students to practice medicine more prudently through 

application of legal rules. This course is just one of many open courseware projects offered 

through Tufts University. 

Source: 


5.4.13 Literature 

You might read 100 books a month, but reading for critical thinking is a bit different. The 

following courses can help you build a base for learning how to communicate as you learn how 

to analyze literature: 

Criticism and Literary Theory: 


http://www.shef.ac.uk/english/modules/lit204/site/ 

The University of Sheffield offers a more intermediate/advanced module on literary theory that 

focuses on English (http://oedb.org/online-programs/arts-humanities/english) literature. Their 

resource, which you may use often throughout this online instruction, is the Johns Hopkins 

guide (http://www.shef.ac.uk/library/cdfiles/jhupgltc.html) to literary theory and criticism. 

Literary Nonfiction: 


http://www.nt.armstrong.edu/literary.htm 

Yes, this is a broad course, but an essential one to learn how to analyze primary literary 

sources. Originally compiled by Dr. Richard Nordquist for Armstrong Atlantic State 

University, the site now acts as an archive for previous course materials. You must be 

motivated to work through all the readings and writing projects located on this site. 

Survey of American Literature 


95



http://www.distancelearningassociates.com/eng2327/2327TOC.htm 

This course is compiled by Dr. Geoffrey A. Grimes for Mountain View College as a resource 

for Distance Learning Associates. Although the site asks you to register, you don't need to 

apply to the college to read the comprehensive lecture materials that cover U.S. writers from 

the early colonial period through Walt Whitman. 

Survey of British Literature III 


http://www.jadwin.net/322/#description 

Professor Lisa Jadwin from St. John Fisher College, Rochester, NY leads the viewer through 

an advanced literature course. The course is designed to give you a sense of literary history, an 

understanding of some central texts, and a grasp of how British literature and its readers have 

developed in the past century and a half. Scroll down this page to access the important 

materials, but the writing guides and study questions are great tools for self-starters. 

Source: 


5.4.14 Mechanical Engineering 

Check out MIT's offerings in mechanical engineering (http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Mechanical- 

Engineering/index.htm), as their resources could steer you toward other online courses outside 

the outstanding ones listed below. 

Experimental Engineering: 


http://css.engineering.uiowa.edu/~expeng/ 

Professor Chen at Seamans Center for the Engineering Arts and Sciences, Iowa University, 

offers an engineering project that leads the viewer step-by-step through course notes, labs, and 

the final project along with photographs. Even if you cannot conduct this experiment, you can 

learn much from this course material. 

Expert Systems in Mechanical Engineering: 


96



http://best.me.berkeley.edu/~aagogino/me290m/s99/readings.html 

Berkeley Expert Systems Technology (BEST) (http://best.me.berkeley.edu/) lab is an Artificial 

Intelligence, Expert Systems and Information Technologies laboratory in the Department of 

Mechanical Engineering at University of California at Berkeley, directed by Professor Alice 

Agogino. This particular course provides lectures, reading materials, and resources for those 

who want to develop a broader education in mechanical engineering, but check out the entire 

department to learn more. 

Mechanical and Materials Engineering: 


http://web.cecs.pdx.edu/~gerry/class/ 

Gerald Recktenwald at Portland State University's Mechanical and Materials Engineering 

Department provides a multi-faceted site on mechanical engineering. You need to scroll down 

to the bottom of the page for course information, but don't miss the information along the way 

down. Recktenwald provides some sound advice for any student, along with other tools that 

will help you in other courses as well as the ones offered here. 

Source: 


5.4.15 Paleontology 

Studies in paleontology will help you understand principles behind historical geography, 

geology, botany, and biology. Here are a few online options for this goal: 

Paleontology: 


http://www.geo.arizona.edu/geo3xx/geo308_fall2002/ 

Dr. Karl W. Flessa from the University of Arizon provides everything from an online lab 

manual to a study guide for the final exam at this site. The Cretaceous reef sketches and 

glossary provide excellent resources. 

Principles of Historical Geology: 


97



http://www.geo.wvu.edu/~kammer/geol331.htm 

Dr. Thomas Kammer at West Virginia University provides users with broad course materials 

that relate to fossil recognition and evolution in vertebrates and invertebrates. Visit Dr. 

Kammer's teaching page (http://www.geo.wvu.edu/~kammer/teaching.htm) for more course 

information. 

Links for Palaeobotanists: 


http://www.biologie.uni-hamburg.de/b-online/palbot/palbot1.html 

Klaus-Peter Kelber, Mineralogisches Institut, Universität Würzburg, has compiled an extensive 

list of teaching documents, lecture notes and tutorials especially for palaeobotanists with an 

Upper Triassic bias. Take notes, otherwise you might get lost — this is an amazing amount of 

information. 

Source: 


5.4.16 Physics 

Source of list of topics from Dg Communities 







Online University lectures on Image Processing 

This Open Educational Resource is hosted by Archive.org OER section. This is an 18-lecture 

series on Image Processing that the author, Alan Peters, has created over the past 9 years (1999- 


98


2007) for his course, EECE/CS 253, at Vanderbilt University. The files are all in Adobe Acrobat 

(.pdf) format and MS Powerpoint (.ppt) format. The files are quite large because of the images 

in them. The topics covered include: Image Enhancement by Point Operations, Color 

Correction, The 2-D Fourier Transform and Convolution, Linear Spatial Filtering, Image 

Sampling and Warping, Noise Reduction, and Mathematical Morphology for Image Processing. 


http://www.archive.org/details/Lectures_on_Image_Processing 





Online full course by MIT: Relativity 

This online full course published by MIT under Creative Commons License concentrates on 

special relativity and is normally taken by physics majors in their sophomore year. Topics 

include Einstein's postulates, the Lorentz transformation, relativistic effects and paradoxes, and 

applications involving electromagnetism and particle physics. This course also provides a brief 

introduction to some concepts of general relativity, including the principle of equivalence, the 

Schwartzschild metric and black holes, and the FRW metric and cosmology. 


http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Physics/8-033Fall-2006/CourseHome/index.htm 





Full course and book: Motion Mountain - The Adventure of Physics 

The "Adventure of Physics" is a free book introducing modern physics. All chapters are 

available for download. It is written to be simple, vivid, and challenging on each of its 1300 

pages. It covers mechanics, thermodynamics, special and general relativity, electrodynamics, 

optics, quantum physics, nuclear physics, elementary particle physics, and unification. 


http://www.motionmountain.net/ 


99






Full online course: Masses & Springs 

This full online course published by the University of Colorado is being part of a series related 

to Physics Education Technology (PhET). Abstract: A realistic mass and spring laboratory. 

Hang masses from springs and adjust the spring stiffness and damping. You can even slow time. 

Transport the lab to different planets. A chart shows the kinetic, potential, and thermal energy 

for each spring. This interactive course is available in Flash format (swf). 


http://www.colorado.edu/physics/phet/simulations/massspringlab/MassSpringLab2.swf 





Full online course: Introduction to Physical Electronics 

This course available under Creative Commons licence is provided by connexions.org and 

contributed by Rice University. It is a full online course divided into sections composed of small 

modules. It is an introduction to "solid state device inclusing field effect and bipolar transistors. 

Properties of transmission lines and propagating E&M waves." Like for other courses 

proposed by connexions.org, modules are also available at their own or as elements of other 

courses. The sections are divided as follow: 1) Conductors, Semiconductors and Diodes, 2) 

Bipolar Transistors, 3)FETs, 4)IC Manufacturing, 5)Introduction to Transmission Lines and 6) 

AC Steady-State Transmission. 


http://cnx.org/content/col10114/latest 






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Frequency, Wavelength, and Pitch 

This Course is published under the Creative Commons Licence on the cnx.org Web site. 

Summary: For middle school to adult, an explanation of the relationships between frequency, 

wavelength, and pitch. Any sound that you hear as a tone is made of regular, evenly spaced 

waves of air molecules. The most noticeable difference between various tonal sounds is that 

some sound higher or lower than others. These differences in the pitch of the sound are caused 

by different spacing in the waves; the closer together the waves are, the higher the tone sounds. 

The spacing of the waves - the distance from the high point of one wave to the next one - is the 

wavelength. By: Catherine Schmidt-Jones 


http://cnx.org/content/m11060/latest/ 





Physics for K-12 

This course is published under The Creative Commons Licence on the Cnx.org Web site. Course 

Description: This course is a part of physics course structured and designed for class room 

teaching. The book conforms to the standards and frame work prescribed by various Boards of 

State Education. The content development is targeted to the young minds having questions and 

doubts. Instructor: Sunil Kumar Singh Course Author: Sunil Singh 







The Structure, Stability, and Dynamics of Self-Gravitating Systems 

A web-only book about the fluids that make up stars. The main focus in on presenting many of 

the key principles of physics that are responsible for the structure, stability, and dynamical 

evolution of these fluids in an easy-to-read and responsive format. 


101



http://www.phys.lsu.edu/astro/H_Book.current/Preface/Preface.shtml 





Roller Coaster Physics 

A site that uses the principles involved in the design of a roller coaster to teach physics concepts. 

In addition to the information, some sections use the Roller Coaster Simulator, RCS, to increase 

the understanding and the application of the principles discussed. Also states what background 

knowledge is necessary to understand the upcoming information. An introductory section 

explains the difference between the principles of velocity and acceleration, and other parts of the 

site include labs, including an online roller coaster lab, answers to questions, and practice using 

the information learned. 


http://www.vast.org/vip/book/home.htm 





Hyper Physics 

A website which enables the exploration of concepts in physics using a concept map format. 

Main topics under the category of Hyper Physics include electricity and magnetism, mechanics, 

heat and thermodynamics, condensed matter, nuclear physics, quantum physics, astrophysics, 

relativity, sound and hearing, and light and vision. Each main category then opens up into more 

detailed concept maps allowing for more exploration. 


http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/hph.html 




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Space Physics Textbook 

An online physics textbook that features four main categories of interest: plasma physics, 

regions of interest, phenomena of interest, and space physics instrumentation and analysis 

methods. The site also includes appendices, which contain resources on basic definitions, 

coordinate systems, magnetic activity indices, and space physics acronyms. Other concepts 

included within the four main categories include, among others, the solar system, atmosphere, 

waves, instabilities, plasma theory, and measurements. 


http://www.oulu.fi/~spaceweb/textbook/ 





Samizdat Press 

A website devoted to the free distribution of books, lecture notes and software, with a special 

focus on material of a pedagogical nature. Resources listed are mainly for physics and geology. 


http://samizdat.mines.edu/ 





Contents of the Physics Area 

The Light and Matter website provides a series of downloadable introductory physics textbooks. 

These include Newtonian Physics, Conservation Laws, Vibrations and Waves, Electricity and 

Magnetism, Optics, and The Modern Revolution in Physics. The site also includes a glossary 

and answer checker. 


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http://www.lightandmatter.com/area1.html 





The Basics of MRI 

A book that presents a comprehensive picture of the basic principles of MRI. Magnetic 

resonance imaging (MRI) is an imaging technique used primarily in medical settings to produce 

high quality images of the inside of the human body. MRI is based on the principles of nuclear 

magnetic resonance (NMR), a spectroscopic technique used by scientists to obtain microscopic 

chemical and physical information about molecules. Includes text, a glossary, and guide to 

symbols used in the book. 


http://www.cis.rit.edu/htbooks/mri/ 





DC Physics 

A website dedicated to physics that includes links to a web directory, practice problems, and 

other physics helps. Also contains resources such as simulations, books, journals and magazines, 

news sources, reference materials, and online textbooks and tutorials. 


http://www.dctech.com/physics/index.php 




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Calculus-Based Physics 

An introductory physics textbook designed for use in the two-semester introductory physics 

course typically taken by science and engineering students. Provides downloads in both pdf and 

MS Word formats. 


http://www.anselm.edu/internet/physics/cbphysics/index.html 





Analytical Classical Dynamics 

The scope of this course covers the material indicated by its title. ‘Dynamics’ is the study of the 

motions of the various objects in the world around us. ‘Classical’ means that the theory of 

motion used is that first published by Isaac Newton in 1687. And finally, ‘analytical’ refers to 

those types of motion whose governing differential equations can be solved via standard analytic 

techniques. 


http://farside.ph.utexas.edu/teaching/336k/lectures/lectures.html 





PBS' "The Elegant Universe" TV Series 

PBS' TV series "The Elegant Universe" is a 3 hour mini series about some of the most wellknown 

scientific theories/equations from Maxwell to Einstein. It pays particularly close 

attention to the controversial "String Theory." Though it is not free to download, the series may 

be watched while online. 


http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/elegant/program.html 


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Contributor: Elizabeth Morrison 


Physics Educational Technology (PhET) 

A free activities database of simulations submitted by educators related to physics. Simulation 

topics include motion; work, energy, & power; sound & waves; heat & thermo; electricity & 

circuits; light & radiation; quantum phenomena; chemistry and math tools. 


http://www.colorado.edu/physics/phet/web-pages/index.html 





Physics Education Technology 

The Physics Education Technology (PhET) project at the University of Colorado produces fun, 

interactive simulations of physical phenomena that make bridges to the real world. 


http://phet.colorado.edu/new/index.php 

From the basics to string theory, the fledgling and mature physicist can find many resources 

online today. The following provides mostly undergraduate samplings from various colleges: 

Computational Physics: 


http://www.sst.ph.ic.ac.uk/angus/Lectures/compphys/compphys.html 

This course aims to give the student a thorough grounding in the main computational 

techniques used in modern physics. This material, which is outlined in logical form that's easy 

to use, is provided by Professor Angus MacKinnon (http://www.sst.ph.ic.ac.uk/angus/), 

Imperial College, London. 


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Modern Physics 


http://galileo.phys.virginia.edu/classes/252/home.html 

Professor Michael Fowler, University of Virginia, provides the physics newcomer with the 

basics on everything from special relativity to nuclear physics. Professor Fowler also provides 

pre-modern physics through his lecture notes and link at Galileo and Einstein. 

Modern Technology: 


http://theory.uwinnipeg.ca/mod_tech/tech.html 

This page, offered by the University of Winnipeg, outlines basic physics from the scientific 

method to the universe through links that lead you through a logical sequence. 

Open-Physics Course Information Page: 


http://www.abdn.ac.uk/physics/px/ 

The University of Aberdeen has been offering open access to their physics course material on 

the web for private study since 1995. While tutors and answers for lectures are available only 

to registered students, you can still gain access to .doc files, PDF materials, and links to tools 

that cover level I and II physics courses. 

Visual Quantum Mechanics: 


http://web.phys.ksu.edu/vqm/index.html 

The Visual Quantum Mechanics project is developing instructional materials about quantum 

physics for high school and college students so expect the basics and more as this site grows. 

The National Science Foundation and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute support this 

project for Kansas State University. 

Source 



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5.4.17 Political Science 

Politics 


http://facstaff.uww.edu/mohanp/ 

Paula Mohan, University of Wisconsin — Whitewater, offers four different courses on politics 

from ethnic to contemporary political theory. You'll find lecture notes, handouts, and links to 

other relevant sites for your studies at this site. 

Political Science Courses 


http://courses.ats.rochester.edu/stone/ 

Randall W. Stone, Associate Professor for the Department of Political Science, University of 

Rochester, offers various courses in political science along with lecture notes at his site. The 

courses are focused on international policies and theories. 

World Politics: 


http://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/spring01.htm 

Vincent Ferraro, The Ruth C. Lawson Professor of International Politics at Mount Holyoke 

College, introduces basic concepts in the study of world politics. No books to purchase for this 

learning experience, but it is highly recommended that the "student" subscribe to the New York 

Times or gain access to that newspaper's online venue (http://www.nytimes.com/). 

Source: 


5.4.18 Psychology 

Source of list of topic on Psychology from Dg Communities 




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Contributor: Gauthamadas Udipi 


Manaul for Trauma Counseling Volunteers 

This is an on on-line soft copy of the Handbook for Community Counselor Trainers published 

by the Academy for Disaster Management Education Planning & Training (ADEPT) in April 

2005. It gives an easy to read, jargon free description of disasters and their psychological effects 

on the community with easy to use methods for trauma counseling. The material can be adapted 

to any culture or crisis situation. For updated versions of the handbook email 

contact@adeptasia.org. ADEPT's website: www.adeptasia.org 


http://www.adeptasia.org/document/handbook_for_community_counselor_trainers.pdf 





Student Psychology 

From the site: "Student Psychology provides a gateway to Psychology Press' online interactive 

resources, revision aids and information for undergraduate psychology students or those 

interested in studying for a psychology degree. Student Psychology also contains links to 

multimedia eLearning materials to tie in with our best-selling psychology course textbooks." 

Psychology subjects represented on the site include cognitive, social, developmental, and 

research methods and statistics. The site also includes a student discussion forum and studentlearning 

program, which provides revision notes with interactive resources. 


http://www.psypress.com/student/ 






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Online Books for Free 

A site containing a list of over 120 psychology publications. These cover a wide variety of 

topics including elements of psychology, the history of psychology, and principles of 

psychology. 


http://www.onlinebooks4free.com/menu/psychology.html 





Psychology Books On-line 

This site provides a list of several online books and other resources in the field of psychology. 

The majority of these resources are online books and texts which discuss such topics as ADHD, 

comparative psychology, and intelligence analysis. There are also links to Ezines and CDROM 

publications. 


http://www.psychnet-uk.com/books/books_online.htm 





Encyclopedia of Mental Disorders 

The Encyclopedia of Mental Disorders contains comprehensive medical articles on mental 

disorders and conditions. Over 150 mental disorders are organized alphabetically and each entry 

details the definition, purpose, precautions, description, and external resources that can be used 

to obtain additional information about every condition. Examples of included topics are: 

learning disorders, manic episode, origin of mental illnesses, Asperger's Disorder, and bipolar 

disorder. 


http://www.minddisorders.com/ 


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MIT OpenCourseWare: Linguistics and Philosophy - Other Minds 

This is a seminar on issues connected with the traditional "problem of other minds". In addition 

to reading some of the classic papers on other minds, it will look at recent work on related 

topics. The course materials include: Syllabus, Calendar, Readings, Study Materials, Related 

Resources. 


http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Linguistics-and-Philosophy/24-500Other- 

MindsSpring2003/CourseHome/index.htm 

Who knows what the human mind holds? You can get a glimpse into its inner workings through 

psychology courses offered online (http://oedb.org/online-programs/healthmedical/psychology): 

Introduction to Personal Psychology 


http://www.umich.edu/~psycours/390/ 

Study psychology basics at the University of Michigan, where you gain access to PowerPoint 

presentations, assignments, and study guides. 

Lecture Notes for a course in Abnormal Psychology: 


http://ub-counseling.buffalo.edu/Abpsy/ 

This web site contains lecture notes written for an undergraduate, honors-level course in 

Abnormal Psychology. It was written in the late 1980's, and as such relies on the American 

Psychiatric Association's now outdated third (revised) edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical 

Manual (now in its 4th edition). With that said, the lectures contain information about the 

history of the field, philosophical debates, and comparisons of different theoretical approaches. 

SALMON Psychology: 


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Course Content : 

http://flyfishingdevon.co.uk/salmon/ 

Study And Learning Materials Online (SALMON) was written by Dr. Paul Kenyon who 

graduated from Queens University Belfast in 1969 with a B.Sc. (Hons) in Psychology I. Paul has 

recently taken early retirement, and he devotes a good deal of his time to this ambitious project. 

The topics pertain to evolutionary psychology, the biological bases of behavior and 

psychobiology. 

5.4.19 Arts 

Source: 







Full online course by Tufts OCW: Three-Dimensional Modeling, Animation and 

Rendering Using Blender 3D Software 

This full course is made available by Tufts OCW programme. It has been produced by Neal 

Hirsig. The educational material include twelve units. Each unit is made of several video 

tutorials and PDF tutorials of excellent quality to discover how to use Blinder Software and 

learn everything you need about tree-dimensional modeling, light and more. From the 

introduction: "Like many creative activities, 3-dimensional design and modeling combines 

technical skill with artistic imagination. Understanding the intricacies of software-manipulated 

objects is of little value unless accompanied with a strong awareness of creative self-expression. 

It is important while progressing through this course to focus your efforts on the creative 

projects and understand that the Video and PDF tutorials are but a set of tools whose value is 

totally dependent on a creative and artistic goal." 


http://ocw.tufts.edu/Course/28/Coursehome 




112


Contributor: Sharon Haba 


UNESCO World Heritage List 

The following properties have been approved by the World Heritage Committee to be included 

on UNESCO's World Heritage List. The list currently contains 830 different properties as of 

July, 2006. 


http://www.thesalmons.org/lynn/world.heritage.html 





Introducing serious games: "Games in Education" Video 

This video, released by the Serious games Initiative, introduces the notion of "serious games" 

and its great potential as an educational tool. It includes interviews with Jim Gee, Clark Aldrich, 

and Henry Jenkins the Keynote for the SGS DC 2006. It is 20 minutes so sit back and enjoy. 


http://www.seriousgames.org/archives/000199.html 



Contributor: Nodira Saidkarimova 


Electronic directory on Museums is launched at Art and Craft of Uzbekistan website 

Electronic directory on Museums of Uzbekistan that expose objects of national art and craft has 

been launched at www.artandcraft.uz web-site. New directory (available at Museums section of 

the web-site), contains information on 9 largest museums and galleries of the Republic, exposing 

masterpieces of art and craft of Uzbekistan. New directory enables users easily acquire 

comprehensive information regarding orientation of expositions, their regularity, as well as 

contact of these museums. The section also provides information on museums’ operating 

schedules and availability of guide services. 


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http://topics.developmentgateway.org/openeducation/rc/filedownload.do~itemId=1067014 



Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum 

As a museum of art and history the Rijksmuseum aims to provide a domestic and international 

public with a representative survey of Dutch art and history since the Middle Ages as well as 

key aspects of European and Asiatic art. To this end, the Rijksmuseum maintains, manages, 

conserves, restores, researches and publishes, collects, presents and makes objects accessible as 

well as organising exhibitions. 


http://www.rijksmuseum.nl/index.jsp?lang=en 





Beecher's Handouts 

A collection of handouts created by photography teacher Jim Beecher to help his students 

understand certain aspects of photography. Covers subjects such as overexposure & 

underexposure, digital and slide film, fast & slow, speed, wide, and opening up & closing down 

the lens opening. 


http://www.photokaboom.com/photography/learn/ebooks/Beechers_Handouts/1_introduction_g 

oal.htm 





PATH: Ways-of-Working in Photography 

A book about photography that focuses on the photographer instead of any of the optical, 

mechanical, electronic, or chemical tools of photography. Designed to help the reader become a 


114


better photographer. As stated on the introductory page, "Energy to do great photography 

doesn’t come from cameras and technique. It comes from you." 


http://www.photokaboom.com/photography/learn/PATH.htm 





photokaboom.com 

A website created by a photography teacher to provide resources to students. Contains a lot of 

information about digital photography, including books, tips and tutorials, and an index of 

master photographers. 


http://www.photokaboom.com/index.htm 





MIT OpenCourseWare: Foreign Languages and Literatures - Visualizing Cultures, 

Spring 2003 

In this new course, learners will study how images have been used to shape the identity of 

peoples and cultures.This course offers an amazing collection of images and commentary about 

Commodore Perry and the opening of Japan.In the "units" section of the course materials pane, 

one will soon be able to access video clips of famous images. The site offers several other 

multimedia mediums on the MIT Visualing Cultures site. 


http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Foreign-Languages-and-Literatures/21F-027JVisualizing- 

CulturesSpring2003/CourseHome/index.htm 




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MIT OpenCourseWare: Literature and Languages - Out of Ground Zero, Fall 2005 

The course, as its title suggests, will concentrate primarily on the social significance of 

memorializing 9/11. The course will introduce certain main currents of social thought and will 

expose the learner to a range of issues of public significance. 


http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Foreign-Languages-and-Literatures/21F-013Fall- 

2005/Syllabus/index.htm 





MIT OpenCourseWare: History - The Making of a Roman Emperor, Fall 2005 

Focusing on the emperors Augustus and Nero, this course investigates the ways in which Roman 

emperors used art, architecture, coinage and other media to create and project an image of 

themselves.This course features descriptions of course writing assignments. 


http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/History/21H-402Fall-2005/CourseHome/index.htm 





Alexandria Archive 

Named after the famous ancient library in Alexandria, Egypt, the Alexandria Archive Institute is 

dedicated to preserving and sharing archaeological and historical information. The Alexandria 

Archive Institute helps build an Internet-based archive for archaeology and world history that 

aims to preserve and promote a shared, global heritage. Through partnership with the XSTAR 

project, the AAI has the capacity to store far more maps, pictures, and other documentation than 

traditional publication and make them accessible worldwide through simple Internet searches. 

By removing barriers to information, we encourage innovative research and enable people from 

all walks of life to explore the past and think creatively and critically about its relevance to the 

present. 


116



http://www.alexandriaarchive.org/index.htm 





Education at the Getty 

The Getty Museum offers workshops and professional development programs that help you 

incorporate the study of art into your classroom. You can explore art making and art history 

through the Getty's collection. All lessons meet California state visual arts content standards. 

Includes lessons and curricula for K–12 and adult ESL teachers. 


http://www.getty.edu/education/ 

Source of Online Resources for MIT University OpenCourseware: 


Arts 

The visual arts is in a category by itself in a way, as many students can compile a portfolio that 

will help them to enter a job or into further formal education. But, while the self-learner may 

have talent, the scholarly aspect is very important. In fact, many art historians must have two to 

three languages mastered (at least at the reading level) before they can graduate at the master's 

level. If you take private art lessons and want to round out your experiences, try some of the 

options listed below: 

Art, Metaphor, and Life 


http://www.svcc.edu/academics/classes/murray/hum210/210home2.htm 

Also known as HUM 210, this course from Sauk Valley Community College offers lectures, 

notes, and links for the self-learner to become familiar with representative examples of the Arts 

of the Western European tradition. You can master, to some degree, the style of thinking most 

often applied to studying the Arts and come to understand the Arts as a cultural practice. 

Although you cannot participate unless you're a student, you can access materials for writing 

assignments, a nice tool to help you think logically about course materials. 

Art History 


117



http://www.owlnet.rice.edu/~hart205/ 

Professor Linda Neagley presents an introduction to the history of Western art through a survey 

of painting, sculpture, architecture and minor arts from prehistoric through the medieval 

periods at Rice University. Read lectures that are aligned with a course syllabus, and follow 

links to other courses offered by other universities. 

Philosophy of the Arts 


http://www.mnstate.edu/gracyk/courses/phil%20of%20art/Phil_of_Art_Index.html 

This course, offered by Minnesota State University Moorhead, examines the main theories of 

what art is, what artists are, and whether art and artistic creativity are human universals. You'll 

find readings (some online), a reading list, and lecture notes among other goodies. Theodore 

Gracyk offers the course. 

Renaissance to Modern Art 


http://www.wisc.edu/arth/ah202/nrm/ 

This is an introductory survey of the history of European and Northern American Art, focusing 

primarily on painting with no prior knowledge of art assumed or required. Prof. Nancy Rose 

Marshall from the University of Wisconsin — Madison offers her notes, lectures, images, and 

an excellent form analysis guide. 

Twentieth Century Art 


http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Architecture/4-65120th-Century-ArtFall2002/CourseHome/ 

MIT OpenCourseWare project offers this course by Professor Caroline Jones, which includes a 

reading list, lecture notes, and assignments. Unfortunately, some of the materials may be 

impossible for you to complete if you reside outside Boston. But, the lecture notes provide vast 

materials to learn and study the last century's artistic styles since WWII. 

5.4.20 Computer Science 

Source of the List of the computer science modules: 




118






Online full course by Sofia: Java Programming 

This online full course published by the Sofia Open Content Initiative is a very complete course 

related to the Java programming language. Trainees and trainers will find a complete set of 

lessons, assignments, exams, as well as a schedule. Course description: "This is a beginning 

course in the Java programming language. Students will learn object-oriented programming, and 

will create applets which can be incorporated into HTML documents for the World Wide Web." 


http://sofia.fhda.edu/gallery/java/ 





Online full course by Sofia: Web Page Authoring 


related to Hypertext Mark-Up Language (HTML) and the creation of web pages. Trainees and 

trainers will find a complete set of lessons, assignments, exams, as well as a schedule. Course 

description: "This is a beginning hands-on introduction to using Hypertext Mark-Up Language 

(HTML) to create web pages which can be uploaded and displayed on the Word Wide Web. 

Students will use HTML to create web pages with text in various sizes and colors, links to other 

sites, background color or patterns, graphics, tables and mailto links. Principles of design and 

color as they apply to screen presentations will be included." 


http://sofia.fhda.edu/gallery/html/ 





Online full course by Sofia: Adobe Flash multimedia authoring environment 


119



related to Adobe Flash Software (Macromedia) used for the publication of animations and selfexecutable 

multimedia applications over the Internet. The course contains an introduction, 

syllabus, schedule, lessons, assignments and exams. it is published under Creative Commons 

license. Introduction: "This course offers an introduction to the Macromedia Flash multimedia 

authoring environment. It incorporates hands-on experience developing streaming web-based 

multimedia presentations including animation, sound, and graphics with Macromedia's Flash 

MX application. In each lesson, students build a module that contributes to the shaping of a final 

project - a basic educational, personal, or business website in Flash. Flash offers scripting 

capabilities and server-side connectivity for creating engaging applications, web interfaces, and 

training demonstrations." 


http://sofia.fhda.edu/gallery/flash/index.html 





Archive’s library of OER: ArsDigita Computer Science University 

This library of Open Educational Resources maintained by Archive.org includes lectures and 

coursework from the ArsDigita curriculum. These university level materials are available for 

free download. ArsDigita University was a one-year, intensive post-baccalaureate program in 

Computer Science based on the undergraduate course of study at the Massachusetts Institute of 

Technology (MIT). The majority of the instructors were professors from MIT and the program 

was tuition free. After running from September 2000 through July 2001, seeing the first class to 

graduation, the program was forced to shut down. 


http://www.archive.org/details/arsdigita 





Online full course by MIT: Database, Internet, and Systems Integration 

Technologies 

This online full course published under Creative Commons license by the MIT is an intensive 

review of information technology. It covers topics in software development methods, data 

modeling and databases, application development, Web standards and development, system 

integration, security, and data communications. Most of the homework sets lead the class 


120


through a project in which a database and Web application are designed and constructed, using 

good software process and addressing security, network and other issues. The project, which is 

done in two-person teams, provides hands-on experience to complement the lectures and 

readings. Recitations discuss readings and provide more detailed information on the software 

tools used. The course goal is to cover the key concepts in the major areas of information 

technology, to enable students to successfully understand, work with and manage IT efforts as 

part of supply chain, transportation or civil engineering projects. 


http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Civil-and-Environmental-Engineering/1-264JFall- 






Open Education Resource on Hypertext and Hypermedia 

This Open Educational Resource was published by Le Mill under the group: History of New 

Media. The resource is published under Creative Commons License. It includes "Hyperland 

1990", a BBC's "fantasy documentary" from 1990 written by Douglas Adams. This educational 

material introduces the history of Hypertext and hypermedia introducing major thinkers such as 

Vannevar Bush, Ted Nelson or the Xanadu project. The original texts are by: A. Botero & T. 

Leinonen. 


http://lemill.net/content/hypertext-and-hypermedia 





Full online course by Tufts OCW: Three-Dimensional Modeling, Animation and 

Rendering Using Blender 3D Software 

This full course is made available by Tufts OCW programme. It has been produced by Neal 

Hirsig. The educational material include twelve units. Each unit is made of several video 

tutorials and PDF tutorials of excellent quality to discover how to use Blinder Software and 

learn everything you need about tree-dimensional modeling, light and more. From the 

introduction: "Like many creative activities, 3-dimensional design and modeling combines 

technical skill with artistic imagination. Understanding the intricacies of software-manipulated 


121


objects is of little value unless accompanied with a strong awareness of creative self-expression. 

It is important while progressing through this course to focus your efforts on the creative 

projects and understand that the Video and PDF tutorials are but a set of tools whose value is 

totally dependent on a creative and artistic goal." 


http://ocw.tufts.edu/Course/28/Coursehome 





Online full course: Principles of Wireless Communications (MIT) 

This online full course is an introduction to the design, analysis, and fundamental limits of 

wireless transmission systems. Topics to be covered include: wireless channel and system 

models; fading and diversity; resource management and power control; multiple-antenna and 

MIMO systems; space-time codes and decoding algorithms; multiple-access techniques and 

multiuser detection; broadcast codes and precoding; cellular and ad-hoc network topologies; 

OFDM and ultrawideband systems; and architectural issues. This free Open Educational 

Resources is published under Creative Commons license and can be downloaded from MIT Web 

site. 


http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Electrical-Engineering-and-Computer-Science/6-452Spring- 






Science and technologies: biggest French IT schools to disseminate free courses 

Savoirs et partages is a French national project carried out by the "Groupe des Ecoles de 

télécommunications" (GET). This French Open Course Ware project shares online courses 

written by a number of professors working in GET Schools and authorizing free access to 

pedagogical supports relating to their teaching programs. Visitors can access courses thought out 

a Web site available both in French and English. According to the Web site: "Information and 

communication science and technologies lie at the heart of the teaching, research and training 

programs in our Schools. Naturally our Group is a significant player in the development of their 


122


usages." Please visit the official Web site to learn more about this initiative and to discover 

online free courses. 


http://savoirspartages.get-telecom.fr/en_accueil.html 





Tutorials for Open Office 

This Web site delivers free learning tutorials published under Creative Commons licence on how 

to install OpenOffice and use OpenOffice applications. Concise and brief instructions for selflearners 

and teachers. Most tutorials posted on this website are designed to be used in either a 

Teacher-Student setting or a Self-Teaching setting. 


http://www.tutorialsforopenoffice.org/ 





APDIP Donates 15 e-Primers to Wikibooks 

15 e-Primers are now available on Wikibooks for all to use and update. Nine of the e-Primers are 

part of APDIP’s "e-Primers for the Information Economy, Society and Polity" series that detail 

the concepts, issues and trends surrounding different aspects of ICT4D, including e-commerce, 

education, e-government, Internet governance, legal and regulatory issues, and ICT for poverty 

reduction. Six of the e-Primers are part of the "e-Primers on Free/Open Source Software 

(FOSS)" series that introduce various aspects of FOSS, including education, government policy, 

licensing, localization and open standards. The FOSS series of e-Primers is developed by the 

International Open Source Network (http://www.iosn.net), an initiative of UNDP-APDIP 

supported by the International Development Research Centre of Canada. Wikibooks is our 

chosen platform because it facilitates collaboration. Every day, volunteers are improving 


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Wikibooks, making many changes, writing, updating, and correcting books. Wikibooks 

maintains quality control and has policies and guidelines that users need to follow. Wikibooks 

are also available for all to freely distribute and reproduce as covered by the GNU Free 

Documentation License. We would like to invite you to visit the Wikibooks and contribute your 

knowledge and experiences in the relevant ICT4D topics. Forthcoming APDIP e-Primers on 

network infrastructure and security, open content and other topics will all automatically be 

donated to Wikibooks. 


http://www.apdip.net/news/wikibooks 





Internet for Education: An interactive Tutorial 

Would you like to learn how to use the Internet for your studies or your work? Use this free, 

interactive tutorial to improve your Internet skills. This is one of a series of tutorials written by 

qualified tutors, lecturers and librarians from across the UK. 


http://www.vts.intute.ac.uk/he/tutorial/education 





Framasoft : A web site dedicated to free software 

Framasoft is a multilingual community based web site dedicated to free software. It proposes a 

free directory referencing more than a thousand of softwares and aims to facilitate matters in the 

unexplored world of Free software. 


http://www.framasoft.net/ 



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Contributor: Shambhu Nath Jha 


E-Development : Full Web Building Tutorials - All Free for all around World. 

At W3Schools-online learning platforms, the readers will find all the Web-building tutorials 

they need, from basic HTML and XHTML to advanced XML, SQL, Database, Multimedia and 

WAP. It is hoped that the readers will have great advantages in gaining the knowledge and they 

would be able to use the skills to transform the traditional form of development activities into 

Electronic revolution through E-platforms. 


http://www.w3schools.com/ 





Wireless Networking in the Developing World: A practical guide to planning and building 

low-cost telecommunications infrastructure (Book) 

The book covers topics from basic radio physics and network design to equipment and 

troubleshooting. It is intended to be a comprehensive resource for technologists in the 

developing world, providing the critical information that they need to build networks. This 

includes specific examples, diagrams and calculations, which are intended to help building 

wireless networks without requiring access to the Internet. The book has been released under a 

Creative Commons license, meaning that it is free to download, print and modify, even for a 

profit, as long as proper credit is given and any modifications or copies made are shared under 

the same terms. 


http://www.wndw.net/ 




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The Linux Documentation Project 

The home website for a project designed to develop reliable documentation for the Linux 

operating system. The overall goal of the LDP is to collaborate in taking care of all of the issues 

of Linux documentation, ranging from online documentation to user manuals. In addition to the 

regular information, such as the how to's, FAQ's, and old user guides, the page also contains a 

link to translations of the information into languages other than English. 







Apress 

Directly under the title is the statement, "Books by professionals for professionals." It offers 

books online, free of charge. The books offered cover a variety of computer science topics, 

including information on programming and web applications, among many others. 


http://apress.com/free/ 





Stef's Free Online Smalltalk Books 

A collection of SmallTalk books, now out of print, but available in an online, mostly .pdf 

format. Examples of areas on the site include publications, books, columns, SmallTalk books, 

downloads, resources, and lectures. Also includes a section on the theory behind the SmallTalk 

books and other pertinent information. 


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http://www.iam.unibe.ch/~ducasse/FreeBooks.html 





FreeTechBooks 

A website dedicated to providing links to free online books on computer science and 

engineering topics. Links provided go directly to either the author or publisher's website, with 

most books being available to view, download, and print. Books are available by category or 

through using a site-provided search. 


http://www.freetechbooks.com/index.php 





Learn Linux Website 

"While there are many documentation projects centered on documenting Linux based software, 

this is the first project to develop a curriculum and course materials that can be freely used by 

anyone wanting to "Learn Linux" or to teach Linux to others. The course materials are licensed 

under a Creative Commons license." 


http://learnlinux.tsf.org.za/ 





Internet Basics for ESL Students 


127


A website which contains a 14-lesson introduction to using computers and the Internet for 

students of English as a second language. Includes such topics as basic computer terms, the 

history of the Internet, hardware and Internet software, operating systems, using email, Internet 

Service Providers, and ethics and privacy. Also contains a resource page with links to a 

dictionary, quizzes, games, and search engines. 


http://iteslj.org/s/ib/ 





Win32 Programming for x86 Assembly Language Programmers 

A text that includes an introduction to console applications and files, explanations of a basic 

Win32 GUI Program, and translating Win32 documentation, among other topics. 


http://www.oopweb.com/Assembly/Documents/Win32ASM/VolumeFrames.html 





The Art of Assembly Language Programming 

A text for learning assembly language beginning with the common use of the binary and 

hexadecimal numbering systems. Understanding these numbering systems simplifies other 

complex topics including boolean algebra and logic design, signed numeric representation 

character codes and packed data, with the end result being the ability to optimize programs. 


http://www.oopweb.com/Assembly/Documents/ArtOfAssembly/VolumeFrames.html 




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Ralph Brown's Interrupt List 

An text that explains what interrupts are, why there are so many different interrupts, and how 

interrupts work in different modes. Also includes a list of different ports and interrupts. 


http://www.oopweb.com/Assembly/Documents/InterList/VolumeFrames.html 



Contributor: This tutorial is an introduction for people who want to begin programming in 

assembler language. This includes introducing the reader to assembly language programming, 

specifically for those people who have never worked with this language. It is completely focused 

towards the computers that function with processors of the x86 family of Intel. The introductory 

section contains some of the elemental concepts regarding computer systems, along with the 

concepts of the assembly language itself. 


Assembly Language Tutorial 

This tutorial is an introduction for people who want to begin programming in assembler 

language. This includes introducing the reader to assembly language programming, specifically 

for those people who have never worked with this language. It is completely focused towards 

the computers that function with processors of the x86 family of Intel. The introductory section 

contains some of the elemental concepts regarding computer systems, along with the concepts of 

the assembly language itself. 


http://www.oopweb.com/Assembly/Documents/asm/VolumeFrames.html 





Assembly Language Programming for Cowards 


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Featuring the excellent A86 assembler a book for beginning assembly- language programmers. 

Assumes only that you can write a batch file that you know rudimentary DOS commands and 

that you are aware of something called the hexadecimal (hex) number system. 


http://www.oopweb.com/Assembly/Documents/asm4Cowards/VolumeFrames.html 





The Big Online Book of Linux Ada Programming 

This document covers basic software development on Linux, a review of the core Ada 95 

language, and an introduction to designing programs that work with the Linux kernel and 

standard C libraries. It also covers some of the Ada bindings that exist for packages like Motif, 

TCL and GTK+. Although many Ada basics are covered, this document assumes the reader is 

familiar with a high-level programming language such as BASIC, C, C++, Java . 


http://www.oopweb.com/Ada/Documents/AdaLinux/VolumeFrames.html 





Lovelace 

A book introducing the basics of the programming language Ada 95 including its uses and 

applications. 


http://www.oopweb.com/Ada/Documents/Lovelace/VolumeFrames.html 




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Ada 95 Rational 

A document that describes the rationale for Ada 95. Some of the important aspects of Ada 95 

mentioned in this book include object oriented programming, hierarchical libraries, and 

protected objects. 


http://www.oopweb.com/Ada/Documents/Rat95/VolumeFrames.html 





The Programmers Stone 

A book to help the reader either become a better programmer, understand what less experienced 

programmers are struggling with, or communicate more effectively with other experienced 

programmers. The present structure of the book is planned around an eight day course, delivered 

two days a week for four weeks. Each chapter corresponds to the course notes for one day's 

material. 


http://www.reciprocality.org/Reciprocality/r0/ 





Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs 

The second edition of a book produced by MIT about computer programming. Emphasizes the 

central role played by different approaches to dealing with time in computational models: 

objects with state, concurrent programming, functional programming, lazy evaluation, and no 

deterministic programming. Also includes sections on concurrency and no determinism. 


131



http://mitpress.mit.edu/SICP/ 





How to Design Programs: An Introduction to Computing and Programming 

A book that emphasizes the importance of the knowledge of programming and design through 

teaching the basics of both. Parts I through III cover the foundations of data-driven program 

design. Part IV introduces abstraction in designs. Parts V and VI are about generative recursion 

and accumulation. 


http://www.htdp.org/2002-09-22/Book/ 





How to be a Programmer: A Short, Comprehensive, and Personal Summary 

A how to book covering the basics of computer programming. 


http://samizdat.mines.edu/howto/HowToBeAProgrammer.html 





Harvard Extension School - Podcast Course: Computer Science E-1: Understanding 

Computers and the Internet 


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Computer Science E-1: Understanding Computers and the Internet is a course offered each fall 

at Harvard University's Extension School. It is part of the school's Distance Education Program, 

which means that students can take this course via the Internet. This course is all about 

understanding: understanding what's going on inside your computer when you flip on the switch, 

why tech support has you constantly rebooting your computer, how everything you do on the 

Internet can be watched by others, and how your computer can become infected with a worm 

just by turning it on. 


http://www.podcast.net/show/59347 





Pattern Recognition on the Web 

A huge collection of web-accessible pattern recognition materials organized by subtopics, 

including smoothing, approximation, data-compression, fitting, differentiation, sharpening, 

enhancement, shape morphing, and many more. 


http://cgm.cs.mcgill.ca/~godfried/teaching/pr-web.html 





Animations to Assist Learning Some Key Computer Science Topics 

The purpose of the work presented herein is to provide multimedia course material with 

animations to assist learning some key Computer Science topics on the World Wide Web. The 

work is presented in eight learning modules: Algorithms, Artificial Intelligence, Data Structures, 

Machine Architecture, Number Systems, Operating Systems, Programming Languages, and 

Software Engineering. Each module consists of a set of lessons with animations and interactive 

components including review questions. The work consists of 44 animations, 2,008 files, and 

255 folders, totaling 15.5MB. The learning modules enable educators to provide a learning 

environment beyond the bounds of the classroom either to supplement their in-class teaching or 


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as part of a distance learning course. The animations and interactive components are expected to 

improve the effectiveness of learning the covered topics. 


http://courses.cs.vt.edu/~csonline/index.html 





Software Engineering for Internet Applications 

This is the textbook for the MIT course "Software Engineering for Internet Applications". The 

course is intended for juniors and seniors in computer science. We assume that they know how 

to write a computer program and debug it. We do not assume knowledge of any particular 

programming languages, standards, or protocols. The most concise statement of the course goal 

is that "The student finishes knowing how to build amazon.com by him or herself." 


http://philip.greenspun.com/seia/ 





Python Bibliotheca 

This site aims to be both a library of educational materials using Python to teach computer 

programming, and a virtual meeting place for teachers and students engaged in learning and 

teaching using Python. So come on in, poke around, feel free to take whatever you find useful 

(everything here is free!), and if you feel the urge, get involved and contribute as well. 


http://www.ibiblio.org/obp/pyBiblio/ 




134




Aprenda a Pensar Como un Programador 

This text is an introduction to Computer Science. The order of presentation is what might be 

called "procedural first," which means that the programming style is mostly procedural until the 

later chapters, which introduce object-oriented programming. It is intended for people with little 

or no programming experience, and are appropriate for first year college or advanced high 

school students, or anyone interested in learning to program. Available under the GNU Free 

Documentation License. This is the Spanish translation of How to Think Like a Computer 

Scientist. 


http://ibiblio.org/obp/thinkCS/thinkCSpy_es/dist/thinkCSpy.pdf 





How to Think Like a Computer Scientist 

These texts are introductions to Computer Science in an increasing number of both 

programming languages and natural languages. The order of presentation is what might be called 

"procedural first," which means that the programming style is mostly procedural until the later 

chapters, which introduce object-oriented programming. They are intended for people with little 

or no programming experience, and are appropriate for first year college or advanced high 

school students, or anyone interested in learning to program. All versions are under the GNU 

Free Documentation License. The book is available in four editions, using either Java, Python, 

Logo, or C++. 


http://www.ibiblio.org/obp/thinkCS/ 





Electrical Engineering and Computer Science 


135


This OpenCourseWare site contains links to many of the courses taught in EE&CS at MIT. The 

specific course sites include open access lecture notes, videos, assessments, and other materials. 

Open access discussion groups are attached to some of the courses. 


http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Electrical-Engineering-and-Computer-Science/index.htm 





ADUni.org 

ADUni.org is the website of the alumni of ArsDigita University (ADU). ADU was a one-year, 

intensive post-baccalaureate program in Computer Science based on the undergraduate course of 

study at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The majority of the instructors were 

professors from MIT and the program was tuition free. After running from September 2000 

through July 2001, seeing the first class to graduation, the program was forced to shut down. 

This site is here to carry on the school's mission of supplying free education. Toward this latter 

end, ADUni.org provides all course materials and lectures generated during the program to the 

general public for free use. 


http://www.aduni.org/ 

5.4.21 Civil Engineering 

Source: 








136


Online full course by MIT OpenCourseWare: From Nano to Macro: Natural Light 

in Design 

This online full course is being published by MIT OCW. Course Description: Today, computerbased 

simulations are becoming increasingly popular, especially when daylighting and energy 

conservation are amongst the key goals for a project. This two-week workshop will expose 

participants to the current daylighting simulation models and beyond, by introducing realistic 

and dynamic assessment methods through hands-on exercises and application to a design 

project. Open to students and practitioners. This course is offered during the Independent 

Activities Period (IAP), which is a special 4-week term at MIT that runs from the first week of 

January until the end of the month. 


http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Architecture/4-493January--IAP--2006/CourseHome/index.htm 



Contributor: alex weir 


CD3WD - digital library for third world development 

cd3wd is a project which provides free of charge 1.2 gigabytes of electronic books and 

documents on practical technical aspects of 3rd world development both for online browsing and 

(more importantly) for offline useage on pc's. It is comprised of html, jpg, gif and pdf files and is 

truly cross-platform, being useable on windows, linux, mac, and unix computers. CD3WD 

covers agriculture, health, watsan, appropriate technology and alternative energy, construction, 

education, forestry, fisheries, food processing, metalwork, woodwork, election systems, 

economics, business management, SME management etc etc... 


http://www.cd3wd.com/CD3WD/ 



Contributor: Denise Senmartin 



137


dgSURVEY: Participate in our Upcoming Special Report on the Urban 

Environment 

There is an urgent need to consider the kinds of cities in which we want to live and the critical 

issues that affect them; from air pollution and lack of clean water, to adequate financing and 

effective civic engagement, urban sustainability presents a host of challenges and opportunities. 

This Special Report will look at steps underway to manage the urban environment. It will 

coincide with the third session of the World Urban Forum in Vancouver, British Columbia, 

Canada, in June 2006, UN Environment Day, and follows the World Water Forum in Mexico 

City in March 2006. Be a part of the Special Report! Tell us your stories about sustainable urban 

initiatives and collaboration for effective results in the developing world! Please complete this 

survey at: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=274481981186 


http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=274481981186 

Sources of summary 3 




Dynamics and Vibration 

Highlights of this Course This course includes a full set of assignments with solutions, sample 

exams, and student feedback forms. Course Description Introduction to dynamics and vibration 

of lumped-parameter models of mechanical systems. Three-dimensional particle kinematics. 

Force-momentum formulation for systems of particles and for rigid bodies (direct method). 

Newton-Euler equations. Work-energy (variational) formulation for systems particles and for 

rigid bodies (indirect method). Virtual displacements and work. Lagrange's equations for 

systems of particles and for rigid bodies. Linearization of equations of motion. Linear stability 

analysis of mechanical systems. Free and forced vibration of linear damped lumped parameter 

multi-degree of freedom models of mechanical systems. Application to the design of ocean and 

civil engineering structures such as tension leg platforms. 


http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Ocean-Engineering/13-013JDynamics-and- 

VibrationFall2002/CourseHome/index.htm 




138




Structural Engineering Design 

Highlights of this Course This course site features an interesting design project focused on the 

construction of MIT's Simmons Hall, along with other materials used by students in the course. 

Course Description This course aims at providing students with a solid background on the 

principles of structural engineering design. Students will be exposed to the theories and concepts 

of both concrete and steel design and analysis both at the element and system levels. Hands-on 

design experience and skills will be gained and learned through problem sets and a 

comprehensive design project. An understanding of real-world open-ended design issues will be 

developed. Besides regular lectures, weekly recitations and project discussion sessions will be 

held. 


http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Civil-and-Environmental-Engineering/1- 

051Fall2003/CourseHome/index.htm 


Civil Engineering: 


http://stommel.tamu.edu/~esandt/teach.html 

The Civil Engineering Department at Texas A&M University offers a variety of course 

materials online. Some courses are fairly complete with course notes and exam sections, while 

others are under progress. Think of this offering as a swim in a civil engineering pool. 

Civil Engineering Measurements 


http://www.ce.memphis.edu/1101/ 

Charles V. Camp, Ph.D. from the Department of Civil Engineering at the University of 

Memphis offers this theory of measurements, linear measurements, angles, topographic 

surveys, and mapping with applications in Civil Engineering. There is an emphasis on 

individual and group problem solving, techniques of data collection and analysis, and project 

documentation. 


139


Coastal Engineering: 


http://www.uq.edu.au/coastal/main.htm 

The University of Queensland provides a site where you can discover a copious reading list and 

numerous course notes about coastal hydrodynamics, coastal sediment transport and coastal 

groundwater. The Coastal Engineering Research Centre at the University of Queensland forms 

part of the hydraulics group in the department of Civil Engineering. 

Residential Subdivision Design and Construction: 


http://www.courses.psu.edu/c_e/c_e433_bas124/syllabus.html 

Whether you want to learn how to build structures or simply learn how someone is building 

yours, this is a great place to learn about all the basics behind residential subdivision design. 

From land use regulations to storm water management, Dr. Bradley A. Striebig at Penn State 

offers motivating course lectures, visuals, and ideas. 

Strength of Materials: 


http://physics.uwstout.edu/StatStr/ 

This page contains two basic courses that allow you to brush up on your basic physics and 

calculus and trig formulas before you launch into course notes and exercises. This course 

provided by Associate Professor Robert J. Foley at the 

Universihttp://physics.uwstout.edu/StatStr/ty of Wisconsin-Stout. 

5.4.22 Health and Medicine 

Source: 






140


Contributor: Mahmud Hasan 


Fantsuam Free Access Educational Resources 

Fantsuam Foundation in NIgeria is collaboration in an OER initiative which may be relevant to 

what Eve Gray is doing. The Peoples-uni.org (Peoples Open Access Education Initiative 

www.peoples-uni.org) aims to offer low cost and highly credible education to help build 

capacity in low- to middle-income countries. Open access materials, developed by international 

universities and other organisations, are put in an educational context and delivered through the 

Internet. The first area is Public Health and will cover a series of major Public Health problems, 

leading to a Masters level award. We invite people to enrol, free of charge, in a pilot of the first 

course module on Maternal Mortality. This will run for 10 weeks from Tuesday October 16th to 

Friday December 21st 2007. 


http://moodle.cawd.net/course/view.php?id=254 





Online full course: Introduction to Clinical Pain Problems, Spring 2007 

This new online full course was recently published by Tufts OpenCourseWare. This course will 

introduce the general principles of biomedical evaluation and management of common clinical 

pain problems. It will present ways to evaluate the biomedical characteristics of the pain 

experience - temporal pattern, severity, location, quality, intensity and exacerbating and 

relieving factors. Throughout the course, emphasis will be placed upon viewing superficially 

diverse pain syndromes as part of a fundamentally unified group of processes. 








141

Online full course: Nutrition and Medicine, Fall 2006 


This new online course was recently published by Tufts OpenCourseWare. This course teaches 

basic nutrition principles that are relevant to other medical courses such as pathology, growth 

and development, and pharmacology. The student can then integrate the role of nutrition into 

issues of overall health and disease development. 







Online Full course by JHSPH: Social and Behavioral Aspects of Public Health 

This online full course has been produced by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public 

Health, member of the OCW Consortium. The course is designed to help students develop basic 

literacy regarding social concepts and processes that influence health status and public health 

interventions. The course also hopes to help students develop insight into populations with 

whom they have worked in the past or will work in the future, and to develop one kind of 

effective writing tool (the narrative) for communicating about psychosocial issues in public 

health. These overall aims are approached through lectures, discussion, readings, workshopping, 

individual compositions, and group discussion of student writings. 


http://ocw.jhsph.edu/courses/socialbehavioralaspectspublichealth/ 





Online Full course by JHSPH: Population Change and Public Health 


Health, member of the OCW Consortium. This course introduces the basic elements of 

population studies, including: population size, composition, and distribution, and the causes and 

consequences of changes in these characteristics. An overview of demographic processes and 

measures used to assess them is presented. The course also focuses on reproductive health issues 

important in the context of Sub-Saharan Africa. The impact of population policies and programs 


142


on population change will be analyzed for different countries. Current issues and problems in 

program design, implementation, and evaluation will be outlined with the help of several case 

studies. 


http://ocw.jhsph.edu/courses/PopulationChange/ 


Source of summary 6: 




Online Full course by JHSPH: Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases 


Health, member of the OCW Consortium. The course introduces the basic methods for 

infectious disease epidemiology and case studies of important disease syndromes and entities. 

Methods include definitions and nomenclature, outbreak investigations, disease surveillance, 

case-control studies, cohort studies, laboratory diagnosis, molecular epidemiology, dynamics of 

transmission, and assessment of vaccine field effectiveness. Case studies focus on acute 

respiratory infections, diarrhea diseases, hepatitis, HIV, tuberculosis, sexually transmitted 

diseases, malaria, and other vector-borne diseases. 


http://ocw.jhsph.edu/courses/EpiInfectiousDisease/ 





Online full course by Tufts OCW: School of Medicine - Population Medicine 

This new course is being part of four new courses recently released by Tufts OpenCourseWare. 

The purpose of this course is to shift attention away from the pathophysiologic effects of disease 

on individuals, and refocus it on a much bigger question: what connection will you and your 


143


patients have with the health of the public? In this course, the elderly serve as a model 

population to explore the intersection between clinical practice and population medicine. 







Online full course by Tufts OCW: School of Medicine - Ophthalmology Grand Rounds 


The New England Eye Center, which serves as the Department of Ophthalmology for the Tufts 

University School of Medicine, hosts weekly Grand Rounds. This course features a series of 

patient cases and related information originally presented by residents, fellows and faculty. 







Online full course by Tufts OCW: School of Medicine - Renal Pathophysiology 


This course reviews how the kidneys adapt to extra-renal disturbances and explores disorders 

that arise from primary defects in kidney function. In addition, the course explores the 

pathogenesis and therapy of chronic kidney disease and the consequences of kidney failure. 








144

Online full course by OpenLearn: Health and Environment 


This unit looks at interactions between plants, animals and the physical and chemical 

environment, as well as considering ways in which humans have altered, and are altering this 

environment dealing with global warming, the ozone hole, pollution and ecology issues. 

Introduction: "To be able to understand the importance of the environment for our health, we 

need to know a little about the interdependence between environment and humankind. These 

changes have health implications that are not always immediately obvious. Frequently, we 

initiate changes that are going to have their effects some time in the future, and we will be 

looking at the legacies that we leave to future generations. We move on to consider our own 

demise, and ask what exactly it is that we think we will be leaving for those who follow. This 

unit provides an introduction to global warming. We will be considering the history of global 

warming by looking at the pattern of ice ages and analyisis of recorded temperatures. We will 

aim to gather meaningful information from this data. We will briefly assess the impact and 

influence of humans on global warming and, finally, we will examine climate models and how 

to predict future changes. This online full course published under Creativer Commons license is 

made available by Openlearn, an OER dedicated Web site released by the Open University in 

UK." 


http://openlearn.open.ac.uk/mod/resource/view.php?id=100812 





Full online course: Medicine III: Hospital Clerkship Program, Academic Year 2006/2007 - 

School of Dental Medicine 

Three new courses were launched in the December 2006 by Tufts OCW. This practicum enables 

the student to assess the level of compromise in the history and physical examination of a 

medically compromised patient and modify dental care appropriately and to be competent in the 

assessment and management of a medically- compromised dental patient in a clinical setting. 





9 


145




Online full course: Neuroscience for Kids 

This educational material for kids is an extensive site concerning the nervous system and 

neuroscience. The site includes descriptive materials, experiments, activities, links to articles, 

resources for teaching neuroscience, and a listing of Internet resources related to the 

neurosciences. The course was written by Eric Chudler, Ph.D, a neuroscientist and Director of 

Education and Outreach at University of Washington Engineered Biomaterials in Seattle, 

Washington. 


http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/introb.html 



Contributor: Jochen Jesinghaus 


Maternal and Neonatal Program Effort index 

The Maternal and Neonatal Program Effort index (MNPI) Dashboard provides over 80 

indicators in the categories Maternal Health Services at Health Centres and District Hospitals, 

Pregnant Women with Access to Maternal Health Services, rural and urban, Care Received at 

Antenatal Visits, at Delivery, for Neonates, Family Planning Provision by Health Centers and by 

District Hospitals, Policies, Resources, Health Promotion, Training, Monitoring and Research. 

The MNPI was developed by the POLICY Project, a USAID-funded project implemented by 

Constella Futures, Research Triangle Institute, and the Center for Development and Population 

Activities. The MNPI Dashboard provides a fast and easy access to these data, with country 

profiles, colour-coded maps etc. Users can export views for use in own presentations. 


http://esl.jrc.it/dc/mnpi_cf/index.htm 



Contributor: David Steve Matthe 



146

Medicine and Health Care using OER in Developing Countries 


Many people are patients in urban and rural areas, though doctors work only in urban areas, and 

many immigrate to other countries. HIV/AIDS is a continuous threat; more or less 800 patients 

die daily e.g., as it was quoted by Stephen Lews of the U.N. Special Envoy during the 

International AIDS Conference 2006. Sharing of knowledge and information on the impact of 

HIV/AIDS, research should be done for discovery of effective anti-retroviral and anti-AIDS 

drugs in addition to the conventional drugs, which were discovered since the 1980s.The other 

diseases include tuberculosis; research is done on medical plants that contain pharmacological 

properties. Education is conducted through the Open Educational Resources (OER), and with 

collaboration of medical research scientists, microbiologists, virologists, mycologists, this goal 

may be achieved especially in developing countries. 


http://www.developmentgateway.org/ 





Food Force: an educational video game by WFP 

Food Force is an educational video game presented by the United Nations World Food 

Programme (WFP). The project has been developed specifically to help children learn about the 

fight against world hunger. Food Force is available as a free Internet download from its 

dedicated website www.food-force.com. It is the first humanitarian educational video game on 

the subject of world hunger and the work that goes into feeding people. The game is designed 

for children between 8 and 13 years of age. 


http://www.food-force.com/ 



Contributor: Anuradha Bhattacharjee 


Enhancing the Greater Involvement of People Living with HIV/AIDS (GIPA) in 

NGOs/CBOs in India. 

This handbook has been developed because research-based evidence shows that NGOs in India 

may have a limited understanding of what GIPA is and of how to plan and implement it, even if 

they are aware of the need to involve PLHA. The handbook is a resource collection of 


147


information sheets and participatory activities for NGOs working on HIV/AIDS who want to 

work towards a greater involvement of people living with HIV (GIPA) in their work. It aims at 

sensitising NGOs, building individual skills and organisational capacities so that NGO 

management, staff and volunteers can discuss and plan together in a participatory way to 

meaningfully involve people living with HIV in their organisation. Intended audience: NGO 

support programmes, national and international NGOs, CBOs, individual trainers, training 

organisations, policy makers. Author International HIV/AIDS Alliance in India. 


http://www.aidsalliance.org/sw38800.asp 



Contributor: Anuradha Bhattacharjee 


Role of Education in Promoting Young People's Sexual and Reproductive Health 

Report by Ian Warwick and Peter Aggleton - Thomas Coram Research Unit, Institute of 

Education, University of London. This report was developed as part of the 'Safe Passages to 

Adulthood,' a five-year Department for International Development (DfID) funded programme of 

research into young people’s sexual and reproductive health in economically poorer country 

settings. The report proposes that education, both in schools and beyond, has a key role to play 

both in supporting sexual and reproductive health and preventing HIV/AIDS, as well as 

mitigating its effects on individuals and communities. It can provide children and young people 

with knowledge and understanding to protect themselves and others, with skills to communicate 

and negotiate for safer sex and safer drug use, and with attitudes and values that foster respect 

and support for people living with HIV/AIDS. According to the report, when provided with 

accurate information, and when offered the opportunities to discuss the personal relevance of 

this information, young people can change or reduce risky behaviours. They can act as educators 

in their local communities, raising and addressing sensitive topics. 


http://www.comminit.com/strategicthinking/st2006/thinking-1734.html 



Contributor: David Sunderland 



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HIV & AIDS and Educator Development, Conduct and Support: Booklet 3, Good Policy 

and Practice in HIV & AIDS and Education series 

This booklet is the third in a series of publications that address key themes of UNESCO’s work 

on HIV and AIDS and the education sector. It discusses issues affecting educators in the context 

of HIV and AIDS, including training, conduct, and care and support. Drawing on available 

knowledge and experience, it highlights issues and lessons learned and suggests policy and 

programming strategies and actions to address the impact of HIV and AIDS on learners and 

educators in less developed countries. It also includes a bibliography, a list of practical tools and 

resources, and sources of additional information. 


http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0014/001463/146308e.pdf 



9 



HIV & AIDS and Safe, Secure and Supporting Learning Environments: Booklet 2, Good 

Policy and Practice in HIV & AIDS and Education series 

This booklet is the second in a series of publications that address key themes of UNESCO’s 

work on HIV and AIDS and the education sector. It discusses issues affecting learners including 

rights and access to education, protection, knowledge and skills, and care and support. Drawing 

on available knowledge and experience, it highlights issues and lessons learned and suggests 

policy and programming strategies and actions to address the impact of HIV and AIDS on 

learners and educators in less developed countries. It also includes a bibliography, a list of 

practical tools and resources, and sources of additional information. 


http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0014/001461/146122E.pdf 





Good Policy and Practice in HIV & AIDS and Education: Overview, Booklet 1 


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This booklet is the first in a series of publications that address key themes of UNESCO’s work 

on HIV and AIDS and the education sector. It provides an overview of why HIV and AIDS are 

important issues for the education sector, identifies weaknesses in current policy and 

programming responses, and highlights evidence gaps. Drawing on available knowledge and 

experience, it highlights issues and lessons learned and suggests policy and programming 

strategies and actions to address the impact of HIV and AIDS on learners and educators in less 

developed countries. 


http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0014/001461/146121e.pdf 

5.4.23 Architecture 

Like visual arts, a person with architectural aspirations needs to compile a portfolio and a solid 

background in architectural theory and history. The following courses represent a sampling of 

what's available online today: 

MIT Architectural Courses 


http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Architecture/index.htm 

Visit MIT for a variety of information on architectural resources, including architectural 

design, building technology, design technology, history, theory and criticism and the visual 

arts. Some of the many open courseware architectural projects include: 

• Digital Design Fabrication (http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Architecture/4-510Fall- 

2005/CourseHome/index.htm) 

• Fundamentals of Energy in Buildings (http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Architecture/4- 

42JFundamentals-of-Energy-in-BuildingsFall2003/CourseHome/) 

• Basic Structural Theory. (http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Architecture/4-440Basic- 

Structural-TheorySpring2003/CourseHome/index.htm) 

Theory of Urban Design and Development 


http://www.wsu.edu/~owenms/URBAN/URBANTRY.HTM 

The overall goal of the course is to help students formulate an understanding of the complex 

forces that shape urban form. This course was offered by Professor Michael S. Owen from the 

Washington State University's School of Architecture in 2005, but the lecture notes are as 

relevant today as they were two years ago. 

University of Hong Kong Architectural 


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Courses Content 

http://www.arch.hku.hk/~cmhui/teach/ 

Like MIT, his university's department of architecture contains a plethora (Surplus) of material 

on this topic, and it's all in English. The focus is on building energy efficiency and sustainable 

architecture, compiled by Dr. Sam C M Hui. 


5.4.24 Archaeology 

Nothing beats getting out in the field to learn how to dig, shake, and restore. You can join local 

archaeological groups to experience the nitty gritty, and then back that experience up with some 

courses like those listed below: 

Data Management and Quantitative Methods: 


http://www.art.man.ac.uk/ARTHIST/AY2081/index.htm 

Learn abroad from the University of Manchester's History of Art & Archaeology Department, 

where you adjust to the fact that archaeologists deal with statistics as a primary skill. Dr. Ina 

Berg and Stuart Campbell offer this course. 

Introduction to Archaeology 

Course Content http://bruceowen.com/introarch/324f2002.htm 

Learn the absolute basics from Dr. Bruce Owen at Sonoma State University. Topics include 

carbon dating, relative dating, and "Data without digging." 

Introduction to Archaeology/Anthropology 


http://archserve.id.ucsb.edu/Anth3/Anth3Frame2.html 

You can also access some basic resources at the University of California Santa Barbara through 

Brian M. Fagan. 

Introduction to Prehistoric Archaeology: 



151


http://www.indiana.edu/~origins/teach/p200.html 

This class, conducted by Professor Jeanne Sept at Indiana University, will introduce you to 

prehistoric cultures and ancient civilizations. 

Archaeology of North America: 


http://www.chass.utoronto.ca/~coupland/ANT310/index.htm 

This is just one of three courses (http://www.chass.utoronto.ca/~coupland/main.htm)offered by 

Gary Coupland at the University of Toronto. This specific course, with lecture notes and links 

to resources, examines human prehistory in North America from the time of earliest occupation 

to European contact. Special topics include Paleo-Indian and Archaic adaptations, the rise of 

complex hunter-gatherers, origins of farming and the evolution of complex chiefdoms. 


5.4.25 Audio & Video 

You can find many sources for audio and video information online, especially through MIT's 

Media Arts and Sciences (http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Media-Arts-and-Sciences/index.htm) 

offerings. Granted, these courses go beyond audio and video into theatre and photography, but 

you can scour through their course materials to find information on Special Topics in Cinematic 

Storytelling 

(http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Media-Arts-and-Sciences/MAS- 

845Spring2004/CourseHome/index.htm ) and readings in Computational Semantics 

(http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Media-Arts-and-Sciences/MAS-962Special-Topics-in-Media- 

Technology--Computational-SemanticsFall2002/CourseHome/index.htm) 

Other online courses include: 

Berklee Shares 


http://www.berkleeshares.com/ 

Here you will find free music lessons that you can download, share and trade with your friends 

and fellow musicians, thanks to the Berklee College of Music. 

Computing, Audio and Music: 


http://www.cems.uwe.ac.uk/~mlynch/CA+M/ 


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Learn the basics and more from a variety of instructors at the West of England University, UK. 

Click on the topics under the photographs to find specific tutorials, lectures, and modules that 

address this topic. 

Image Compression and Packet Video: 

http://www.apl.jhu.edu/Classes/525759/geckle/index.html 

An advanced course from Johns Hopkins University with notes on everything from an 

introduction to image coding to MPEG 4 and H.261/263 video compression. The lab 

assignments are especially useful to help visualize some of the techniques involved with the 

lessons. 


5.4.26 Humanities 

List of Modules for Humanities 







Online full course by MIT OpenCourseWare: Ethical Practice: Professionalism, Social 

Responsibility, and the Purpose of the Corporation 

This online full course is being published by MIT OCW. Course Description: This course is 

designed as an introduction to ethics and business, with a focus on business management. Over 

13 sessions, students will have the opportunity to explore theoretical concepts in business ethics, 

as well as cases that represent the challenges they will likely face as managers; they will also 

have the opportunity to work with guest faculty and business and other professional 

practitioners. Individual sessions will take the form of moderated discussion, with occasional 

short lectures from the instructor. 


http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Sloan-School-of-Management/15-965Spring- 




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Online full course by MIT: Human Origins and Evolution 

This online full course published by MIT under Creative Commons license examines the 

dynamic interrelations among physical and behavioral traits of humans, environment, and 

culture to provide an integrated framework for studying human biological evolution and modern 

diversity. Topics include issues in morphological evolution and adaptation; fossil and cultural 

evidence for human evolution from earliest times through the Pleistocene; evolution of tool use 

and social behavior; modern human variation and concepts of race. The class also studies stone 

artifacts and fossil specimens. 


http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Materials-Science-and-Engineering/3-987Spring- 






Online full course: Classification, Natural Kinds, and Conceptual Change: Race as a Case 

Study (MIT) 

This online full course will consider the claim that there is no such thing as race, with a 

particular emphasis on the question whether races should be thought of as natural kinds: is our 

concept of race a natural kind concept? Is the term 'race' a natural kind term? If so, is Appiah 

right to conclude that there are no races? How should one go about "analyzing" the concept of 

race? This course features an extensive list of readings with corresponding reading questions. 

This free Open Educational Resources is published under Creative Commons license and can be 

downloaded from MIT Web site. 


http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Linguistics-and-Philosophy/24-892Spring- 







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Online full course: Moral Problems and the Good Life (MIT) 


This online full course provided by MIT focuses on issues that arise in contemporary public 

debate concerning matters of social justice. Topics will likely include: euthanasia, gay marriage, 

racism and racial profiling, free speech, hunger and global inequality. Students will be exposed 

to multiple points of view on the topics and will be given guidance in analyzing the moral 

frameworks informing opposing positions. The goal will be to provide the basis for respectful 

and informed discussion of matters of common moral concern. This online full course features 

an extensive list of readings and lecture notes. 


http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Linguistics-and-Philosophy/24-02Fall- 






Online full course: War memorials and commemoration 

This Unit gives you the opportunity to practise good study techniques using the theme of 

commemoration and memorials. It will help you to begin to think about how form influences 

meaning in the arts and how ideas influence approaches to the humanities. This online full 

course published under Creativer Commons license is made available by Openlearn, an OER 

dedicated Web site released by the Open University in UK. 


http://openlearn.open.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=1673 



Online full course: Studying the arts and humanities 

This unit is an introduction to studying the arts and humanities. It takes you through a series of 

exercises designed to develop your approach to study and learning at a distance and improve 

your confidence. This online full course published under Creativer Commons license is made 

available by Openlearn, an OER dedicated Web site released by the Open University in UK. 


http://openlearn.open.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=1472 


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Open Data on the Crisis in Darfur 

The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and Google have produced an online site on the 

Crisis in Darfur. The site enables Google Earth users to visualize and better understand the 

genocide currently unfolding in Darfur, Sudan. The Museum has assembled content — 

photographs, data, and eyewitness testimony — from a number of sources, and the site brings 

them together in Google Earth. The site demonstrates the power of new information technology 

in the presentation of information. 


http://www.ushmm.org/googleearth/ 





Repository of Learning objects (LO) to teach European citizenship 

myEUROPE is a Web-based project of European SchoolNet which aims to help teachers raise 

their pupils' awareness of "what it means to be a young citizen in Europe". The project offers 

online a repository of over 250 Learning Objects (LO). Those Learning Objects are available in 

25 languages and may be used for collective or individual learning focusing on European 

citizenship. 


http://myeurope.eun.org/ww/en/pub/myeurope/home/resources/los.cfm 



Contributor: denise melvin 


Food Security Information Systems and Networks: a free distance-learning course from 

the EC-FAO Food Security Programme 


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The EC-FAO Food Security Programme has launched a new distance-learning unit on Food 

Security Information Systems and Networks. This unit introduces and provides guidance in 

assessing different kinds of information systems related to food security analysis. Specific 

lessons include: 1. Food Security Information Systems This lesson describes the objectives and 

functions of food security information systems. It introduces a basic framework for examining 

the various components of information systems and how they work together to support the 

decision making process. 2. The Institutional Context This lesson examines institutional 

responsibilities for the collection, analysis and reporting of food security information. It 

examines the problems that arise from poorly integrated national information systems and 

considers possible solutions. 3. Improving Food Security Information Systems This lesson 

introduces a process for assessing national information systems concerned with food security 

analysis. It also provides guidelines on how to use the results of the assessment to strengthen 

food security information systems. Target Audience: Mid-level managers, technical staff, field 

personnel who are involved in the collection, management, analysis, and reporting of food 

security information. Planners, policy formulators and programme managers who are involved 

in monitoring progress in poverty reduction, and meeting food security goals and targets. More 

Resources: Materials for trainers, based on the distance learning are also available. A French 

version is being prepared. 


http://www.foodsec.org/DL/dlintro_en.asp 





Full online course by Fahamu OpenCourseWare: Campaigning for access to information 

Fahamu organization offers a full course related to access to information. This very complete 

course is available online and published on the organization's new OpenCourseWare Web site. 

Combining the freedom of information campaigning expertise of Article 19 (http://article19.org) 

with the extensive distance learning experience of Fahamu, this course is meant for people and 

organizations from a broad spectrum of areas in Africa who have an interest in the issue of 

access to information. This includes but is not limited to: trade unions, residents’ organisations, 

environmental groups, women’s groups, development organisations, human rights organisations 

and many others. 


http://rightstraining.fahamu.org/ocw/learning-for-change/campaigning-for-access-to-information 




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Full online course by Fahamu OpenCourseWare: Introduction to human rights 

Fahamu organization offers a full course related to human rights. This very complete course is 

available online and published on the organization's new OpenCourseWare Web site. This short 

introductory course provides a grounding in the basic principles of human rights. It also 

introduces participants to the international and regional conventions and instruments which 

encode human rights. It is one of an integrated collection of courses developed by Fahamu in 

conjunction with the University of Oxford. 


http://rightstraining.fahamu.org/ocw/learning-for-change/introduction-to-human-rights 





Fahamu OpenCourseWare: human rights and social justice open courses 

Fahamu is the first NGO partner in the OpenCourseWare Consortium. The organization supports 

the struggle for human rights and social justice in Africa. Fahamu OpenCourseWare Web site, 

available since recently, offers two full open courses related to human rights and social justice. 

The organization has developed a range of distance-learning courses aimed at strengthening the 

capacity of human rights and civil society organisations. The topics covered are the result of 

extensive research conducted in Africa into the training needs of such organisations. The Web 

site is developped using eduCommons, a free and open educational resource for faculty, 

students, and self-learners throughout the world. Fahamu’s distance-learning methodology, 

involving CDROMs, email-based facilitation and workshops, has been widely adopted by 

institutions such as the University of Oxford, Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human 

Rights, Article 19, the UN-affiliated University for Peace and others. Some 600 organisations 

and individuals have completed Fahamu’s courses since 2003. Please learn more on Fahuma's 

OpenCourseWare Web site. 


http://rightstraining.fahamu.org/ocw 






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ABC - Teaching Human Rights 

This free educational material is published by the OHCHR. "ABC - Teaching Human Rights" 

provides practical activities for primary and secondary schools. It aims to serve as a userfriendly 

tool for human rights education and a multi-coloured umbrella covering a number of 

basic human rights areas. It offers practical advice to teachers and other educators who want to 

foster human rights awareness and action among primary and secondary school children, 

including suggestions for developing learning activities. It is not meant to place an extra burden 

on an already overloaded curriculum but to assist in infusing human rights issues into subjects 

already taught in schools. Please find bellow direct links to all chapters (english language): - 

Chapter 1: http://www.ohchr.org/english/about/publications/docs/abc-ch1.pdf - Chapter 2: 

http://www.ohchr.org/english/about/publications/docs/abc-ch2.pdf - Chapter 3: 

http://www.ohchr.org/english/about/publications/docs/abc-ch3.pdf This publication is also 

available in Arabic, Spanish, French and Russian: 

http://www.ohchr.org/english/about/publications/training.htm 


http://www.ohchr.org/english/about/publications/docs/abc-ch1.pdf 





Forced Migration Review (FMR) 

Forced Migration Review (FMR) is free of charge and can be downloaded as a PDF document. 

It is published in English, Arabic, Spanish and French. FMR provides a practice-oriented forum 

for debate on issues facing refugees and internally displaced people in order to improve policy 

and practice and to involve refugees and IDPs in programme design and implementation. 


http://www.fmreview.org/ 





MIT OpenCourseWare: Foreign Langauges and Literatures - Japanese Popular Culture, 

Spring 2003 


159


This course examines Japanese popular culture as a way of understanding the changing character 

of media, capitalism, fan communities and culture. Emphasis will be on contemporary popular 

culture and theories of gender, sexuality, race, and the workings of power in global culture 

industries. All course material is downloadable. 


http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Foreign-Languages-and-Literatures/21F- 

039Spring2003/CourseHome/index.htm 





The Perseus Digital Library 

Perseus is a digital library of Humanities content. It is made available free to use for students, 

teachers and scholars. It's materials are copyright protected. Perseus goal is to strengthen the 

quality of questions that lead to new avenues of research, and connect more people through the 

connection of ideas. Perseus provides XML services to enable easier access to its content. 

Examples of resources available on the site include Pliny the Elder's encyclopedic Natural 

History, Smith's Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities, and Robert Boyle's Work Diaries. 


http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/ 





EDSITEment 

The EDSITEment site links with many of the best Humanities on the Web portals including the 

National Endowment for the Humanities, the National Trust for the Humanities, and the 

MarcoPolo Education Foundation. This educational partnership brings online humanities 

resources from some of the world's great museums, libraries, cultural institutions, and 

universities directly to your classroom. 


http://edsitement.neh.gov/ 


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MIT OpenCourseWare: Writing and Humanistic Studies - index page for all courses 


students, and self-learners around the world. This site provides links to all Writing and 

Humanistic courses available (undergraduate and graduate level). For each course accessed, see 

left column for available resources (e.g. Syllabus, Calendar, Readings, Lecture Notes, 

Assignments, Study Materials). Program subjects are arranged by four areas: exposition and 

rhetoric, creative writing, science writing, and technical communication 


http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Writing-and-Humanistic-Studies/index.htm 



Contributor: Thomas Tichar 


MIT OpenCourseWare: Anthropology - Index page for all courses 


students, and self-learners around the world. This site provides links to all Anthropology courses 

available (undergraduate and graduate level). For each course accessed, see left column for 

available resources (e.g. Syllabus, Calendar, Readings, Lecture Notes, Assignments, Study 

Materials). The anthropology curriculum is divided into six groups that show the breadth of the 

field, with particular emphases: introductory, social anthropology, technology in cultural 

context, and areal and historical studies. Special topics in anthropology and advanced graduate 

subjects are also offered. 


http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Anthropology/index.htm 

5.4.27 Social Sciences (General) 

While archaeology covers material culture, social sciences introduce the social aspects behind 

that culture. Hence, you may see courses in social sciences labeled "anthropology," much as you 


161


would find that same label in archaeology. The following list provides just a few samplings of 

many online social sciences courses: 

Ecological Anthropology: 


http://courses.washington.edu/anth457/ 

Whereas earth sciences deal with biological or geological aspects to the environment, this 

course approaches ecology through interactions between humans and the earth. Dr. Eric A. 

Smith offers lecture notes, assignments, and other materials that make this course thoughtprovoking 

and relevant. 

Introduction to Sociology: 


http://www.ilstu.edu/~jeweinz/soc106/syllabus.html#description 

Illinois State University provides basic concepts in sociology and an understanding of how 

sociological research is conducted. 

Sociology: 


http://people.uncw.edu/pricej/teaching/ 

The Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice at The University of North Carolina at 

Wilmington offers some valuable information for the budding sociologist. While you can 

access lecture notes and other resources, the tips on essay writing (http://oedb.org/onlineprograms/arts-humanities/writing), 

oral presentation, and careers in sociology are clear bonuses 

for the reader. 

Sociology Courses: 


http://www.umsl.edu/~rkeel/mycourses.html 

Professor Robert O. Keel's list of sociology courses at the University of Missouri — St. Louis 

can keep you busy for a year or more. Each course contains different resources, from lecture 

notes to links to online resources, and each course brings a new light to different sociological 

aspects. 


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5.4.28 Management Science 

Source of MIT homepage 

http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/web/home/home/index.htm 

Source of MIT Management courses 

http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Sloan-School-of-Management/index.htm 

Data Mining 

Course Description 

Data that has relevance for managerial decisions is accumulating at an incredible rate due to a 

host of technological advances. Electronic data capture has become inexpensive and ubiquitous 

as a by-product of innovations such as the internet, e-commerce, electronic banking, point-ofsale 

devices, bar-code readers, and intelligent machines. Such data is often stored in data 

warehouses and data marts specifically intended for management decision support. Data mining 

is a rapidly growing field that is concerned with developing techniques to assist managers to 

make intelligent use of these repositories. A number of successful applications have been 

reported in areas such as credit rating, fraud detection, database marketing, customer 

relationship management, and stock market investments. The field of data mining has evolved 

from the disciplines of statistics and artificial intelligence. 

This course will examine methods that have emerged from both fields and proven to be of value 

in recognizing patterns and making predictions from an applications perspective. We will survey 

applications and provide an opportunity for hands-on experimentation with algorithms for data 

mining using easy-to- use software and cases. 


http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Sloan-School-of-Management/15-062Data- 

MiningSpring2003/CourseHome/index.htm 

Introduction to Financial and Managerial Accounting 


This course studies basic concepts of financial and managerial reporting. The viewpoint is that 

of readers of financial and managerial reports rather than the accountants who prepare them. 

Spring 2004 



163



Law for the Entrepreneur and Manager 



This course provides a basic understanding of legal issues that corporations face during their 

existence. The course starts by providing the basic building blocks of business law. We then 

follow a firm through its life cycle from its "breakaway" from an established firm through it 

going public. 

The materials covered during 15.647 (the first half of the semester) emphasize the organization 

and financing of the company. In the second half of the course we examine a broad array of lawsensitive 

issues relating to intellectual property, product development, M&A transactions, 

international trade, the duties of directors and officers, business disputes, and bankruptcy and 

reorganization. 

The goal of the course is not to impart technical legal skills, but to enhance the judgment which 

students will bring to their responsibilities as entrepreneurs, managers in established companies, 

or consultants and advisors. There are two take-home exercises, and no exams. Students wishing 

to take only the first half of the Manager's Legal Function should register for 15.647, which 

meets only during the H1 period. 

Spring 2003 


People and Organizations 


This course examines the historical evolution and current human and organizational contexts in 

which scientists, engineers and other professionals work. It outlines today's major challenges 

facing the management profession and uses interactive exercises, simulations and problems to 

develop critical skills in negotiations, teamwork and leadership. It also introduces concepts and 

tools to analyze work and leadership experiences in optional undergraduate fieldwork projects. 

Fall 2005 


http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Sloan-School-of-Management/15-615Law-for-the-Entrepreneurand-ManagerSpring2003/CourseHome/index.htm 

http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Sloan-School-of-Management/15-668Fall- 



164


Introduction to Optimization 


This course introduces students to the theory, algorithms, and applications of optimization. 

Optimization methodologies include linear programming, network optimization, integer 

programming, decision trees, and dynamic programming. The methods have applications to 

logistics, manufacturing, transportation, marketing, project management, and finance. 

Technical Requirement 

Microsoft® Excel software is recommended for viewing the .xls files found on this course site. 

Free Microsoft® Excel viewer software can also be used to view the .xls files. Any number of 

programs can call the .dll files found on this course site. These files are also executable. Please 

refer to the course materials for any specific instructions or recommendations. 

Spring 2004 




Optimization Methods in Management Science 


This course introduces students to the theory, algorithms, and applications of optimization. 

Optimization methodologies include linear programming, network optimization, integer 

programming, decision trees, and dynamic programming. The methods have applications to 

logistics, manufacturing, transportation, marketing, project management, and finance. 

Spring 2007 


http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Sloan-School-of-Management/15-053Spring 


Operations Management 


This course will introduce concepts and techniques for design, planning and control of 

manufacturing and service operations. The course provides basic definitions of operations 


165


management terms, tools and techniques for analyzing operations, and strategic context for 

making operational decisions. We present the material in five modules: 

1. Operations Analysis 

2. Coordination and Planning 

3. Quality Management 

4. Project Management 

5. Logistics and Supply Chain Management 

Technical Requirements 


Free Microsoft® Excel viewer software can also be used to view the .xls files. 

Summer 2002 


http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Sloan-School-of-Management/15-761Operations- 

ManagementSummer2002/CourseHome/index.htm 

Practical Information Technology Management 


The course purpose is to provide the substance and skill necessary to make sound business 

decisions relating to information systems and to work with senior line managers in the resolution 

of issues and problems in this area. Categories of issues which will be addressed in the course 

include: 

• How do IT and its various manifestations in business, such as the Internet, affect current and 

future COMPETITIVENESS? How do we align business strategy and plans with IT strategy 

and IT plans? 

• How can we ENGAGE executives in learning and leading IT-related change? 

• How do we IMPLEMENT new systems, CHANGE work behavior, MANAGE projects? 

• How should we ORGANIZE and GOVERN IT in an organization? 

Spring 2005 


http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Sloan-School-of-Management/15-568ASpring- 


Integrating eSystems & Global Information Systems 



166


The strategic importance of information technology is now widely accepted. It has also become 

increasingly clear that the identification of strategic applications alone does not result in success 

for an organization. A careful coordination of strategic applications, information technologies, 

and organizational structures must be made to attain success. This course addresses strategic, 

technological, and organizational connectivity issues to support effective and meaningful 

integration of information and systems. This course is especially relevant to those who wish to 

effectively exploit information technology and create new business processes and opportunities. 

Spring 2002 


http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Sloan-School-of-Management/15-565JIntegrating-eSystems--- 

Global-Information-SystemsSpring2002/CourseHome/index.htm 

Advanced Managerial Communication 


This course builds on managerial communication skills developed in Management 

Communication for Undergraduates or Communication for Managers. It introduces interactive 

oral and interpersonal communication skills important to managers, including: presenting to a 

hostile audience, running meetings, listening, and contributing to group decision-making. 

Working in teams, students present a communication topic of their choosing to the class. An 

individual project challenges students to address a business audience in written and oral forms. 

Spring 2004 


http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Sloan-School-of-Management/15- 


Managerial Psychology 


This course introduces you to behavioral science theories, methods, and tools and provides 

opportunities to use and apply them to problems you will encounter in your work and career. 

The course material will begin with an overview of work and organizations in modern industrial 

society, and then examine individual behavior, move to behavior in groups or teams, and finally 

discuss organizations as a whole. It is expected that at the end of the course you will: (a) know 

something about managerial psychology, (b) know how to learn more, (c) understand the 

behavioral research process, and (d) develop skills in presenting your ideas in oral and written 

reports. 


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Fall 2006 




Graduate Courses 

Economic Analysis for business decisions 


The objective of this course is to give you a working knowledge of the analytical tools that bear 

most directly on the economic decisions firms must regularly make. We will emphasize market 

structure and industrial performance, including the strategic interaction of firms. We will 

examine the behavior of individual markets -- and the producers and consumers that sell and buy 

in those markets -- in some detail, focusing on cost analysis, the determinants of market demand, 

pricing strategy, market power, and the implications of government regulatory policies. We will 

also examine the implications of economics on other business practices, such as incentive plans, 

auctions, and transfer pricing. 




Applied Macro- and International Economics 


This course focuses on using case studies to investigate the macroenvironment in which firms 

operate. The course is divided in five parts: 

1. Basic tools of macroeconomic management 

2. Evaluation of different economic development strategies 

3. Crises in emerging markets: causes, solutions, and prevention 

4. Problems faced by transition economies 

5. Challenges of developed countries 





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Applied Economics for Managers 


The fact of scarcity forces individuals, firms, and societies to choose among alternative uses – or 

allocations – of its limited resources. Accordingly, the first part of this summer course seeks to 

understand how economists model the choice process of individual consumers and firms, and 

how markets work to coordinate these choices. It also examines how well markets perform this 

function using the economist's criterion of market efficiency. 

Overall, this course focuses on microeconomics, with some topics from macroeconomics and 

international trade. It emphasizes the integration of theory, data, and judgment in the analysis of 

corporate decisions and public policy, and in the assessment of changing U.S. and international 

business environments. 



024Summer2004/CourseHome/index.htm 

Game Theory for Managers 


This half-term course examines the choices that we make which affect others and the choices 

others make that affect us. Such situations are known as "games" and game-playing, while 

sounding whimsical, is serious business. Managers frequently play "games" both within the firm 

and outside it – with competitors, customers, regulators, and even capital markets! The goal of 

this course is to enhance a student's ability to think strategically in complex, interactive 

environments. Knowledge of game theory will give students an advantage in such strategic 

settings. The course is structured around three "themes for acquiring advantage in games": 

commitment / strategic moves, exploiting hidden information, and limited rationality. 



Free Microsoft® Excel viewer software can also be used to view the .xls files. 




Systems Optimization 



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Managers and engineers are constantly attempting to optimize, particularly in the design and 

operation of complex systems. This course is an application-oriented introduction to (systems) 

optimization. It seeks to: 

• Motivate the use of optimization models to support managers and engineers in a wide variety 

of decision making situations; 

• Show how several application domains (industries) use optimization; 

• Introduce optimization modeling and solution techniques (including linear, non-linear, 

integer, and network optimization, and heuristic methods); 

• Provide tools for interpreting and analyzing model-based solutions (sensitivity and postoptimality 

analysis, bounding techniques); and 

• Develop the skills required to identify the opportunity and manage the implementation of an 

optimization-based decision support tool. 


Microsoft Access software is recommended for viewing the .mdb files found on this course site. 

Free Microsoft Access viewer software can also be used to view the .mdb files. 

Microsoft Excel software is recommended for viewing the .xls files found on this course site. 

Free Microsoft Excel viewer software can also be used to view the .xls files. 

Any number of programs can be used to run the .mod files found on this course site. Please refer 

to the course materials for any specific instructions or recommendations 


http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Sloan-School-of-Management/15-057Systems- 

OptimizationSpring2003/CourseHome/index.htm 

Fundamentals of Probability 


This is a course on the fundamentals of probability geared towards first or second-year graduate 

students who are interested in a rigorous development of the subject. Topics covered include: 

probability spaces and measures; discrete and continuous random variables; conditioning and 

independence; multivariate normal distribution; abstract integration, expectation, and related 

convergence results; moment generating and characteristic functions; Bernoulli and Poisson 

processes; finite-state Markov chains; convergence notions and their relations; and limit 

theorems. Familiarity with elementary notions in probability and real analysis is desirable. 


Fall 2005 


http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Electrical-Engineering-and-Computer-Science/6-436JFall- 


International Management 


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Companies today confront an increasing array of choices of markets, of locations for value 

adding activities, and of modes of crossing borders. This course focuses on the international 

dimensions of strategy and organization, and provides a framework for formulating strategies in 

an increasingly complex world economy, and for making those strategies work effectively. 

The first section of the course provides the basic frameworks for understanding competitiveness 

in international business at the level of the industry, location, and firm. These frameworks 

identify the opportunities presented in a dynamic global environment. But taking advantages of 

those opportunities faces enormous managerial challenges, and the second section of the course 

focuses on using and deepening those analytical tools in the context of specific problems and 

contexts. The goal of this course is to provide the foundations for taking effective action in the 

multi-faceted world of international business. 

Spring 2002 


http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Sloan-School-of-Management/15-220International- 

ManagementSpring2002/CourseHome/index.htm 

Communication for Managers 


Writing and speaking skills necessary for a career in management. Students polish 

communication strategies and methods through discussion of principles, examples, and cases. 

Several written and oral assignments, most based on material from other subjects and from 

career development activities. Restricted to first-year Sloan School of Management graduate 

students. 

Fall 2002 


http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Sloan-School-of-Management/15-280Communication-for- 

ManagersFall2002/CourseHome/index.htm 

Advanced Managerial Communication 


This course builds on managerial communication skills developed in Management 

Communication for Undergraduates or Communication for Managers. It introduces interactive 

oral and interpersonal communication skills important to managers, including: presenting to a 


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hostile audience, running meetings, listening, and contributing to group decision-making. 

Working in teams, students present a communication topic of their choosing to the class. An 

individual project challenges students to address a business audience in written and oral forms. 

Spring 2004 




5.4.28.1 Business and Organizational Science 

List of different topics from Dg Communities 







Online full course by MIT Open Courseware: Ethical Practice: Professionalism, Social 

Responsibility, and the Purpose of the Corporation 

This course is designed as an introduction to ethics and business, with a focus on business 

management. Over 13 sessions, students will have the opportunity to explore theoretical 

concepts in business ethics, as well as cases that represent the challenges they will likely face as 

managers; they will also have the opportunity to work with guest faculty and business and other 

professional practitioners. Individual sessions will take the form of moderated discussion, with 

occasional short lectures from the instructor. 







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Online full course by Connexions: Corporate Governance 

This course written by William Frey and Jose A. Cruz-Cruz, takes an interdisciplinary approach 

to ethics in business and provides modules in Ethical Leadership, Ethical Decision-Making, 

Social Responsibility, and Corporate Governance. This course will culminate in an Ethics Bowl 

competition in which students will practice ethics advocacy in a variety of organizational 

contexts in business. 







Online full course: Training and Human Resources Development 

UC Irvine is in the process of developing OpenCourseWare to be hosted on its OCW portal. A 

first online course untitled "Training and Human Resources Development" is already available 

online. It is composed of 13 lessons focusing on how to use Training and Development to 

address human resource needs. 


http://ocw.uci.edu/courses/AR0103061/pages/l1t1p1.html 



Contributor: Laura Allen 


Online Corporate Finance Courses/Resources 

This web site is designed to provide supporting material for corporate finance related topics. The 

site is divided into 5 subject areas within Corporate Finance: (1) The objective function, where 

we define what exactly the objective in decision making should be. (2) The investment decision, 

where we look at how a business should allocate of resources across competing uses. (3) The 

financing decision, where we examine the sources of financing and whether there is an optimal 

mix of financing. (4) The dividend decision, which relates to how much a business should 

reinvest back into operations and how much should be returned to the owners. (5) Valuation, 


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where all of the decisions made by a firm are traced through to a final value. You can navigate 

this site in many different ways. 


http://pages.stern.nyu.edu/~adamodar/ 



Contributor: Alexey Volynets 


Interactive Knowledge Economy Benchmarking Tool – Knowledge Assessment 

Methodology, November 2006 

The KAM uses more then 80 structural and qualitative variables for a group of 128 countries to 

generate a range of comparative data tables, charts and diagrams for a simple visual 

representation of different aspects of countries’ Knowledge Economy readiness. Various modes 

can display and compare countries’ overall Knowledge (KI) and Knowledge Economy (KEI) 

indexes and demonstrate performance scores on the four main Knowledge Economy pillars: 

Economic Incentive and Institutional Regime, Education, Innovation, and Information & 

Communications Technology (ICT). World Bank Institute. 


http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/WBI/WBIPROGRAMS/KFDLP/EXTUNIKA 

M/0,,menuPK:1414738~pagePK:64168427~piPK:64168435~theSitePK:1414721,00.html 



Contributor: Tarek Rizk 


Continuous Progress: Better Advocacy Through Evaluation 

Continuous Progress is a set of practical, web-based tools to help donors and advocates work 

together to plan, evaluate, learn from and improve their foreign policy advocacy efforts. The site 

provides a step-by-step roadmap for planning advocacy programs and conducting evaluations 

before, during and after a campaign. Whether you are a grant maker just setting your goals or an 

advocate knee-deep in execution, consulting Continuous Progress is a quick way to ensure that 

you are making the most of your efforts. The site will also help you lay the groundwork for 

continuous evaluation, allowing you to improve as you go and feed lessons and experience into 

your next campaign. The two complementary guides -- one for grantmakers and one for 


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advocates -- offer valuable lessons for evaluating advocacy campaigns. They also serve as a 

powerful messenger about the importance of evaluation to successful advocacy. Continuous 

Progress is possible when advocates and their partners capture valuable insights from their 

ongoing work and then apply that knowledge to the work ahead. 


http://www.continuousprogress.org/ 



Contributor: Mbuso Gerald Dlamini 


Using The Logical Framework Matrix For Development 

The Logical Framework Matrix is a tool widely used in our days to describe and outline 

information about a specific organization. The use of the logical framework matrix simplifies 

work in the MTEF process. The Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) is one of the 

latest reforms to public expenditure management in developing countries, having been 

introduced in different forms by a number of governments. The MTEF is a tool for linking 

policy, planning and budgeting over a medium term (3 or 5 years) at government wide level. 

The MTEF can be seen as a process of Top-Down (from the Ministry of Finance and cabinet) 

and a Bottom-Up (from ministries) 


http://topics.developmentgateway.org/openeducation/rc/filedownload.do~itemId=1077764 



Contributor: Carmen Villegas Caballero 


Pact’s Capacity Building Services Group 

Pact’s Capacity Building Services Group (CBSG) is a leading facilitator of leadership and 

organizational development for NGOs, networks and intermediary organizations around the 

world. It provides online free material and lesson plans. "Through our training, technical 

assistance, and mentoring services, we help organizations to create significant change." 


http://www.pactworld.org/services 


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Online Network Assessment Tool 

Over several months, learning network experts and practitioners have come together to explore 

critical factors that lead to the success of learning networks in a USAID and SNV-funded 

research initiative conducted by Pact's Capacity Building Services Group (CBSG). They have 

developed a conceptual framework as a result of this effort. Pact is testing this framework for 

measuring network viability using a simple online questionnaire that includes six survey 

questions. Those who fill out the questionnaire are to receive a score as well as ideas for 

strengthening the network described in critical performance areas. They will also have the 

opportunity to share ideas and approaches to fostering a viable network. Pact is a networked 

global organization that seeks to build the capacity of local leaders and organizations to meet 

pressing social needs in developing nations. 


http://www.pactworld.com/network/index.php 





Marketing Virtual Library 

A site containing marketing information. Publications available for access on the site include 

marketing journals, professional and trade information, web-only publications, free subcriptions, 

online textbooks, and marketing text publishers. Books linked to the site are: Electronic 

Statistics Textbook, HyperStat, Marketing Hyperbook, Sales Management, Sports Marketing, 

and Warehouse & Distribution Science. 


http://www.knowthis.com/media-and-publications/free-online-textbooks.htm 




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Encyclopedia of Small Business 

Contains articles and explanations about topics related to small businesses, such as accounting, 

advertising, budget, copyright, marketing, recruiting, and stocks, indexed in alphabetical order. 


http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/small/ 



1 



Warehouse & Distribution Science 

The focus of this book is the science of how to design, operate and manage warehouse facilities. 

It emphasizes the building of detailed mathematical and computer models that capture the 

detailed economics of the management of space and labor. The goal of this book is to give 

managers and engineers the tools to make their operations successful. 


http://www2.isye.gatech.edu/people/faculty/John_Bartholdi/wh/book/wh-sci-06.pdf 





5.4.28.2 Marketing 

Covers the fundamentals of marketing. A hyperlink book offering a non-linear format with 

graphics, audio, and videos. It is viewer-oriented, giving the reader the opportunity to jump 

around and search for certain topics. 


http://ollie.dcccd.edu/mrkt2370/book/mrktbook.htm 


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Contributor: Eugene SCODIGOR 


MEDFORIST Knowledge platform on e-business 

MEDFORIST Knowledge platform on e-business (http://medforist.grenoble-em.com) Includes 

multimedia course, pedagogic resources, book, case studies, self assessment tool, academic 

research and conferences, competences and training data bases, studies conducted during the 

European funded project MEDFORIST. 


http://medforist.grenoble-em.com/ 





MIT OpenCourseware: Financial Management, Summer 2003 

This course studies financial management in corporate finance and capital markets. Finance 

topics include valuation of real and financial assets, risk management and financial derivatives, 

the trade off between risk and expected return, and corporate financing and dividend policy. 

Lectures, recitation notes, past exams, and formula sheets are available to download. 


http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Sloan-School-of-Management/15-414Financial- 

ManagementSummer2003/CourseHome/index.htm 





MIT OpenCourseware: Data Mining, Spring 2003 


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Data mining has become increasingly important in the managerial field as data collection has 

increased rapidly over the years through the internet, e-commerce, electronic banking, point-ofsale 

devices, bar-code readers, and intelligent machines. The course focuses on useful methods 

for recognizing patterns and making predictions in large quantities of data. XLMiner tools and 

tutorials, lecture notes and assignments are available to download. 


http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Sloan-School-of-Management/15-062Data- 

MiningSpring2003/CourseHome/index.htm 





MIT OpenCourseware: Practical Information Technology Management, Spring 2005 

This course examines the presence of information technology in management practices, how IT 

can be implemented to support the organization, and how to effectively manage IT related 

projects. Complete set of lecture notes and readings available. 


http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Sloan-School-of-Management/15-568ASpring- 






MIT OpenCourseWare: Sloan School of Management - Introduction to Mathematical 

Programming, Fall 2002 

This course offers an introduction to optimization problems, algorithms, and their complexity, 

emphasizing basic methodologies and the underlying mathematical structures. This course 

features full sets of homework assignments and recitation handouts. 


http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Electrical-Engineering-and-Computer-Science/6-251JIntroductionto-Mathematical-ProgrammingFall2002/CourseHome/index.htm 


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MIT OpenCourseWare: Sloan School of Managment - index page for all courses 


students, and self-learners around the world. This site provides links to all Sloan Business 

Courses courses available (undergraduate and graduate level). For each course accessed, see left 

column for available resources (e.g. Syllabus, Calendar, Readings, Lecture Notes, Assignments, 

Study Materials). The courses are mainly of an MBA/Graduate level and are therefore intended 

for students/learners/etc. with some educational background. 


http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Sloan-School-of-Management/index.htm 





Designing and Leading the Entrepreneurial Organization 

This subject is about building, running, and growing an organization. Subject has four central 

themes: * How to think analytically about designing organizational systems * How leaders, 

especially founders, play a critical role in shaping an organization's culture * What really needs 

to be done to build a successful organization for the long-term and * What one can do to 

improve the likelihood of personal success. Not a survey of entrepreneurship or leadership; 

subject addresses the principles of organizational architecture, group behavior and performance, 

interpersonal influence, leadership and motivation in entrepreneurial settings. Through a series 

of cases, lectures, readings and exercises students develop competencies in organizational 

design, human resources management, leadership and organizational behavior in the context of a 

new, small firm. 


http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Sloan-School-of-Management/15-394Designing-and-Leading-the- 

Entrepreneurial-OrganizationSpring2003/CourseHome/index.htm 



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Managing Transformations in Work, Organizations, and Society 

Managerial issues addressed are associated with managing changes and innovations occurring in 

the nature of work and organizations and the role of the corporation in society. Topics covered 

include the changing social contract at work, integrating work and family, managing diversity, 

managing strategic labor-management partnerships, and managing relations between the firm 

and its multiple stakeholders. Subject is open to distance learning as well as on-campus students 

and to industry participants. 






Global Markets, National Politics and the Competitive Advantage of Firms 

This course examines the opportunities and risks firms face in today's global world. The course 

provides conceptual tools for analyzing how governments and a variety of social and economic 

institutions influence competition among firms embedded in different national settings. Public 

policies and institutions that shape competitive outcomes are examined through cases and 

analytic readings on different companies and industries operating in both developed and 

emerging markets. In addition to traditional case/class discussions, this course will include some 

presentations by various guest speakers. The hope is that greater exposure to/interaction with 

these real-world practitioners will "bring to life" some of the issues discussed in the 

readings/cases. Whenever possible, informal dinners and/or coffees will be organized for small 

groups of students interested in meeting with our guest speakers. 


http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Sloan-School-of-Management/15-343Managing-Transformationsin-Work--Organizations--and-SocietySpring2002/CourseHome/index.htm 

http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Sloan-School-of-Management/15-224Global-Markets--National- 

Politics-and-the-Competitive-Advantage-of-FirmsSpring2003/CourseHome/index.htm 




181




Systems Optimization 

Managers and engineers are constantly attempting to optimize, particularly in the design and 

operation of complex systems. This course is an application-oriented introduction to (systems) 

optimization. It seeks to: *Motivate the use of optimization models to support managers and 

engineers in a wide variety of decision making situations; *Show how several application 

domains (industries) use optimization; *Introduce optimization modeling and solution 

techniques (including linear, non-linear, integer, and network optimization, and heuristic 

methods); *Provide tools for interpreting and analyzing model-based solutions (sensitivity and 

post-optimality analysis, bounding techniques); and *Develop the skills required to identify the 

opportunity and manage the implementation of an optimization-based decision support tool. 


http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Sloan-School-of-Management/15-057Systems- 

OptimizationSpring2003/CourseHome/index.htm 





Applied Macro and International Economics 

15.014 focuses on using case studies to investigate the macroenvironment in which firms 

operate. The course is divided in five parts: 1. Basic tools of macroeconomic management 2. 

Evaluation of different economic development strategies 3. Crises in emerging markets: causes, 

solutions, and prevention 4. Problems faced by transition economies 5. Challenges of developed 

countries This course is a full-term version of Applied Macro- and International Economics 

(15.012), with additional topics. 









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Economic Analysis for Business Decisions 

This course is the Sloan School's core subject in microeconomics, with sections for non-Sloan 

students labeled 15.011. Our objective is to give you a working knowledge of the analytical 

tools that bear most directly on the economic decisions firms must regularly make. We will 

emphasize market structure and industrial performance, including the strategic interaction of 

firms. We will examine the behavior of individual markets -- and the producers and consumers 

that sell and buy in those markets -- in some detail, focusing on cost analysis, the determinants 

of market demand, pricing strategy, market power, and the implications of government 

regulatory policies. We will also examine the implications of economics on other business 

practices, such as incentive plans, auctions, and transfer pricing. 








Product Design and Development 

Product Design and Development is a project-based course that covers modern tools and 

methods for product design and development. The cornerstone is a project in which teams of 

management, engineering, and industrial design students conceive, design and prototype a 

physical product. Class sessions are conducted in workshop mode and employ cases and handson 

exercises to reinforce the key ideas. Topics include identifying customer needs, concept 

generation, product architecture, industrial design, and design-for-manufacturing. 


http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Sloan-School-of-Management/15-783JProduct-Design-and- 

DevelopmentSpring2002/CourseHome/index.htm 






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Management Communication for Undergraduates 

Required seminar for Management Science majors to develop the writing, speaking, teamwork, 

and interpersonal communication skills necessary for managers. Students learn communication 

principles, strategies, and methods through discussions, exercises, examples, and cases. 

Assignments include writing memos and business letters, and giving oral presentations in labs 

outside of class. A major project is the production of a team report and presentation on a topic of 

interest to a managerial audience. 



5.4.29 Mathematics 

List of topics in Mathematics from DgCommunities 







Online full course by OLI: Statics 

This course has been produced by the Open Learning Initiative (OLI) of Carnegie Mellon. It is 

available for free and published under CC license. The Open & Free Minitab Version will 

provide you with access to this online course comparable to the full semester course on Statistics 

taught at Carnegie Mellon University. Your access includes the complete online course 

including all expository text, simulations, case studies, comprehension tests, interactive learning 

exercises and StatTutor. The course covers the topics of Exploratory Data Analysis, Producing 

Data and Study Design, Probability and Statistical Inference. This version of the course uses the 

statistical package, Minitab for some activities in the course. You will need to have your own 

copy of Minitab to do some of the activities. Please give us feedback about the statistics course 

or about OLI. The Open & Free Excel Version will provide you with access to this online course 

comparable to the full semester course on Statistics taught at Carnegie Mellon University. Your 

access includes the complete online course including all expository text, simulations, case 

studies, comprehension tests, interactive learning exercises and StatTutor. The course covers the 

topics of Exploratory Data Analysis, Producing Data and Study Design, Probability and 

Satistical Inference. This version of the course uses Microsoft Excel as the statistical package for 

some activities in the course. You will need to have your own copy of Microsoft Excel to do 

some of the activities. Please give us feedback about the statistics course or about OLI. The 

Open & Free versions of the online course do NOT include access to the end-of-module graded 


184



exams or to the course instructor. No credit is awarded for completing the Open & Free Version 

of the course." 

Course Contents 

http://www.cmu.edu/oli/courses/enter_statistics.html#aboutStatistics 





Online full course by OLI: Engineering Statics 

This course has been produced by the Open Learning Initiative (OLI) of Carnegie Mellon. It is 

available for free and published under CC license. The final course is expected to comprise 

approximately sixteen modules. The first five modules, which have been field tested, are 

available now. From the introduction: "Statics is a sophomore level engineering course, offered 

in all mechanical and civil engineering programs. Statics forms the essential pre-requisite to a 

number of follow-on courses, such as dynamics and mechanics of materials, and lays the 

foundation for design of mechanical systems. In Statics we study methods of quantifying the 

forces between bodies, for example parts of mechanical, structural, and biological systems. In 

most institutions, Statics is taught in a traditional way with an emphasis on the mathematical 

operations that are useful in its implementation, but without enough emphasis on modeling the 

interactions between real mechanical artifacts. Unfortunately, students who learn Statics in the 

traditional way do not generally gain the ability to apply concepts of Statics in the analysis and 

design of mechanical systems and structures which they confront in their subsequent education.“ 


http://www.cmu.edu/oli/courses/enter_statics.html#aboutStatics 





Lifelong learning Open Course: Adult Basic Education - Math skills 

These Math tutorials were generously donated by the College of the Rockies to WikiEducator. 

Tutorials are composed of six units. By the end of this Lesson, learners should be able to: 

perform Basic Mathematical Operations like addition, subtraction, division and multiplication, 

understand and Solve Basic Algebra Problems, understand the Metric System. This is the page 

node being used by the WikiEducator Community to wikify the resources. A group of educators 

from West Africa are working collaboratively to recontextualise the materials. Wikieducator 

extends an open invitation to anyone who would like to assist with the task of Wikifying these 

resources. 

185



http://www.wikieducator.org/ABE_Math_Tutorials 





Science NetLinks: Educational resources for K-12 science educators 

Science NetLinks provides a wealth of resources for K-12 science educators, including a wide 

range of online lesson plans as well as educational tools and resources. Lessons: At the heart of 

Science NetLinks are standards-based lesson plans that incorporate reviewed Internet resources, 

and can be selected according to specific benchmarks and grade ranges. Each lesson is tied to at 

least one learning goal and uses research-based instructional strategies that support student 

learning. The lessons are written for the teacher, but include student-ready materials such as 

student sheets (student reproducibles) or E-Sheets (online worksheets that enable students to 

engage directly in Internet activities). Resources: An important component of Science 

NetLinksis the collection of Web resources reviewed by the Science NetLinks Board of 

Reviewing Editors according to a rigorous set of criteria. You can select and sort these resources 

according to specific benchmark areas and grade ranges at the Resource Index page. Science 

NetLinks is part of the Thinkfinity, a partnership between the Verizon Foundation and eight 

premier educational organizations. 


http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/ 





www.softschools.com: free worksheets and educational games 

SoftSchools.com provides free math worksheets, free math games and free phonics worksheets 

and games. Worksheets and games are organized by grades and topics. Some games and 

worksheets are also available for next topics: phonics, science, social studies and Spanish. 

Educational games can be directly played online. 


http://www.softschools.com/ 



186





Euclid's Elements 

This is a web edition of Euclid's classic text, first published in the 3rd century B.C.E.. Math 

professor David Joyce of Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts, furnishes explanatory 

notes and updates. The pages also feature Java applets helping readers to explore models of the 

theorums being proved. Euclid's Elements stood as the authority on geometry for more than 

2000 years. 


http://aleph0.clarku.edu/~djoyce/java/elements/elements.html 





The JOMA Applet Project: Applet Support for the Undergraduate Mathematics 

Curriculum 

This project seeks to produce a digital library of small platform-independent electronic tools for 

teaching mathematics. Small interactive programs such as applets are fundamental to using the 

World Wide Web for learning -- they add interactive images, tables, and computational power, 

and can offer surprising and wonderful teaching possibilities. The method is to (1) find these 

applets and other programs, both by themselves and embedded in teaching material, (2) review 

and test them, (3) make them easily available to faculty and students by publishing them in an 

electronic journal, the Journal of Interactive Mathematics and its Applications (JOMA). The 

audience is mathematics faculty, students, and developers. The effort is specifically targeted at 

college-level material, but because many mathematical ideas span the high school and college 

curriculum, this set of resources will also be useful to high school teachers and students through 

the Math Forum. 


http://mathforum.org/joma_applet/ 




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StatSoft 

From the site, "This Electronic Statistics Textbook offers training in the understanding and 

application of statistics. The material . . . covers a wide variety of applications, including 

laboratory research (biomedical, agricultural, etc.), business statistics and forecasting, social 

science statistics and survey research, data mining, engineering and quality control applications, 

and many others." Includes a section of basic information in addition to more in-depth 

information on a variety of topics. Other resources available in conjuction with the text include a 

statistical glossary and distribution tables. 


http://www.statsoft.com/textbook/stathome.html 





Math World 

A site full of resources for explaining mathematical principles. Resources are searchable 

alphabetically or under the following topics: algebra, applied mathematics, calculus and 

analysis, discrete mathematics, foundations of mathematics, geometry, history and terminology, 

number theory, probability and statistics, recreational mathematics, and topology. 


http://mathworld.wolfram.com/ 





National Library of Virtual Manipulative 

The National Library of Virtual Manipulative is a virtual library that contains manipulative for 

use in math. Manipulative are available for use with math on levels pre-K-2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12. 

General categories include number & operations, algebra, geometry, measurement, data 

analysis, and probability. 


188



http://nlvm.usu.edu/en/nav/index.html 





Five Free Calculus Textbooks 

A web page providing reviews for five calculus textbooks available for free download. Links to 

the actual books are not provided, but a box containing information about the author, number of 

pages, URL, rating, and short summary, are available for each book. 


http://books.slashdot.org/books/04/03/04/028253.shtml 





Euclid's Elements 

An online version of the book, Euclid's Elements, which is considered to be among the most 

influential works of science in history. Sets forth the logical development of geometry and other 

branches of mathematics. As such, it has influenced all branches of science, but especially 

mathematics and the exact sciences. Discusses such topics as angles, areas, mathematical 

properties, mathematical shapes, figures, geometry, numbers, lines, and ratios, to name a few. 


http://aleph0.clarku.edu/~djoyce/java/elements/toc.html 






189


The Electronic Library of Mathematics 

As stated on the website, "The Electronic Library of Mathematics contains online journals, 

article collections, monographs, and other electronic resources in the field of mathematics. All 

material is in electronic form and access is generally free, except for some periodicals with a 

"moving wall", i.e., a certain delay period after which resources become freely available." 


http://www.emis.de/ELibEMS.html 





AMS Books Online 

The part of the American Mathematical Society's web page dedicated solely to books available 

online. Most are available for download by chapter. Options are available to browse by author or 

by subject. Main subject areas presented include algebra and algebraic geometry, analysis, 

applications, differential equations, general interest, geometry and topology, logic and 

foundations, mathematical physics, number theory, and probability. 


http://www.ams.org/online_bks/ 





Textbooks in Mathematics 

A webpage listing links to useful mathematical textbooks. All books listed are available for free 

in printable format using either Postscript or Adobe Portable Document Format. Categories of 

books on the list include general mathematics, number theory, algebra/algebraic geometry, 

topology, analysis, geometry, mathematical physics, probability theory, and applied 

mathematics. 



190


http://www.geocities.com/alex_stef/mylist.html 





Online Mathematics Textbooks 

A webpage siting links to many online mathematics textbooks. Includes links to books on 

calculus, probability, algorithms, geometry, algebra, logic, statistics, and many more. 


http://www.math.gatech.edu/~cain/textbooks/onlinebooks.html 





The Interactive Textbook ‘98 

An online interactive textbook on mathematical topics. Sections include math as a second 

language, describing how things change, conserving equations, completing the circle, and fields 

of force. Also includes homework problems, assignments, quizzes, and answers to selected 

problems. 


http://dept.physics.upenn.edu/courses/gladney/mathphys/java/Contents.html 





Tensors and Relativity 

The aim of this WEB resource is to provide a central information point for delivering material to 

students taking the course outside of the University of Cape Town. This course aims to provide a 

basic introduction to General Relativity and the mathematics necessary for an understanding of 

the theory. 

191 




http://vishnu.mth.uct.ac.za/omei/gr/index.html 





MIT OpenCourseware: Applied Statistics, Spring 2003 

An intro course to applied statistics and data analysis. Topics covered include collecting and 

exploring data, basic inference, simple and multiple linear regression, analysis of variance, 

nonparametric methods, and statistical computing. Lecture notes, assignments, and exams are 

available online. 


http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Sloan-School-of-Management/15-075Applied- 

StatisticsSpring2003/CourseHome/index.htm 



2 



Waseda OpenCourseWare: Computer Science - Numerical Computations, Fall 2004 

This course focuses on the basic techniques in numerical analysis. Above all, we treat not only 

the basic mathematical methods but also some practical exercises using simple programs and 

handwriting calculations. The final aim of this course is to widen the knowledge of numerical 

computations in engineering. 


http://www.waseda.jp/ocw/ComputerScience/17-1004345- 

01NumericalComputationsFall2004/CourseHome/index.html 






192

MIT OpenCourseWare: Mathematics - index page for all courses 



students, and self-learners around the world. This site provides links to all Mathematics courses 

available (undergraduate and graduate level). For each course accessed, see left column for 

available resources (e.g. Syllabus, Calendar, Readings, Lecture Notes, Assignments, Study 

Materials). There are three undergraduate programs in the MIT Maths Dept: a General 

Mathematics Option, an Applied Mathematics Option, Theoretical Mathematics Option, 

Mathematics with Computer Science. The breadth of the material is therefore reflective of these 

foci. 


http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Mathematics/index.htm 





The Math Forum 

The Math Forum is a leading center for mathematics and mathematics education on the Internet. 

Operating under Drexel's School of Education, our mission is to provide resources, materials, 

activities, person-to-person interactions, and educational products and services that enrich and 

support teaching and learning in an increasingly technological world. Our online community 

includes teachers, students, researchers, parents, educators, and citizens at all levels who have an 

interest in math and math education. We work together toward this end in the following ways: 

Encouraging communication throughout the mathematical community Offering model 

interactive projects Making math-related web resources more accessible Providing high-quality 

math and math education content Growing with the Web Proposals and reports to the National 

Science Foundation 


http://mathforum.org/ 






193

CMU OpenCourseWare: Causal and Statistical Reasoning 


Does excessive exposure to violent video games cause violent behavior? Does increased gun 

availability cause more crime or less? Causal claims permeate everyday life and are constantly 

the subject of "studies" reported in the newspaper. The material in Causal and Statistical 

Reasoning examines the nature of causal claims and the statistical sorts of evidence used to 

support them. 


http://www.cmu.edu/oli/courses/enter_causal.html 




Sofia OpenCourseWare: Mathematics - Elementary Statistics 

Elementary Statistics is an introduction to data analysis course that makes use of graphical and 

numerical techniques to study patterns and departures from patterns. 


http://sofia.fhda.edu/gallery/statistics/index.html 





MIT OpenCourseWare: Mathematics - The Art of Counting, Spring 2003 

The subject of enumerative combinatorics deals with counting the number of elements of a finite 

set. This is a subject which requires little mathematical background to reach the frontiers of 

current research. 


http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Mathematics/18-S66The-Art-of- 

CountingSpring2003/CourseHome/index.htm 




194




MIT OpenCourseWare: Mathematics - Theory of Numbers 

This course provides an elementary introduction to number theory with no algebraic 

prerequisites. Topics include primes, congruences, quadratic reciprocity, diophantine equations, 

irrational numbers, continued fractions and elliptic curves. 


http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Mathematics/18-781Spring2003/CourseHome/index.htm 





MIT OpenCourseWare: Mathematics - Algebra II, Spring 2003 

This course in an extension of Algebra I. The course covers group theory and its representations, 

and focuses on the Sylow theorem, Schur's lemma, and proof of the orthogonal relations. It also 

analyzes the rings, the factorization processes, and the fields. Topics such as the formal 

construction of integers and polynomials, homomorphism and ideals, the Gauss' dilemma, 

quadratic imaginary integers, Gauss primes, and finite and function fields are discussed in detail. 


http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Mathematics/18-702Spring2003/CourseHome/index.htm 





MIT OpenCourseWare: Mathematics - Introduction to Algebra, Fall 2003 

This course is an introductory course on Algebra. The subjects to be covered include groups, 

vector spaces, linear transformations, symmetry groups, bilinear forms, and linear groups. 


http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Mathematics/18-701Fall2003/CourseHome/index.htm 



195



8 



MIT OpenCourseWare: Mathematics - Introduction to Probability and Statistics, Spring 

2005 

This course provides an elementary introduction to probability and statistics with applications. 

Topics include: basic probability models; combinatorics; random variables; discrete and 

continuous probability distributions; statistical estimation and testing; confidence intervals; and 

an introduction to linear regression. 


http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Mathematics/18-05Spring-2005/CourseHome/index.htm 





MIT OpenCourseWare: Mathematics - Calculus with Applications 

This course covers differential calculus in several dimensions. Java applets and spreadsheet 

assignments. Vector algebra in 3D, vector- valued functions, gradient, divergence and curl, 

Taylor series, numerical methods and other applications. 







MIT OpenCourseWare: Mathematics - Calculus with Theory I 


196


Calculus with Theory, covers the same material as Single Variable Calculus but at a deeper and 

more rigorous level. It emphasizes careful reasoning and understanding of proofs. The course 

assumes knowledge of elementary calculus. 


http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Mathematics/18-014Calculus-with-Theory- 

IFall2002/CourseHome/index.htm 





MIT OpenCourseWare: Mathematics - Calculus with Theory II 

This course is a continuation of Calculus with Theory I. It covers the same material as I, but at a 

deeper level, emphasizing careful reasoning and understanding of proofs. There is considerable 

emphasis on linear algebra and vector integral calculus. 


http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Mathematics/18-024Calculus-with-Theory- 

IISpring2003/CourseHome/index.htm 

5.3 CONCLUSION 

Open courseware is proliferating so rapidly that it makes sense to use these quality online 

materials to supplement tuition courses or to learn at your own pace without the tuition costs. As 

I mentioned previously, thousands of open courseware projects exist, from university projects 

(like Johns Hopkins (http://ocw.jhsph.edu/) Bloomberg School of Public Health's Open 

Courseware) to environments that encourage teachers and students to share experiences, lessons, 

and ideas (like Eduforge - https://eduforge.org/) 

The best way to find a course that suits your passions is to search through some of the sites listed 

above and through resources listed on other OEDb articles, like "How the Open Source 

Movement Has Changed Education" (http://oedb.org/library/features/how-the-open-sourcemovement-has-changed-education-10-success-stories), 

or through courses offered at places like 

MIT (http://ocw.mit.edu/index.html). Be sure to bookmark any sites you find that seem 

promising, spend a little money on a textbook, and before you know it you'll have basic 

knowledge about any course offered online — perhaps enough knowledge to take exams for life 

credit in an undergraduate degree. 


197



198


CHAPTER 6. PUBLICATIONS ON OER 

6.1 JOURNALS AND ARTICLES 

6.1.1 Journals Covering Open Educational Resources 

The International Journal of Open Educational Resources (IJOSE http://journal.eduforge.org/ 

index.php/eduforge) is an e-journal, with free and open access, that focuses on research and 

practice in the use of open source software, interoperability standards, and free educational 

content. 

6.1.2 Open Access Journals 

The Directory of Open Access Journals (http://www.doaj.org/) 

This service covers free, full text, quality controlled scientific and scholarly journals. The list 

aims to cover all subjects and languages. There are now 2251 journals in the directory. Currently 

641 journals are searchable at article level. 

98,185 articles are included in the DOAJ service (25 May 2006) 

The University of Nevada, Reno Libraries - Free Electronic Journals 

(http://www.library.unr.edu/ejournals/free.aspx) 

This is an extensive list of free journals, organized by subject, with some overlap to the DOAJ 

list. (http://www.doaj.org/) 

Source : http://oerwiki.iiep-unesco.org/index.php?title=Journals 

6.1.3 Background Articles, Papers and Publications on OER 

OECD (2007). Giving knowledge for free: the emergence of Open Educational Resources. 

OECD. 

(http://www.oecdbookshop.org/oecd/display.asp?CID=&LANG=EN&SF1=DI&ST1=5L4S6TN 

G3F9X) 

This publication forms the main output of OECD's project to map the scope and scale of OER, 

on which IIEP's latest discussion forum was focused. 

Paul Stacey (2007). Open educational resources in a global context 

(http://www.firstmonday.org/issues/issue12_4/stacey/index.html). In: First Monday, Volume 12, 

No.4 (April 2007). 


199


This paper analyses questions around the emerging use of OER in a global context, via analysis 

and extracts from discussion and case studies that took place in the 2005 UNESCO/IIEP OER 

discussion forum. 

Guntram Geser, ed. (2007). Open Educational Practices and Resources: OLCOS Roadmap 2012. 

Salzburg Research, EduMedia Group. 

OLCOS, the Open Learning Content Observatory Services project, is funded under the 

European Union’s eLearning Programme and aims at building an online information and 

observation centre for promoting the concept, production and usage of OER in Europe. 

Dean Baker (2005). Are copyrights a textbook scam? Alternatives to financing textbook 

production in the 21st century. Center for Economic and Policy Research. 

Ben Crowell (2005). All systems go: the newly emerging infrastructure to support free books. 

Available at Light and Matter, December 2005. 

Sally M. Johnstone (2005). Open Educational Resources serve the world. In: Educause 

Quarterly, Volume 28(3), No.3 2005. 

Tamim Ansary (2004). The muddle machine: confessions of a textbook editor. In: Edutopia, 

November 2004. 

Peter N. Materu (2004). Open Source Courseware: a baseline study. The World Bank. 

George Siemens (2003). Why we should share learning resources. Available at: elearnspace, 

first published 29 May 2003. 

Derek Keats (2003). Collaborative development of open content: a process model to unlock the 

potential for African universities. In First Monday, Volume 8(2), February 2003. 

Anne H. Moore (2002). Lens on the future: open-source learning. In: Educause Review, Volume 

37(5), September/October 2002. 

Sally M. Johnstone and Russell Poulin (2002). What is opencourseware and why does it matter? 

In: Change, Volume 34(4), July/August 2002. 

6.1.4 Articles and Papers on MIT Open CourseWare 

Susan Smith Nash (2003). MIT OpenCourseWare revisited. In: Xplanazine, 10 November 2003. 

David Diamond (2003). MIT everyware. In: Wired Magazine, Volume 11(9), September 2003. 

Florence Olsen (2002). MIT's open window. In: The Chronicle of Higher Education, 6 

December 2002. 


200


Steven R. Lerman and Shigeru Miyagawa (2002). Open Course Ware: a case study in 

institutional decision making. In: Academe, Volume 88(5), September/October 2002. 

William J. Salter (2002). How MIT's OpenCourseWare will change e-learning. In: Learning 

Circuits, June 2002. 

Phillip D. Long (2002). OpenCourseWare: simple idea, profound implications. In Campus 

Technology, January 2002. 

Hal Plotkin (2001). Free Higher Education: MIT's OpenCourseWare Fires the First Real Shot. 

In: SFGate.com, May 2001. 

6.1.5 Articles and Papers on Learning Objects and Repositories 

Solvig Norman and David Porter (2007). Designing learning objects for online learning. 

Commonwealth of Learning Knowledge Series. 

Susan E. Metros and Kathleen Bennett (2004). Learning objects in higher education: the sequel. 

ECAR Research Bulletin, Volume 2004(11), 25 May 2005. 

Joseph Hart and Bob Albrecht (2004). Instructional repositories and referatories. ECAR 

Research Bulletin, Volume 2004(5), 2 March 2004. 

Susan E. Metros and Kathleen Bennett (2002). Learning objects in higher education. ECAR 

Research Bulletin, Volume 2002(19), 1 October 2002. 

Mike Sosteric and Susan Hesemeier (2002). When is a learning object not an object: a first step 

towards a theory of learning objects. In: International Review of Research in Open and Distance 

Learning, Volume 3(2), October 2002. 

Canadian Journal of Learning and Technology (2002). Special issue on learning objects. 

Volume 28(3), Fall/automne 2002. 

David Wiley, ed. (2000). The instructional use of learning objects: online version. 

6.1.6 Articles and Papers on Copyright and Intellectual Property 

Intellectual property for OCW. An overview of IP issues for prospective OpenCourseWare 

publishers from Utah State University Center for Open and Sustainable Learning. 

Derek Keats (2006). Implications of the NonCommercial (NC) restriction for educational 

content licensed under a Creative Commons license. 


201


William McGeveran and William W. Fisher (2006). The digital learning challenge: obstacles to 

educational uses of copyrighted material in the digital age. Berkman Center Research 

Publication No. 2006-09. 

John Sutherland (2006). The ideas interview: Lawrence Lessig. In: The Guardian, 16 January 

2006. 

Veronica Diaz (2005). Distributed learning meets intellectual property policy: who owns what? 

In: Campus Technology, March 2005. 

Benjamin Mako Hill (2005). Towards a standard of freedom: Creative Commons and the Free 

Software movement. 

Lawrence Liang (2004). Guide to open content licences. Rotterdam: Piet Zwart Institute. 

Rodney Petersen (2003). Ownership of online course material. ECAR Research Bulletin, 

Volume 2003(1), 7 January 2003. 

Jan Newmarch (2001). Lessons from open source: intellectual property and courseware. In: First 

Monday, Volume 6(6), June 2001. 

Robert Ault, Phillip Eddy, Scott Risner, Kyle Robbins and Nick Watt (no date). Creative 

Commons: an overview for beginners. 

6.1.7 Blogs and Newsletters On OER 

Open Access News. News from the Open Access Movement. 

OERderves. Blog from Marshall Smith, Catherine Casserly and Phoenix Wang of the Hewlett 

Foundation. OER news and opinion, plus links to OER and OCW initiatives, as well as other 

OER blogs. 

Open up! Utah State University Center for Open and Sustainable Learning. 

The SPARC Open Access Newsletter. Monthly newsletter from Peter Suber, Earlham College 

(Indiana, USA). 

The Stingy Scholar. Information on a wide variety of free educational opportunities. Offical blog 

of Textbook Revolution. 

Source : http://oerwiki.iiep-unesco.org/index.php?title=Writing_on_OER 


202


6.2 COMMUNITIES 

6.2.1 Online forums 

The SPARC Open Access Forum (http://www.earlham.edu/~peters/fos) 

A forum to discuss issues raised by the SPARC Open Access Newsletter. The newsletter is 

written by Peter Suber of Earlham College (Indiana, USA). The primary purpose of the 

newsletter is to share news and analysis of the open-access movement. 

MyTextbooks.org (http://www.mytextbooks.org/) 

This site is an independent resource to help students locate the ISBN and compare prices for 

their textbooks. Search by your class schedule to identify the correct textbook ISBN. Compare 

prices, search libraries, bookswaps, and free ebooks. Discover alternative open source software 

programs to use for completing your homework assignments. 

Source : http://oerwiki.iiep-unesco.org/index.php?title=Communities 

6.3 WGDEOL PUBLICATIONS 

6.3.1 Costing Distance Education and Open Learning in Sub-saharan Africa: A 

Survey of Policy and Practice 

This document presents and explains the logic of costing DEOL programmes as well as various 

factors that influence costs and approaches to costing. It focuses on exploring ways in which to 

avoid the symptoms of weak financial planning. Key concepts and approaches to financial 

planning for distance education are outlined. The report explores some key mistakes that have 

been made in financial planning in different contexts. Twelve case studies of costing in DEOL 

programmes were conducted and summarized. Appendices also include case studies showing 

costing of actual DEOL programmes which provide helpful reference examples. ADEA 

Working Group on Distance Education and Open Learning; the Commonwealth of Learning; 

South African Institute for Distance Education (SAIDE), 2005. ISBN: 92-9178-051-0. French 

version forthcoming. 

Source : http://www.adeanet.org. 


203


6.3.2 Technological Infrastructure and Use of ICT in Education in Africa 

An overview 

By BUTCHER Neil 

This overview of existing technological infrastructure and use of information and 

communication technologies (ICT) in education seeks to explore how ICT can provide support 

to distance education and open learning in Africa. It provides insights into the major issues and 

challenges of introducing ICT in education in light of the current structure available, kinds of 

projects being implemented, as well as the financial considerations for ICT-based educational 

strategies. It also includes a literature review and examples of current initiatives in open and 

distance learning. 

ADEA Working Group on Distance Education and Open Learning, December, 2003 ISBN: 92- 

9178-043-X. 

Source: http://www.adeanet.org. 

6.3.3 Open and Distance Learning in Sub-Saharan Africa. A Literature Survey of 

Policy and Practice 

This document outlines the issues present in sub-Saharan Africa today that must be addressed in 

order to advance the development of distance education practices particularly in relation to 

Anglophone Africa. It examines key aspects of distance education in the continent: its definition, 

how it can be expanded, its management and administration, curriculum and course design and 

quality assurance. This review describes the associations that promote distance education and 

includes several case studies from 10 countries (Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, 

Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda and Zambia). Suggested quality 

indicators for most of the key issues explored in this report are also provided. 

ADEA Working Group on Distance Education and Open Learning, 2002. ISBN: 92-9178-039-1. 

This document exists in English only. A similar study on Francophone Africa exists in French 

only (see below). 

Source : http://www.adeanet.org. 


204


CHAPTER 7. COPYRIGHTS AND OPEN LICENCES 

7.1 INTRODUCTION 

The Internet and associated digital technologies provide us with an enormous potential to access 

and build information and knowledge networks. Information and knowledge can be 

communicated in an instant across the globe, cheaply and with good quality, by even the most 

basic Internet user. In short, recent developments in digital technology have opened up a vast 

new landscape for knowledge management. 

However copyright law which takes definition from international conventions and is similar in 

most countries provides that you cannot reproduce or communicate copyright material (literary, 

dramatic, musical and artistic works, films and sound recordings) without the permission of the 

copyright owner subject to exceptions for fair use/dealing, private use and educational use. 

Private use and educational use exceptions are usually subject to the payment of a statutory levy, 

royalty or license fee. 

Therefore while the technology has the capacity, the legal restrictions on the reuse of copyright 

material, hampers its negotiability in the digital environment. Copyright owners are not obliged 

to give permission to allow others to reuse their material even with payment of fair 

compensation unless they are compelled to do so by the law. There are some compulsory 

licences – for example I can make a recording of any song pursuant to a compulsory license - 

but they are not widespread. Going through the process of obtaining permission to reuse 

copyright material can also be very time consuming and expensive. 

7.2 THE CREATIVE COMMONS 

Professor Lawrence Lessig of Stanford University in the USA and a number of his colleagues 

frustrated by the fact that the technology offered so much but that negotiability of copyright 

material in law was so cumbersome came up with the idea of the Creative Commons. Lessig’s 

vision was for a space in the Internet world where people could share and reuse copyright 

material without fear of being sued – a creative commons. To do this copyright owners had to 

agree or give permission for their material to be shared through a generic license that gave 

permission in advance. 

Copyright protects the expression of an idea. The creator, author or maker of copyright material 

is normally the first copyright owner of the “economic” exploitation rights (such as reproduction 

and communication) but creators and authors quite often assign their copyright to 

commercialising agents e.g. publishers, as part of the bargain for having their work widely 

disseminated. In many countries, except the USA, a creator or author will also hold moral rights 

such as the right to be attributed as the author of the work and the right to have the integrity of 

the work preserved. In some countries moral rights are inalienable in others they can be waived 

or consented away. 


205


The right to exercise any of the economic rights of the copyright owner such as reproduction or 

communication is given through a permission that is normally called a license. A license may be 

voluntarily given or compelled by law. 

Creative Commons (CC) is a world wide project that aims to build a distributed information 

commons by encouraging copyright owners to license use of their material through open content 

licensing protocols and thereby promote better identification, negotiation and reutilization of 

content for the purposes of creativity and innovation. It aims to make copyright content more 

“active” by ensuring that content can be reutilized with a minimum of transactional effort. As 

the project highlights, the use of an effective identification or labeling scheme and an easy to 

understand and implement legal framework is vital to furthering this purpose. This is done by 

establishing generic protocols or license terms for the open distribution of content that can be 

attached to content with a minimum of fuss under a CC label. In short the idea is to ask 

copyright owners – where willing - to “license out” or distribute their material on the basis of 

protocols designed to enhance reusability and build out the information commons. 

Creative Commons is a not for profit corporation based in San Francisco and sponsored by the 

Centre for the Public Domain, the MacArthur Foundation and the Hewlett Foundation: 

http://creativecommons.org An affiliated organization is Creative Commons International a not 

for profit corporation based in London. 

7.3 CREATIVE COMMONS LICENSING - OPEN CONTENT LICENSING 

CC licences are part of a genre of licences that are used to negotiate legal rights in content as 

opposed to software. Wikipedia, the online peer produced knowledge resource uses the GNU 

Free Documentation Licence. Many other types of open content licences exist however the CC 

licences have gained significant attention and popularity over the last three years. Compatibility 

of content licenced under the different licences is a key issue for the future. 

Unlike the GNU General Public Licence from which it took its inspiration, the Creative 

Commons licences are not designed for software, but are intended for use in relation to other 

kinds of creative copyright material: websites, educational materials, music, film, photographs, 

blogs etc. Along with the text of the various open content licences, the project has developed 

metadata that can be used to associate creative works with their licence status in a machinereadable 

way. 

In addition to certain “baseline” rights and restrictions which are included in all Creative 

Commons licences, the copyright owner can choose from among certain licensing options, 

which can be used alone or in combination. 


206


7.3.1 Baseline Features 

The following features are common to all Creative Commons licences: 

• licensees are granted the right to copy, distribute, display, digitally perform and make 

verbatim copies of the work into another format 

• the licences have worldwide application that lasts for the entire duration of copyright and 

are irrevocable 

• licensees cannot use technological protection measures to restrict access to the work 

• copyright notices should not be removed from all copies of the work 

• every copy of the work should maintain a link to the licence 

• attribution of the creator or author must be given 

7.3.2 Optional Features 

Copyright owners can choose from among the following optional licence conditions:- 

• Non-commercial: others are permitted to copy, distribute, display and perform the 

copyright work - and any derivative works based upon it – but for non-commercial 

purposes only; 

• No derivative works: Others are permitted to copy, distribute,display and perform only 

exact copies of the work but cannot make derivative works based upon it 

• Share alike: Others may distribute derivative works only under a licence identical to that 

in the original work. 

Each Creative Commons licence is expressed in three ways :- 

(1) the Commons Deed, that is, a simple, plain-English summary of the licence, together 

with the relevant icon/s that indicates the scope of permitted use 

(2) the Legal Code, that is the dense legal “fine print” licence document 

(3) the Digital Code, that is, metadata that highlights what licence is attached to the content. 

Source : “Creative Commons Developers – Using Creative Commons Metadata” at 

http://creativecommons.org/technology/usingmarkup 

7.4 CREATIVE COMMONS AND OER 

Creative Commons and other types of open content licences provide the basis on which to share 

open educational resources – MIT Open Course Ware is a prime example: http://ocw.mit.edu 

Educational resources will in most instances involve copyright literary, dramatic, musical or 

artistic works, films or sound recordings. To this extent permission of the copyright owner, a 

lawful exception such as fair use/dealing or a statutory licence will be needed to authorise reuse 

through, for example, reproduction or communication. An open content or source code licence 

207 



represents a convenient method for sharing and reuse of copyright material by providing the 

necessary permission. 

In sharing and reusing (by teachers or students) learning materials, research results, publications 

or broader materials for educational environments open content licensing will increasingly play 

a role. Knowledge management in schools and universities will need to be able to understand 

and harness the power of this new dynamic. Already Creative Commons has been embedded as 

a standard search function in major search engines and web browsers. 

The rise of collaborative innovation (where people are encouraged to research as part of a team, 

Grid computing is but one example) and serendipitous innovation where people enhance 

knowledge through stumbling on to someone else’s work (for example, via the Internet) will 

demand that we understand how to share knowledge and to do it legally. 

Publicly funded research and government owned copyright material – as democratic principle - 

will also be under tremendous pressure to be freed up for reuse for educational purposes. In 

Australia AEShareNet has developed a Free for Education Licence (FFE) that they are asking 

the government and others to use in labelling content that can be utilised for educational 

activities: www.aesharenet.com.au Creative Commons is also assessing the role of an 

Educational licence. 

7.5 EXCEPTION AND CONSTRAINTS 

7.5.1 Fair Use and Educational Use 

Two important exceptions generally apply to the rule that without permission one cannot 

reproduce, copy or communicate copyright material to the public: fair use/fair dealing and 

educational use. In their White Paper on obstacles to educational use of copyrighted material in 

the digital age, Fisher and McGeveran (2006) conclude that the exceptions to copyright that may 

protect uses of content for digital learning are “frequently narrow, cumbersome, incompatible 

with new technology, or vague”. 

In United States a classroom use exception gives teachers and pupils the right to use materials 

“in a classroom or similar place devoted to instruction”. But it is not clear whether this exception 

allows for the use of a class webpage, blog or wiki even if online access is limited to teachers 

and students. Fisher and McGeveran (2006) explain that : 

“While the [classroom use] exception immunises teachers from liability for the public 

performance rights involved in displaying content in the classroom, other rights, including 

reproduction rights, are not included. When teachers simply displayed directly an analog copy of 

the work, this was sufficient. In a digital environment, however, incidental reproduction is 

commonplace – as when a teacher inserts an image into a PowerPoint slide. … While there are 

good arguments that the reproduction is protected under the fair use doctrine, the omission of 

other rights certainly limits the effectiveness of the classroom use exception.” 

Source : http://wiki.creativecommons.org/CcDebate#Criticisms_of. 

www.fsf.org/blogs/rms/entry-20050920.html 

http://yro.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=06/02/07/1733220 


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The US Technology, Education and Copyright Harmonization Act of 2001 represents an attempt 

by the Congress to update educational use exemptions in light of new technological realities. 

According to Fischer and McGeveran (2006), the new provision for distance learning does 

provide some limited additional protection for educators operating in a digital environment. 

However, a number of stipulations sought by rights holders were also incorporated in the statute. 

In combination, these restrictions – one of the primary problems being the restriction of the 

scope of digital learning covered – so limit the reach of the act, and make it so difficult for 

educators to comply with its requirements, that most observers believe the exception from 

liability it offers has little or no value. 

The White Paper also examines the situation in a number of other countries. In India and China 

legislation seems to be more favourable to online learning, while countries in Europe are 

implementing the provisions of the European Union Copyright Directive in rather different 

ways. Four clusters of countries are identified: some allow the reproduction and the making 

available of articles and short excerpts of books (Belgium, Germany, Greece, Hungary, 

Lithuania); some allow short excerpts only (Luxembourg, Portugal, Slovakia); some have a 

provision similar to the US face-to-face teaching exception but recognise virtually no other 

noninfringing educational use (Estonia, Slovenia); and finally one country (Malta) seems to be 

highly permissive, as it has transposed the directive (almost) literally. In addition, a number of 

countries (including Denmark, Sweden and the United Kingdom) implement the educationrelated 

aspects of the European Union Copyright Directive through collective licensing schemes 

(in some cases combined with fair dealing) rather than through statutory exceptions. Broadly 

speaking, the situation seems easier in most countries than in the United States. 

While the primary aim of the White Paper is to identify obstacles to the educational use of 

digital material, some ways forward are described that may restore what is described as “the 

appropriate balance”. Among the identified paths are: the reform of at least some problematic 

rules in US legislation that would improve the status of educational uses of content; greater 

reliance on technology to help users analyse the need to secure licences for using content and to 

assist with such rights clearance where necessary; and increased distribution of content under 

more open licence models such as Creative Commons, thus enlarging the amount of content 

available for unencumbered educational use. 

7.5.2 Practical Difficulties for Obtaining Rights 

Before publishing educational resources that make use of third-party materials on the Internet, 

the author, or the publisher, must ensure they have the right to use these materials. The clearance 

process – sometime referred to as the “permission maze” because of its complexity – requires 

the user to :- 

• Establish whether a licence is required or not, which sometimes requires sophisticated 

legal analysis 

• Locate the appropriate rightsholder, which is sometimes easy and sometimes not 

• Agree to a licence, which can be difficult since large rights holders sometimes ignore 

small educational users since the potential revenue might not be sufficient to engage in a 

negotiation. 

• Pay for the licence, which can be very expensive 

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• Carry out other terms and restrictions of the licence such as a requirement that the 

educational user employ digital rights management systems to protect the content 

As Fisher and McGeveran (2006) point out, “trouble can arise at any of these points”. It is 

obvious from the case studies carried out as a part of the OECD project that the difficulties and 

costs related to rights clearance for use of third-party content are considerable, in some cases 

almost half of the cost of the whole initiative. 

7.5.3 Commercial Use of Open Educational Resources 

Authors using the Creative Commons licences can choose among four optional licensing 

conditions, one being the noncommercial clause. This option gives others permission to copy, 

distribute, display and perform the copyright work and derivative works based on it, but for noncommercial 

purposes only. Creative Commons explains this clause in the following way: “You 

may not exercise any of the rights granted to you…in any manner that is primarily intended for 

or directed towards commercial advantage or private monetary compensation.” 

This means that if anyone wants to use the work for a commercial purpose he/she must do so in 

agreement with the right sholder. This clause is used by approximately two-thirds of all rights 

holders using Creative Commons. However, there is no clear understanding of what constitutes 

“commercial use”. Creative Commons’ initial belief was that the term “noncommercial” should 

be left undefined so that communities would build their own definition and, if necessary, have 

recourse to the courts to set the standards of what the term meant. Although different 

communities have developed their own understandings of the term, each community has not 

necessarily respected the definition of other communities. Instead, for example, members of 

“free and open source software communities”, who believe that non-commercial means that 

absolutely no money can change hands anywhere in connection with a licensed work, have been 

adamant that members of the education community should not define non-commercial such that 

schools can charge for course packs. 

For their part, many licensors in the education community believe that this activity is permitted 

under the non-commercial term. This discrepancy led Creative Commons to begin working on a 

reconciliation of the different community definitions of non-commercial. The challenge that 

Creative Commons faces in defining non-commercial is that a court will look at the licensor’s 

intent when determining the meaning of the term, and possibly also at what the licensee 

understood the term to mean and/or industry practice; but it is unlikely to take into account 

Creative Commons’ view of the meaning of the term. Although issuing draft guidelines may 

help users better understand what does and does not constitute permitted noncommercial use, 

this does not mean that Creative Commons will have the final say over what non-commercial 

use means. The draft guidelines look among other things at whether the user is an “allowable 

non-commercial user” such as an individual or a non-profit educational institution or library, if 

the work is used in or in relation to advertising, if money changes hands in exchange for services 

provided in connection with the work, and finally what derivative uses are made of the work. 

As an example of different communities’ different understandings of the non-commercial clause, 

the guidelines issued by Creative Commons state that use of a non-commercial licensed work by 

a corporation is considered commercial while use of the same work by a not-for-profit entity is 

not commercial – meaning that higher education institutions established as commercial 


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corporations should not be able to reuse such material. However, a similar set of guidelines from 

MIT states that for-profit companies may use materials with a non-commercial clause. 

Source : http://creativecommons.org/weblog/entry/5752. 

http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Global/terms-of-use.htm#noncomm 

7.5.4 Lack of Awareness of Copyright Issues 

So long as publication, consumption and distribution of texts were mediated through physical 

media, academics remained for the most part unaware of the licensing that underpinned the 

exploitation of copyright. The Internet and other digital media have changed this. Because they 

have access to publishing and production tools and through licensing access to a digital, 

ephemeral product rather than a physical object such as a book or print, researchers as well as 

teachers now engage with licensing as never before. Yet, they are, for the most part, either 

unprepared or unwilling to engage in cumbersome licensing procedures. 

Although many academics are willing to share their work, they often hesitate to do so in this 

new environment for fear of losing their rights to their work. The opposite of retaining copyright 

is to release work into the public domain, in which case the author retains no rights and anyone 

can use the material in any way and for any purpose. Even if this might be acceptable to some 

people some of the time, it is not unusual for an author to wish to retain some rights over his 

work, e.g. to stop third parties from making commercial use of the material without his/her 

consent. In 2002-03, the RoMEO project in the United Kingdom undertook a survey of 542 

researchers to learn what kind of rights they wanted to retain over their work (Gadd, 2003). Over 

60% were happy for third parties to display, print, save, excerpt from and give away their 

papers, but wanted this to be on the condition that they were credited as the authors and that all 

copies were verbatim, and 55% wanted to limit the use of their work to educational and noncommercial 

use. The RoMEO report concluded that the protection offered to research papers by 

copyright law is in excess of what most academics require. This demonstrated the need for 

institutions to offer training in copyright law to researchers and instructors. Open content 

licences have been developed to resolve this problem by providing a way to permit controlled 

sharing, with some rights reserved to the author. 

It is encouraging to note that in June 2006 Microsoft released a free copyright licensing tool, 

which easily enables the attachment of a Creative Commons licence to works created in 

Microsoft Office applications. 

Source : 

http://www.oecdbookshop.org/oecd/display.asp?K=5L4S6TNG3F9X&lang=EN&sort=sort_date 

Giving Knowledge for Free 

The Emergence of Open Educational Resources 

OECD Publishing 

Centre for Educational Research and Innovation 


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CHAPTER 8. POLICY IMPLICATIONS AND 

RECOMMENDATIONS 

Policy issues related to the OER movement can be looked at from different angles. One is to 

identify implications of the growing OER movement for individuals, institutions and countries. 

Another is to look at recommended policy actions to promote further growth in the use and 

production of OER. Finally these issues should be divided according to jurisdictional level:- 

• International 

• National 

• Intermediate (i.e. regional, state or province) 

• Institutional 

The first identifies general policy issues and assigns them to the appropriate policy level. The 

second lists actions that should be taken at different levels, depending on the distribution of 

responsibilities in each case. The following list of issues and recommended actions is the result 

of such a process. 

8.1 INTERNATIONAL LEVEL 

Although most issues regarding OER are subject to national, intermediate or institutional 

jurisdiction, some topics are ideally dealt with on the international level. Interoperability issues, 

including harmonisation of copyright legislation, which is dealt with by the World Intellectual 

Property Organization (WIPO), and agreements on standards, which is the work of several 

organisations such as the International Organisation for Standardization (ISO), the World Wide 

Web Consortium (W3C), the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), the Internet 

Engineering Task Force (IETF) and others, need to be solved at an international level to have 

any effect. This work needs financial and other support and funding bodies on all levels are 

recommended to support this work. 

Another issue that needs a global or at least international view is the development of a sound 

knowledge base on the production and use of OER. Research, co-ordination of web statistics and 

other kinds of user evaluations should be done at an international level, such as the initiative by 

the OCW Consortium. It is recommended that granting parties, whether government agencies or 

private foundations, should be open to requests for funding for evaluation activities. 

Furthermore, it is recommended that they demand that grant-receiving OER projects devote a 

share of the funding to evaluation activities. The OpenLearn initiative from the Open University 

in the United Kingdom, for example, devoted 12% of the budget to research and evaluation 

(Schuller, 2006). 

Promotion of OER and awareness-raising activities, such as the online discussion forum on 

virtual universities, open source software in higher education and OER organised by the 

UNESCO International Institute for Educational Planning, can and should take place at the 

international level to leverage expertise and experience from around the world. Another example 

of international collaboration with immediate benefits for users is the possibility to search for 

content across all OCW courses and a similar initiative developed by the GLOBE alliance or the 


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Learning Resource Exchange service developed by the European Schoolnet to make it possible 

to carry out federated searches for resources across repositories on four continents. 

8.2 NATIONAL LEVEL 

The task of issuing recommendations to a broad set of countries, such as OECD members, faces 

a number of challenges. The most obvious relates to the varied circumstances of higher 

education in the various countries. Also, national and sometimes intermediate level governments 

have different spheres of authority regarding higher education. Some countries have only 

publicly funded higher education institutions and governments have broad authority over the 

sector. In other countries institutions are more independent and privately funded. Taking this 

into account, the following general recommendations are made for national governments in this 

section and in the next for intermediate level governments. 

OER represent a further blurring of the borders between formal and informal learning. As user 

statistics show, many users of OER are self learners and informal learning using OER can be 

expected to grow as the supply of resources increases. From a national policy perspective, this is 

an opportunity to further promote lifelong learning. The challenge of aging population in OECD 

countries necessitates longer working lives with more career changes and puts new demands on 

higher education in terms of accommodating the needs of older students and people changing 

careers. So far most higher education systems have been slow to adjust to this challenge. It is 

recommended that countries study closely the OER projects which are set up to widen 

participation in higher education, bridge the gap between non-formal, informal and formal 

learning and promote lifelong learning. Using existing resources or content which needs smaller 

adjustments rather than creating resources from scratch may prove to be a cost-effective way to 

meet some of the need for increased lifelong learning. 

OER can make an important contribution to a diversified supply of learning resources. A wealth 

of digital learning resources supports methodological diversity, which is a prerequisite for 

promoting the individualisation of the learning process, a pedagogical philosophy that most 

countries embrace. From the national point of view, the most natural perspective might very 

well be not to have a particular policy regarding OER in higher education, but to take a holistic 

approach to all kinds of digital learning resources and to all parts of the education system 

(Johannesen, 2006). In addition to OER, such a policy might embrace commercial digital 

learning materials and the national cultural heritage in digital format. National policy could 

include a general aspiration to ensure a profusion of digital resources for learning. 

A review of the existing copyright regime as it affects OER might be needed as would the build 

up of a better knowledge base on the production and use of digital learning resources in general, 

including OER. Countries wanting to take a neutral stand towards open or commercial 

educational resources should be aware that in most countries today’s copyright regime is out of 

line with digital technologies and sometimes shows partiality towards commercial players. 

Taking a neutral stand might imply altering the balance in the copyright legislation towards a 

more generous way of looking at educational use of digital materials. 

It is further recommended that countries keen to promote OER consider the idea developed by 

the open access movement: that academic and research output as well as the national cultural 

heritage made available in digital format with the use of public funds should also be available 

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for free for education. Higher education institutions receive significant funding, often from 

national or intermediate level governments, to develop new knowledge. These funds seldom 

come with a requirement to share the findings with the general public. The open access 

movement has gained considerable ground during the last years with its claim that publicly 

funded research should be made publicly accessible shortly after publication (Suber, 2006). 

Some funding bodies, such as the Wellcome Trust in the United Kingdom, the world’s largest 

medical research charity, has adopted a policy to provide grant holders with additional funding 

to cover the costs of open publishing. A similar model could be applied to funds for educational 

purposes; a small amount (e.g. 0.5-1%) of funds made available for education could be 

earmarked for open publishing of learning materials developed within the institution. 

Furthermore, the opening up of national archives and museum collections of digital resources 

for use “as is” or adapted in educational settings would be of great importance to the education 

sector. This might in some countries be a decision made at national level and in others by 

individual institutions. Also some archives and museums might be administered by the state, 

regional or local level. 

Funding issues may also be important at the national level, depending on whether countries want 

to take a neutral or positive stand regarding OER and whether or not funding falls under the 

jurisdiction of the national level. Funding may involve research and development on the 

production and use of OER, the development of new or amelioration of existing open standards, 

and investments in information technology infrastructure. Funding as a way to encourage 

partnerships between higher education institutions should also be considered. JISC in the United 

Kingdom is a good example of a government-initiated programme that gives funding, strategic 

advice and services to higher education institutions, helping them to adapt to challenges raised 

by technological developments. 

Promotion of public-private partnerships may also be an issue for this level as well as the 

intermediate level. Combining know-how and resources from both sectors can be very efficient 

as well as a way of sharing and reducing risks when entering new domains, such as the 

development of digital learning resources. 

8.3 INTERMEDIATE LEVEL 

The authority of the provincial, state, or regional – i.e. intermediate – level is probably the one 

most subject to variation across countries. In some countries this level does not exist or has no 

authority for higher education, while in other countries it is the most important policy level. 

Issues at this level, and not already mentioned above, include setting policies and developing 

guidelines regarding copyright and co-ordinating work on open standards. The examples of 

British Columbia in Canada and Extremadura in Spain are commendable, as is the Indian 

Knowledge Commission’s argument that India should invest in developing open educational 

resources on a large scale, make these available through a national education portal and join the 

OCW Consortium (Kumar, 2006). It is recommended that other countries, provinces, states and 

local authorities engage in OER programmes to the benefit of all, but mostly in developing 

countries. 


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8.4 INSTITUTIONAL LEVEL 

This section argues that stakeholders, policy makers and other players at national or intermediate 

level will be affected by OER. The same is true for higher education institutions, whether the 

institution is involved in an OER project or not. The risk of doing nothing has already been 

mentioned. Growing competition from other institutions, some of which are looking at new 

business or cost recovery models, including OER projects, is but one example. The growing 

number of opportunities for collaboration in the production and use of OER, both for institutions 

and individual researchers and educators, is another. The increase in digital resources available 

for free educational use is a third. Technological developments and the push from younger 

generations of students for enlarged use of the Internet and social software is a fourth, and there 

are others as well. It has also been argued in this report that the policy issues raised by OER are 

interlinked with general organisational and pedagogical issues, such as opportunities to 

strengthen co-operation among educators within the institution, to increase transparency and 

quality in the educational offer to students, to reach out to non-traditional groups of students and 

to foster pedagogical innovations and promote increased use of information technology in 

teaching. This calls for institutions to have a well-reasoned information technology strategy, 

including e-learning issues. Such a strategy should also outline how the institution will deal with 

opportunities and threats posed by the OER movement. Increased awareness and clear policies 

regarding copyright would be an important part of such a strategy. 

OER can be expected to affect curriculum, pedagogy and assessment. With thousands of 

(opencourseware) courses from internationally well reputed higher education institutions 

available for free, teachers will need to consider that students compare their curriculum with 

others. Anecdotal data suggest that this is already happening. Concerning pedagogy, the role of 

the teacher is already changing from being the “sage on the stage to the guide at the side”. OER 

is likely to accelerate this process since the role of the teacher as a supplier of teaching material 

and the only guide to knowledge is also diminishing. As regards assessment, the increase in nonformal 

and informal learning will probably enhance the demand for assessment and recognition 

of competence gained outside formal learning settings. Private educational providers in some 

countries already offer such services, and the supply of private providers using OER and 

offering tutoring, assessment and credits for a fee may be growing. Established higher education 

institutions may very well need to adapt to such demand and become more and more assessment 

organisations and less and less teaching establishments. 

Institutions prepared to embrace the opportunities offered by OER have a number of additional 

questions which dealt with sustaining OER projects. To recall the most salient issue: institutions 

have to ask themselves what can be done to provide incentives for faculty to participate in an 

OER initiative. One proposed action is to make teaching portfolios or similar requirements part 

of the tenure process and to make the conversion of at least one course into an OER format part 

of the requirement to document excellence in teaching. Another item would be to lower the 

threshold for participation by encouraging the use of OER; this takes less skill than producing 

digital resources, but will make it more likely that in the long run teachers will also refine those 

resources. Training should be offered to teachers and researchers on the use and production of 

digital learning resources and on copyright law. Institutions wanting to foster the use and 

production of OER should stress the importance of compatibility – meaning not only the use of 

open standards and open source software in production and dissemination of learning resources 

but also licences that makes resources compatible with other resources and easier to reuse. 


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Source : 

http://www.oecdbookshop.org/oecd/display.asp?K=5L4S6TNG3F9X&lang=EN&sort=sort_date 

Giving Knowledge for Free 

The Emergence of Open Educational Resources 

OECD Publishing 

Centre for Educational Research and Innovation 


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CHAPTER 9. OER STORAGE 

9.1 GENERAL REPOSITORIES 

EducaNext (http://www.educanext.org/) 

EducaNext is a service supporting the creation and sharing of knowledge for Higher Education. 

It is open to any member of the academic or research community. 

EducaNext fosters collaboration among educators and researchers, allowing them to: 

• participate in Knowledge Communities 

• communicate with experts in their field 

• exchange Learning Resources 

• work together on the production of educational material: textbooks, lecture notes, case 

studies, simulations, etc. 

• deliver distributed educational activities: lectures, courses, workshops, case study 

discussions, etc. 

• distribute electronic content under license. 

It includes 2,500 registered users, 1,000 learning resources in languages such as English, 

German, French... 

N.B. This resource is not fully open. Users must register in order to access resources, and must 

be a member of an academic institution. Copyright/licensing information unknown. 

MERLOT (Multimedia Educational Resource for Learning and Online Teaching) 

(http://www.merlot.org/Home.po) 

A free and open resource designed primarily for faculty and students of higher education. 

Specifically, MERLOT is: 

• a continually growing catalogue of online learning materials, peer reviews, learning 

assignments, and user comments, organized by discipline into specific discipline 

communities and created to help faculty enhance their instruction, that anyone can use 

for free; 

• an international consortium of partners and affiliates who cooperate to continually create, 

expand, and refine MERLOT in order to transform and improve higher education; 

• a community of individual members, from academia, business, and professional 

organizations, who strive to share and enrich their teaching and learning experiences by 

contributing to MERLOT; 

• a technology initiative with its own infrastructure and dynamically designed set of 

technology tools and software development policies created to help faculty integrate high 


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quality online instructional technology resources into their courses effectively, easily, 

and enjoyably. 

It includes 14,307 resources 

World Lecture Hall (http://web.austin.utexas.edu/wlh/) 

World Lecture Hall publishes links to pages created by faculty worldwide who are using the 

Web to deliver course materials in any language. Some courses are delivered entirely over the 

Internet. Others are designed for students in residence. Many fall somewhere in between. In all 

cases, they can be visited by anyone interested in courseware on the Internet. Materials include 

syllabi, course notes, assignments, and audio and video streaming. World Lecture Hall is a 

project of the Center for Instructional Technologies at the University of Texas at Austin. 

Materials in 83 subject areas 

Eduforge (http://eduforge.org/0 

Eduforge is an open access environment designed for the sharing of ideas, research outcomes, 

open content and open source software for education. Individuals are welcome to use its 

community resources or start a project space for collaboration. Eduforge is designed to provide 

tools for collaboration at two levels: (1) The Eduforge Community is for everyone with an 

interest in education to share their thoughts and experience, and (2) Eduforge Projects supports 

more focused research, discussions, and software development for education. Register a project 

of your own, or request to join one of the many innovative project communities. 

Apple Learning Interchange (http://ali.apple.com/) 

A searchable database of rich media resources for digital teaching and learning developed by 

educators and by the Apple Learning Interchange itself to encourage the use of IT in education 

and to improve educational practice generally. 

Several hundred "exhibits", Copyright, Apple Computer, Inc. All rights reserved 

N.B. Resources mainly for schools rather than higher education. 

iberry.com (http://iberry.com/) 

Home to the Higher Education Links List (HELL), which provides information and resources 

for educators, researchers and others with an interest in Higher Education. The listing is in two 

parts: 

• The Open Courseware Directory - annotated links to publicily available courseware 

covering most academic subjects - lecture notes, handouts, slides, tutorial material, exam 

questions, quizzes, videos, demonstrations etc. from universities and colleges around the 

world. 

• Resources - annotated links to the best information and resource sites for Higher 

Education - includes sections on distance education, educational technology, subjectspecific 

resources, job opportunities, women, plagiarism and humour. 


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iberry.com also provides a Higher Education news service, message board and academic chat. 

9.2 NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL REPOSITORY INITIATIVES 

ARIADNE (http://www.ariadne-eu.org/) 

At its core, a distributed network of learning repositories. ARIADNE was created to exploit and 

further develop the results of the ARIADNE and ARIADNE II European Projects, which created 

tools and methodologies for producing, managing and reusing computer-based pedagogical 

elements and telematics-supported training curricula. Teaching and learning resources are 

available in many European languages, primarily English, French, Italian, German and Dutch. 

DAREnet (http://www.darenet.nl/en/page/language.view/home) 

DAREnet was launched in January 2004 to demonstrate the network of the local collections of 

digital documentation held by all Dutch universities and several related institutions. DAREnet 

harvests all “full content” digital material from the local repositories, presents it in a consistent 

form and makes it searchable. Materials include teaching and learning resources, and academic 

research output, in both English and Dutch. 


GEM (Gateway to Educational Materials) (http://www.thegateway.org/0 

A US consortium effort to provide educators and learners with quick and easy access to 

thousands of educational resources, including activities, lesson plans, online projects and 

assessment items suitable for use in the classroom, found on the websites of some 600 

consortium members, including US government agencies, educational institutions, non-profit 

and commercial organizations. 

It includes over 40,000 records 

ICONEX (http://www.iconex.hull.ac.uk/interactivity.htm) 

This project aimed to investigate the key issues surrounding the identification, description, 

location, use and integration of interactive content through technical development, UK national 

consultation and exemplar aggregation. Although no longer conducting research, it has 

established a repository of interactive learning content, with the aim of acting as an enabler or 

broker for exchange, trade or, outside of the UK Higher and Further Education community, sale 

of interactive content. 

It includes approximately 80 learning objects 

JORUM (http://www.jorum.ac.uk/0 

Funded by JISC (the Joint Information Systems Committee), JORUM is a collaborative venture 

in UK Higher and Further Education to collect and share learning and teaching materials, 

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allowing their reuse and repurposing, and standing as a national statement of the importance of 

creating interoperable, sustainable materials. 

N.B. Restricted to teaching and support staff in registered UK Higher and Further Education 

institutions; own licensing system for contributors and users. 

http://www.thelearningfederation.edu.au/ 

The Le@rning Federation is an initiative of the state, territory and federal governments of 

Australia and New Zealand. It is developing high-quality online curriculum content for years P- 

10 (preschool to year 10) in two formats: interactive, multimedia learning objects and digital 

resources. The materials are designed to engage students and support teachers and will be freely 

available to all schools in Australia and New Zealand. 

It includes 4581 items of online content. Only schools in Australian states or territories and New 

Zealand can get access to the materials. Copyright and other intellectual property rights are 

owned by the joint venture companies Curriculum Corporation and education.au limited on 

behalf of the governments of Australia and of the Australian states and territories. 

Monterey Institute for Technology and Education National Repository of Online Courses 

(NROC) (http://www.montereyinstitute.org/0 

A growing library of high-quality online courses for students and faculty in higher education, 

high school and Advanced Placement. Courses in the NROC library are contributed by 

developers from leading online-learning programmes across the US. All courses are assessed to 

ensure they meet high standards of scholarship, instructional value and presentational impact. 

NROC works with developers and contributes resources to improve course quality and to 

provide ongoing maintenance. Courses are designed to cover the breadth and depth of topics 

based on generally accepted US curricula and can also be customized within a course 

management system. NROC partners with academic institutions, publishers, teaching 

organizations, US state and federal agencies, international distributors and others to create a 

global distribution network to provide courses to students, teachers and the general public at 

little or no cost. 

It includes 24 courses, Copyright Monterey Institute for Technology 

N.B. Users must apply for a licence; some may be charged a small fee. 

NLN (National Learning Network) Materials 

(http://www.nln.ac.uk/Materials/default.asp) 

Working in partnership with subject experts and commercial developers, BECTA's (British 

Educational Communications and Technology Agency) NLN Materials Team has commissioned 

and managed the development of Further Education e-learning materials for use in Virtual 

Learning Environments. The materials span the UK post-16 Further Education curriculum and 

are designed to be fitted easily into existing teaching. 

It includes over 800 hours of materials 

N.B. Restricted to staff and students of UK Further Education institutions. 


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9.2.1 Subject-Specific National Repositories 

CITIDEL (Computing and Information Technology Interactive Digital Educational 

Library (http://www.citidel.org/) 

A collaboration between Hofstra University, the College of New Jersey, Pennsylvania State 

University, Villanova University and Virginia Tech, as part of the US National Science 

Foundation's National Science Digital Library Project, to create a portal to computing education. 

CITIDEL is a digital library of educational resources for the computing field, harvested from ten 

differerent source collections. 

It includes 488,256 resources for computing 

CSTC (Computing Science Teaching Center) (http://www.cstc.org/index.html) 

A repository of peer-reviewed teaching resources for college and graduate level computer 

science education. The CSTC is designed to facilitate access to quality teaching materials 

developed worldwide. It is endorsed by the US Association of Computing Machinery and 

funded by the US National Science Foundation. Metadata for materials are created by users. 

CSTC is one of the source collections for CITIDEL. 

It includes over 10,000 resources for computing 

DLESE (Digital Library for Earth System Education) 

(http://www.dlese.org/dds/index.jsp) 

Funded by the US National Science Foundation, DLESE provides learners and educators at all 

levels with access to materials to support Earth system science education. The collection 

includes lesson plans, maps, images, data sets, assessment activities, curricula and online 

courses. The site also provides support services to help users effectively create, use and share 

OER, as well as communication networks to facilitate interactions and collaborations across the 

field of earth science. 

It includes over 25,000 learning objects for the earth sciences, available under a custom open 

licence 

EEVL (Enhanced and Evaluated Virtual Library) (http://www.eevl.ac.uk/index.htm) 

Aims to provide access to quality networked engineering, mathematics and computing 

resources, and be the UK national focal point for online access to information in these subjects. 

It is run by a team of information specialists from a number of universities and institutions in the 

UK, led by Heriot Watt University. EEVL's target audience is students, staff and researchers in 

higher and further education, as well as anyone else working, studying or looking for 

information in Engineering, Mathematics and Computing. EEVL Xtra allows users to crosssearch 

a further 20 databases. 


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It includes over 10,000 resources for engineering, mathematics and computing 

N.B. Users will be charged a fee to access some content. 

HEAL (Health Education Assets Library) (http://www.healcentral.org/) 

Part of the US National Science Foundation's National Science Digital Library Project, the goal 

of the project is to create a collection of digital teaching and learning resources for medical 

students and professionals. Users can search the main Reviewed Collection, a collection of 

materials awaiting review and 12 affiliated collections. Users can submit materials for review 

and possible inclusion in the main collection. HEAL is hosted by the University of Utah, UCLA 

and the Unversity of Oklahoma. 

It includes 21,691 resources for medecine 

Humbul Humanities Hub (http://www.humbul.ac.uk/0 

Part of the UK's Resource Discovery Network, and hosted by the University of Oxford, Humbal 

is dedicated to discovering, evaluating and cataloguing online resources in the humanities. 

Resources include educational materials, and links to institutions, academic research projects 

and companies offering educational software. Materials are submitted by users and reviewed and 

catalogued by on-site staff. Humbul also maintains a Virtual Training Suite of subject-based 

self-learning Internet skills tutorials. 

It includes resources for 33 humanities subjects; 10 online tutorials 

iLumina (http://www.ilumina-dlib.org/) 

Part of the US National Science Foundation's National Science Digital Library Project, iLumina 

is a digital library of sharable undergraduate teaching materials for chemistry, biology, physics, 

mathematics and computer science. Resources range from small learning objects, such as 

individual images and video clips, to entire courses and several virtual collections. Metadata 

captures both technical and education-specific information about each resource. Users may 

contribute their own resources. iLumina was developed by the University of North Carolina at 

Wilmington, Collegis, Inc., Virginia Tech, Georgia State University, Grand Valley State 

University and the College of New Jersey. 

It includes over 1,500 resources for science, mathematics and computing 

NEEDS (National Engineering Education Delivery System) 

(http://www.needs.org/needs/) 

A digital library of learning resources for engineering education. NEEDS provides web-based 

access to a database of learning resources where learners and instructors can search for, locate, 

download and comment on resources to aid their learning or teaching process. It is possible to 

search for resources suitable for mobile devices (so-called "Learning Everywhere" resources). 

NEEDS also supports a multi-tier review system for resources, from an industry-sponsored 

national award competition, to user-based reviews of individual learning resources. 


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It includes 1,220 resources for science, engineering and mathematics at the higher education 

level 


NSDL (National Science Digital Library) (http://nsdl.org/) 

Created by the US National Science Foundation to provide organized access to high quality 

resources and tools that support innovations in teaching and learning at all levels of science, 

technology, engineering, and mathematics education. NSDL provides an organized point of 

access to content that is aggregated from a variety of other digital libraries, NSF-funded projects, 

and NSDL-reviewed web sites. It also provides access to services and tools that enhance the use 

of this content in a variety of contexts. NSDL is designed primarily for school-level educators, 

but anyone can access and search the library at no cost. Access to most of the resources is free; 

however, some content providers require a nominal fee or subscription to retrieve their specific 

resources. 

It includes resources for science, technology, engineering and mathematics in 554 collections 


SeSDL (Scottish electronic Staff Development Library) (http://www.sesdl.scotcit.ac.uk/) 

A web-based resource centre designed to encourage the sharing and reuse of staff development 

materials. The main focus of the materials is the use of ICT in teaching and learning. Staff 

developers can assemble components in order to build customised courses. Tools are being 

provided which can be used to customise material in the Library to the specific "look-and-feel" 

of individual institutions. Users can also add materials to the Library. The SeSDL is a 

collaborative project of the Universities of Edinburgh, Paisley and Strathclyde. 

It includes 298 staff development materials 

N.B. Access to materials restricted to staff of Scottish Higher Education institutions; other users 

may browse material descriptions. 

SMETE Digital Library (http://www.smete.org/smete/) 

A dynamic online library and portal of services from the US SMETE Open Federation for 

teachers and students. Users can access teaching and learning materials, as well as join an 

expanding community of science, math, engineering and technology explorers of all ages and 

levels of education. Students have access to resources for independent study, while instructors 

can find learning materials to use in the classroom. 

It includes 15,885 resources for science, technology, engineering and mathematics 


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9.3 REGIONAL AND INSTITUTIONAL REPOSITORY INITIATIVES 

CAREO (Campus Alberta Repository of Learning Objects) (http://careo.org/) 

A project supported by Alberta Learning that has as its primary goal the creation of a searchable, 

Web-based collection of multidisciplinary teaching materials for educators in Alberta Province 

and beyond. The collection is made up of materials submitted by project members and reviewed 

by an editorial board. 


CLOE (Co-operative Learning Object Exchange) (http://cloe.on.ca/) 

A collaboration betweeen Ontario univeristies and colleges for the development, sharing and 

reuse of multimedia-rich learning resources. CLOE is developing a "virtual market economy" 

for learning objects. The virtual market encourages collaboration across institutions to pool ideas 

and co-ordinate development: the most successful resources - those re-used the most - provide 

the most exchange credit for the institutions developing them. Resources only used by the 

original developers do not accrue exchange credits, thus providing a substantial incentive for 

collaboration. Metadata are created by submitting users. 

It includes materials available under Creative Commons licences 

N.B. Restricted to staff and students of publically funded Canadian universities. 

Fathom Archive (http://www.fathom.com/0 

Fathom Knowledge Network Inc., founded by Columbia University, launched in the spring of 

2000 with the goal of providing high quality educational resources to a global audience through 

the Internet. The Fathom academic consortium grew to include 14 leading educational and 

cultural institutions. The website ceased operations in March 2003, as part of a reorganization of 

Columbia's digital media activities. The Fathom Archive enables users to continue to access the 

complete range of free content developed for Fathom by its member institutions, including 

lectures, articles, interviews, exhibits and free seminars. 

It includes 96 seminars, generally Copyright 

N.B. Users must pay to access some resources 

IDEAS (Interactive Dialogue with Educators from Across the State) 

(http://ideas.wisconsin.edu/) 

Created for educators in the State of Wisconsin, but available to all, the collection is made up of 

high quality web-based resources, including lesson plans, teaching resources and professional 

development resources, sorted by grade/level of education and subject, selected by teams of 

Wisconsin educators and aligned to State educational standards. 


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It includes 510 resources at the higher education level 

LEARNet (http://learnet.hku.hk/about.htm) 

LEARNet materials are designed and produced by Hong Kong academics for students in a range 

of disciplines. It is funded by the University Grants Committee and is based at The University of 

Hong Kong with a management team drawn from all the local tertiary institutions. 

Maricopa Learning eXchange (http://www.mcli.dist.maricopa.edu/mlx/) 

An electronic warehouse for the exchange of ideas, examples and resources (represented as 

"packages") that support student learning at the Maricopa Community Colleges. Anyone from 

anywhere can browse and search the warehouse. Each "package" is represented by a descriptive 

"packing slip" that includes the name of the package creator, college(s) that were involved in 

developing it, contact information, a description, links to web sites associated with the package, 

and a collection of media attachments that include images, documents, spreadsheets, movie 

clips, etc. 

It includes 1,355 "packages", available under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 

licence 

University of Mauritius VCILT (Virtual Centre for Innovative Learning Technologies) 

Learning Objects Repository (http://vcampus.uom.ac.mu/lor/index.php?menu=1) 

A project to build a web site where learning resources from the University of Mauritius and 

from the Internet are gathered for later use. Permanent University lecturers are automatically 

registered in the LOR and can submit resources. Resources are available in English and French. 


University of California eScholarship Repository 

(http://repositories.cdlib.org/escholarship/) 

A repository of academic research output, including working papers and postprints of previously 

published, peer-reviewed articles, and seminar materials, selected and deposited by individual 

University of California units and faculty. The repository is a service of the California Digital 

Library and is powered by the Berkeley Electronic Press. The repository is Open Archives 

Compliant. 

It includes 10,810 papers 

Wisc-Online (Wisconsin Online Resource Center) (http://www.wisc-online.com/) 

A digital library of objects developed primarily by faculty from the Wisconsin Technical 

College System (WTCS) and produced by multimedia technicians who create the learning 

objects for the online environment. Objects are freely accessible to all WTCS faculty for use in 

classroom or online applications. Other colleges, universities and consortia around the world 

may apply to use the library. 


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It includes 2,041 resources, Copyright Wisc-Online 

N.B. Users outside the Wisconsin Technical College System need to apply for permission to 

access resources. 

9.3.1 Subject-Specific Regional And Institutional Repositories 

Exploratories (http://www.cs.brown.edu/exploratories/home.html) 

A project of Brown University's Computer Graphics Research Group to create a set of 

exemplary Web-based learning objects (Java applets) that teach concepts in introductory 

computer graphics at the college and graduate level. Learning objects are characterized by their 

flexibility, interactivity, hypertextual curriculum frameworks, and use of explorable 2D and 3D 

worlds. Users can download complete Java applets, or build their own from the components 

collection. The project also publishes the results of its research into creating useful learning 

objects, and is working toward the creation of a complete Design Strategy Handbook. 

71 java applets for science and mathematics 

GEODE (Global Education Online Depository & Exchange) (http://www.uw-igs.org/0 

Maintained by the University of Wisconsin System's Institute for Global Studies, GEODE 

provides users with access to multimedia instructional resources for Global Studies. Users can 

search by country, region, file format and language, as well as key word. They may also submit 

their own resources. 

It includes over 130 resources for global studies 

LoLa Exchange (http://www.lolaexchange.org/0 

The aim of the LoLa project is to help staff at Wesleyan University keep track of the Learning 

Objects that they are developing, and to present them in a common environment. LoLa will 

allow staff to discover materials developed by other faculty, and provide opportunities for 

collaboration within the academic disciplines on the Wesleyan campuses that have begun to 

develop and use Learning Objects. LoLa is also the home to a collection of Information Literacy 

Learning Objects that are being developed as part of a collaborative Information Literacy Project 

that Wesleyan, Trinity, and Connecticut Colleges are working on. 

It includes 42 resources, with a particular bias towards information literacy 


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9.4 INDIVIDUAL REPOSITORY INITIATIVES 

ICTlogy ICT4D Courses (http://courses.ictlogy.net/0 

A Learning Objects Repository focused on development and cooperation for development, with 

a strong commitment to Information and Communication Technologies for Development 

(ICT4D), created by Ismael Peña of the Open University of Catalonia. 

It includes 4 learning objects for ICT4D, available under a Creative Commons licence 

Textbook Revolution (http://textbookrevolution.org/) 

A student-run non-profit website, started by Jason Turgeon, that catalogs and mirrors free 

textbooks and related material in a wide range of subjects at all levels (with a particular 

concentration of undergraduate-level books). Books range from GIF scans to PDF files to Flash 

presentations. The site is searchable and fully tagged for easy browsing. 

It includes 254 textbooks in 12 subject areas 

Open Educational Resources (OER) Index 

(http://cwr.unitar.edu.my/file.php/1/Index.htm) 

An interesting list of OER resources compiled by Zaid Ali Alsagoff (UNITAR Sdn Bhd - 

Malaysia). He provides annotation in order to direct investigation of the links. The list is a very 

short, very easy summary of websites, which provide open educational resources. 

Source : http://oerwiki.iiep-unesco.org/index.php?title=Repositories 


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ACRONYMS 

ARIADNE 

BEST 

CERI 

CMS 

CMU 

The Alliance of Remote Instructional Authoring and Distribution 

Networks for Europe, a European association for knowledge 

sharing and reuse. The core of the ARIADNE infrastructure is a 

distributed network of learning repositories. 

Berkeley Expert Systems Technology 

Centre for Educational Research and Innovation (OECD). 

Content Management System. 

Carnegie Mellon University, United States 

EduCommons An OpenCourseWare management system designed specifically 

to support OpenCourseWare projects. 

ENSTA École Nationale Supérieure de Techniques Avancées, France 

FAO 

Flash 

FLOSS 

HTML 

IIEP 

IMS 

MERLOT 

Food and Agriculture Organization 

Refers to both the Adobe Flash Player and to a multimedia 

authoring programme used to create content for the Adobe 

Engagement Platform (such as web applications, games and 

movies) 

Free/Libre Open Source Software. 

HyperText Markup Language, the predominant markup language 

for the creation of web pages. 

International Institute for Educational Planning (UNESCO). 

IMS Global Learning Consortium, a non-profit standards 

organisation concerned with establishing interoperability for 

learning systems and learning content. 

Multimedia Education Resource for Learning and Online 

Teaching 


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MIT 

Moodle 

OCW 

ODF 

OKI 

OLCOS 

OSLO 

OLI 

OSS 

PDF 

Podcasting 

Videocasting 

Massachusetts Institute of Technology, United States 

Modular Object-Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment, an 

elearning 

platform built on open source software 

Open Course Ware. A free and open digital publication of 

highquality educational materials, organised as courses. 

OpenDocument or ODF, short for the OASIS Open Document 

Format for Office Applications, a document file format used for 

exchanging digital documents such as memos, reports, books, 

spreadsheets, charts, and presentations. 

The Open Knowledge Initiative, an organisation responsible for 

the specification of software interfaces. 

Open eLearning Content Observatory Services, EU-funded 

project. 

Optics Software for Layout and Optimisation, a computer 

programme used to design and optimise optical systems. 

Open Learning Initiative 

Open Source Software 

Portable Document Format, an open file format created and 

controlled by Adobe Systems, for representing two-dimensional 

documents in a device-independent and resolution-independent 

fixed-layout document format. 

A podcast is a media file that is distributed by subscription (paid 

or unpaid) over the Internet using syndication feeds, for playback 

on mobile devices and personal computers. Like “radio”, it can 

mean both the content and the method of syndication. The latter 

may also be termed podcasting. 

Video podcast is a term used for the online delivery of video clip 

content on demand. The term is an evolution specialised for 

video, coming from the generally audio-based podcast. 


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