While aimlessly browsing through wikibooks, I suddenly realized that
our textbooks don't look like - well, textbooks.
Suppose I want to learn from a wikibooks textbook. I open a chapter
(sorry, a "module";-) and it looks like wikipedia. That is not bad in
itself, however, IMHO it has some drawbacks. First, I'm distracted by
the sidebar. If I want to learn about a topic, I don't want to go to
the "staff lounge" or the "community portal". And when I scroll down,
the sidebar is replaced by - a really blank space. That's all fine on
wikipedia, where you come to be part of the experience, or to look up
some topic, then leave. Learning from a textbook is another process
altogether.
Perhaps even more significant, out textbooks look like web pages. Even
the downloadable PDF (screenshot at [1]) looks like a printed web
page. I don't know what your textbooks look like, but most of mine
(the better ones, actually) don't resemble a web page sent to the
printer. Thes have this sidebar, which is not blank like ours, but
contains important information, like additional figures, notes, and
keywords for the paragraph they're next to.
I'm not sure if that layout is merely done to make the book longer and
thus more expensive, but I'd wager there's a good reason behind it. I
for one find these things useful and welcome our side-scribbling
overlords.
Long story short, I made a mockup [2] of an alternative viewing mode
for wikibooks. It currently features only a single page from the
Biochemistry book, but you'll get the idea. There's a small
book/chapter navigation bar on the top, and a list of headings within
the page on the bottom (might not work in IE, but it's just a demo).
The key feature are sidenotes, which are currently done by manually
hacked HTML, but could be done automatically. For this, I propose a
new extension, <sidenote> or the like, which would include each
sidenote. In normal mode, like it is now, it would be ignored, or
converted to a <div style='float:right'>, similar to a thumbnailed
image. In the alternative viewing mode, it would be rendered like the
mock-up.
The extension would likely be hidden by templates: {{sidenote}} for
normal text, {{sideimage}} for images with caption, {{sidealert}},
{{sidetip}} etc. with standard icons.
Two questions:
* Would this be something the wikibooks crowd would like to use?
* Would I have backup from the tech department (I write it, you turn it on)?
Magnus
[1] http://tools.wikimedia.de/~magnus/bookmockup/book_now.png
[2] http://tools.wikimedia.de/~magnus/bookmockup/bookmockup.php
FYI - we need to talk to these people.
http://globaltext.org/
Global Text Project
* The goal is to create a free library of 1,000 electronic
textbooks for students in the developing world
* The library will cover the range of topics typically encountered
in the first two years of a university's undergraduate programs
* The global academic community and global corporations will be
engaged in creating and sponsoring this library
The project will create open content electronic textbooks that will be
freely available from a Web site. Distribution will also be possible
via paper, CD, or DVD. Our goal initially is to focus on content
development and Web distribution, and we will work with relevant
authorities to facilitate dissemination by other means when bandwidth
is unavailable or inadequate. Thus, while the goal, educating the
disadvantaged, is the same as that of the $100 laptop project, we are
not tied to a particular device or medium.
We have experience with developing a free textbook, XML: Managing Data
Exchange. This project started in January 2004 when a graduate class
at the University of Georgia wrote the first version of the book.
Subsequent graduate and undergraduate classes at the University of
Georgia and elsewhere have improved and extended the book. It has been
used as the XML text in a variety of classes, and in each case the
class has been required to leave the book in better shape that they
received it at the beginning of the term.
Experience with this project and the success of WikiBooks has
convinced us that we can further develop the idea of free and open
content books to increase the value of these books to students,
particularly those who cannot afford paper-based textbooks. We want to
add several innovations to improve the quality of the books.
--
Peace & Love,
Erik
Actually, 2 of our philosophy books are rather
missionary too, one mostly advocating for a "Universal
Religion". I don't think there's any baby in that
bathwater... both the religious groups and the athiest
groups should just start another wiki without the NPOV
restriction. I suppose there could be "relative point
of view", but even then it seems the relative groups
would get pretty small (i.e., "A baptist, a
pentecostal, and an episcopalian go into a bar to try
to write a wikibook on christian doctrine... <insert
punchline here>").
I think keeping the textbook definition fairly vague
is better than pigeon-holing it. Aside from texts that
might be used for graduate school through
kindergarden, there is other materials that might be
used for emergency preparedness and response,
scouting, etc. Even some of the most mundane of the
how-tos (how to tie a tie, shaving, etc.) might be a
good "textbook for the school of life" if a single mom
is trying to help her male child get better
opportunities.
A book on frisbee golf (not sure if there is one, but
there probably will be eventually) can be used in gym
class or by a father and son tossing team. The first
aid book can be used to train EMTs or 10 year olds. A
book on horticulture can help train agricultural
workers, as could a book on agriculture help gardeners
get a leg up. The cookbook might be good for culinary
school, while at the same time being useful for anyone
who eats.
I do understand the dislike for video game guides... I
don't think I'd want to see a book on "how to use a
beer bong" for similar reasons. Some video games are
(I'm told) educational, and I think having something
about them might be ok. Shoot-em-up games (etc.) might
be good for hand-eye coordination, but having a book
about the game isn't necessarily going to enhance
this.
IOW, textbooks need to be useful for building mind,
body, career opportunities, and perhaps houses, but
should they be written for building (or debunking)
souls? That way leads to somewhere we might not want
to go.
-johnny.
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> From: Robert Scott Horning <robert_horning(a)netzero.net>
> that is why I also consider the OLPC project to be something
> of a scam as well
Maybe this is just a strategical effort to get the project happen in the
first place? You cannot declare war to all hardware and software vendors
and hope that they will let you work in peace. I think that by declaring
limited scope of the project OLPC bought themselves precious time. What
will happen after plants are set up and 100$ laptops start to roll out
is a different matter, and i'll be not surprised if those laptops start
to appear in Wal-Mart (and Media Markt, hopefully, because Europe also
need it :-)
BTW - i read this list for some time now, hello to all.
greetings
Jaroslaw Lipszyc
Today I found news about a new Google project - Google Book Search. This service, available at http://books.google.com/, allows users to search for books and browse some of them online. In most cases, only parts of books are available and the whole material is copyrighted. Google Book Search also offers long description of every book, links to online stores where the book is available, possibility to search words in a single books and more features.
Currently I have not seen any books from Wikibooks there. I find this project as a real chance for Wikibooks to promote itself and its content; we should add our PDF versions there if it is possible. Google says it does not take any money for adding new books to its search engine, but I am not sure if they require ISBN number for each book.
What is your opinion on this project?
--
Piotr 'Derbeth' Kubowicz
Jabber id: derbeth(a)jabber.wp.pl
Pomóż Wikibooks stworzyć największy zbiór otwartych podręczników! http://pl.wikibooks.org/
Opera - the fastest browser on Earth! http://www.opera.com/
There is a very enthusiactic articles about Wikibooks, showing how useful free texbooks can be with example of Geometry book.
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1154525979594&pagename=JPost%2FJ…
In fact, I don't remember such an enthusiastic text about Wikibooks in last time.
--
Piotr 'Derbeth' Kubowicz
Jabber id: derbeth(a)jabber.wp.pl
Pomóż Wikibooks stworzyć największy zbiór otwartych podręczników! http://pl.wikibooks.org/
Opera - the fastest browser on Earth! http://www.opera.com/