Suggestion:
Speaking strictly from the perspective of the textbook project, it would be
best to do as many joint announcements with the California Open Soucre
Textbook Project
www.opensourcetext.org as possible. This is more likely to
get everyone to sit up and take notice, as California is the "big enchilada"
on K-12, in terms of numbers, and the other states more often assume - or
are influenced by - the California frameworks.There has already been quite a
bit done in California to promote this (we've been Slashdotted, as well).
This way we will get maximum leverage in the press, and with people in state
bureaucracies, comercial publishing houses, politicians, etc., who are
watching (or will be, once we get this thing flying).
Of course, this isn't an absolute sina qua non, but everyone would benefit
to a greater degree than going it alone. Comments?
Also, although I make no assumptions about which state curiculum framework
will be applied to whatever curriculum area is going to be covered in this
project (whether, history, social studies, oe whatever [note: suggestions
have been made that keep math out of this for the time being because of
certain software limitations]), I'm hoping that a single framework will be
offered up as a model for the initial project. And, I suggest the California
framework for that because of what I said above.
Of course, pointers to other frameworks could be made, but I suggest focus
on one framework for the pilot, as that will get us the best results
possible, to prove our initial point...which is that a quality K-12 text can
be built within open source.