It can be easy to focus solely on textual resources when searching for, modifying, and combining OERs to create a new Open Textbook. We have grown accustomed to the look and feel and function of a physical book in our hands, so it can be easy to overlook or dismiss audio/visual resources. Open Textbook Authoring enables authors to pull different types of resources into a single text for a well-rounded educational experience that goes beyond simply reading a chapter. Consider utilizing openly-licensed images, videos, podcasts, graphics, music, oral histories, charts, or audio clips within your newly authored text to change things up (as always, be mindful of license terms).
How to Modify an Existing Open Textbook
"6 Steps to Modifying an Open Textbook" by Clint Lalonde, CC-BY
When the Perfect Open Textbook just doesn't Exist
Faculty often enter the OER Adoption process thinking that they will find a single textbook that will work for them, only to discover that the perfect OER hasn't been created yet. This often leads to a sense of discouragement, because most faculty are accustomed to the mindset that all they need is one resource. Breaking that mindset, that thought that they can only use one resource, opens faculty to the world of remixed OERs and flexible instructional content. It can be daunting, realizing that the textbook no longer dictates the direction of your course, but that, instead, you dictate the direction of your textbook. So where do you start?
This step-by-step guide combines content from "6 Steps to Modifying an Open Textbook" by Clint Lalonde, CC-BY and "Open Textbook Adoption Worksheet" by Dr. Judy Baker, CC-BY
"What is an open license and how does it work?" by The Council of Chief State School Officers, CC-BY
If you wish to apply a Creative Commons License to your own work, use this Creative Commons tool to choose the permissions and terms you would like your CC License to encompass, and the tool will tell you which Creative Commons License best fits your needs.
A Member of Minnesota State