Poster Sessions
What is a textbook in an online science class?
Presenter: Dr. Erik Terdal, Northeastern State University
Science courses have used traditional textbooks for decades. As science courses move online, how should textbooks be used? This poster will not answer that question, but will serve to initiate discussion.
Three approaches that have been used in three different on-line science courses will be presented:
In one, I used a traditional textbook with an excellent publishers website. Students had weekly activities using the textbook website for simulations and quizzes.
In the second, I used three paperback books written for a general audience, supplemented with a reputable science Blog and government reports available online.
In the third I used a paperback book written for a general audience supplemented with numerous readings from the technical literature. This poster will give an overview and my impressions of the advantages and disadvantages of these three approaches to textbooks in online science courses.
Unplugging from the Commercial Software Grid: Free Content, The Next Step
Presenter: Kent Brooks, Western Oklahoma State College
This session reviews Western Oklahoma State College's strategic road map for using open source software and free services, such as Moodle, Open Office, Software for Starving Students and Google Apps for Education.
The discussion then turns to a specific Microcomputer Applications Course in which Western has developed in Moodle (open source) uses OpenOffice.org (open source) to teach microcomputer applications, and uses Jing (free) as a key content development tool. Students enrolling in this course also are provided a FREE textbook which they can use online or which can be downloaded.
As budgets are squeezed and software compatibility issues abound, it is time to determine if open source and alternative software services can be strategic tools in the higher education environment. Included will be keys to evaluating open source software and a list of our favorites including free and low cost content tools we use for developing virtual puppets, avatars and voice/audio applications.
Open Source & Online Books in a Web Design & Marketing Course
Presenter: Julie Luscomb, Tulsa Community College
In my Web Design and Marketing course, the cost of course materials and software became prohibitive for my students. The textbooks were not always up-to-date as the software changed about every 18 months.
Over a period of a few years, I moved away from commercial software and books to open-source software and online books, tutorials and videos. This poster session presents a timeline of my process and notes the pros and cons of this transition.