Wanted: Open book Experiences - Platform, print version

OEGlobal Plaza
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With a group of Math teachers we started writing our first open textbook. We still have a lot to learn, so we are looking for your experiences. Could you tell us:

  1. How did you choose a platform for your open textbook? What options did you see? What was available for your purposes?
    We are still looking for a suitable platform so recommendations are welcome.

  2. Next to your open - digital - textbook, did you create a printversion? Why or why not? If you did so, how did this influence your textbook?

  3. What are your overall experiences with writing an open textbook? I.e. What else - besides text and pictures - did you include?

Please share your experiences, tips and valuable resources.

If you prefer sharing your insights in a call, send me a message: L.C.vanhove@tudelft.nl

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I participated in a very cool Rebus (open) book where @mahabali @rjhangiani were editors. Perhaps they can talk about the experience.

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LibreTexts has a number of advantages for math and statistics. These include automatic renumbering of equations, jupyter hubs for R, octave, python and more, simple remixing from existing texts, printed copies at low cost and more.

Here is a video showing what can be done

Josh Halpern
jhalpern@libretexts.org

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Probably most import for your project is support for mathematical notation, although I would like to think most platforms provide that. Also perhaps of importance might be support for embedded interactivity, such as H5P or PHET.

Print versions can be important for providing books in places where internet connectivity is not reliable or present, so there is value in having that as an option.

A worthy platform you do not hear as much about is Manifold, which is open source and a winner of the 2020 Open Education Award for Excellence in the Open Tool category – OEGlobal published a podcast with some of the people behind this platform.

I’m not directly involved with open textbook projects, but as you can see already, there are many people around here who are (and thanks for posing an open question here in OEG Connect).

P.S. There is no need here to post your email address publically! If anyone clicks a user icon here you will find a means to direct message that person.

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Thanks, I just ran out of space :slight_smile:

LibreTexts has a studio to build H5P questions, and libraries of WebWork and Math ML libraries that can stand alone in our AI homework system ADAPT, or be inserted into texts. We also have embed PHET and much more

Thanks for the pointer to Manifold, took a brief look but have to dig deeper.

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Of course, there’s not enough space for all the goodness there, Josh.

And I need to spend some more time exploring LibreStudio… I saw @kernstmeyer sharing that fantastic collection of OpenRN H5P Branching Scenarios

https://studio.libretexts.org/collection/5224