UC Irvine’s OpenCourseWare gets Financial Boost
From The Hewlett Foundation:
The University of California, Irvine today announced the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation has provided $320,000 in grant support to further develop the University’s OpenCourseWare (OCW) program and to advance the Open Education Resources Movement (OER) which it serves. With this funding, the University will expand existing free online courses and programs, and create new content — all available free of charge, to learners across the globe.
The grant will support the staffing and planning necessary for the University to grow its own OCW initiative, while also actively participating in the OCW and OER communities to further advance these movements. Specifically, the University will remain an active member in the OpenCourseWare Consortium, established by the Hewlett Foundation and now including 200 institutional members, which offer more than 9,000 open courses. In addition, the University will utilize the funding to update the content of existing OCW courses and develop new services associated with OCW, including an independent study model.
Canadian Safety Agency Adds Video Games to eLearning
From CSA Standards:
Canadian agency CSA Standards has launched a suite of interactive games to teach emergency preparedness, safety, and a variety of essential skills that could mean the difference between life and death on the job for many Canadian employees.
“To reduce injuries, workplace training must teach best safety practices and change behavior,” says Suzanne Kiraly, President, CSA Standards. “These new interactive modules go well beyond the simple transfer of knowledge and engage users in making decisions in the workplace that are linked to real-world standards and safety guidelines. From handling hazardous materials to assessing risks to prevent major disasters, preparing workforces with safety and emergency response skills in a virtual environment could mean the difference between life and death on the job.”
The interactive media was created by Distil Interactive, a developer of e-learning products. One piece of the training, Response Ready, challenges a trainee to avoid a dangerous explosion at a gas station and other emergency scenarios such as a toxic train derailment or a factory chemical spill.
Texas Bill Promotes Print-on-Demand Textbooks
A bill that went into effect in Texas on Sept. 1 provides for the adoption and use of open-source textbooks for K-12 students. The bill enables the state to create a repository of digital textbook content, which allows for customizable online or print-on-demand textbooks to be tailored to each school district’s, school’s, or student’s curriculum needs. It also allows for computer software, video, and other learning technologies to be integrated more readily with textbook content.
The bill is similar to changes in California state law, which also allows for the use of open-source textbooks in schools.
Posted by Jill Duffy, Senior Editor