Open Textbook Project

From OER Commons Wiki

Open Textbook Project - Review Criteria Workspace

This wiki is a collaborative workspace for participants in the Community College Open Textbook (CCOT) Project to iteratively develop and refine a set of criteria for reviewing and evaluating open textbooks. Below is a set of review criteria that we have previously used, which can serve as a starting point. Dig in, offer your thoughts, mix, mash, modify and adapt!

Clarity of course materials—clarity and comprehensibility of written content, including the syllabi, lessons, instructions, and exercises

Content errors—the presence or absence of factual errors, grammatical errors, and typographical errors in the course material

Appropriateness of course materials— appropriateness of the material for the course level, the varied learning styles of the students and the media used to convey the material

Interface—technological issues such as broken links, improperly displayed graphics, and ease of navigation

Content usefulness—the ways in which the content could be useful for teachers, students, and those with a general interest in the subject area

Consistency of course materials—consistency in the courses’ language and use of key terms as is necessary to facilitate understanding by novice users

Suggested changes—the top three issues that reviewers felt needed to be addressed prior to the course materials going live to the public

Exemplary features—the top three course features that reviewers felt were exemplary

Others to add to the mix might include:

Cultural relevance

Reading level

Readability in terms of logic and flow

Accuracy

Modularity (or the ability to take apart, mash up and remix the content)

Universal accessibility (thus permitting all populations - no matter the physical constraint - to access content)

Color printing and graphics as an available option, in all print materials

Meet as many specific course articulation requirements as possible

Ability to transport content to modalities other than print (cell phones, and other portable devices, for example)

Content should be as interoperable on as many platforms as possible

How does this open textbook compare with the best commercial textbook available in my discipline, and/or the commercially published textbook that I am using for my course ?