Open Content Initiative

Open Physics Education Modules for Non-Science Majors (OPEM)

Project will convert two existing half courses at Carleton University (PHYS 1905: ‘How Things Work: Physics in Everyday Life’ and PHYS 2903: ‘Physics and the Imagination’) into Open Physics Education Modules for Non-Science Majors.

Proposed open content modules for non-science students will be structured into eleven thematic topics:

1. Transportation
2. Sports
3. Weather and climate
4. Home electricity
5. Sound and music
6. Light and color
7. Green energy
8. Medical imaging
9. The Galaxy and beyond
10. Recent advances
11. The cell phone.

The Laws of Nature through the lens of Physics and Chemistry

Consisting of six open modules, this course will:

1. Tackle current, relevant topics related to physical and chemical principles that help us understand the environmental issues of today
2. Look at how science can both broaden and focus our understanding of the impacts of obtaining, transmitting, and using energy in a technological world

With a newly established Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, the focus of the Canadian Government reflects the commitment to dedicate substantial effort and resources to environmental priorities and sustainable development.

Having a scientific understanding of the laws of nature will be crucial for many areas of study, making this proposal for open course modules timely and relevant.

Pop-Up Retail Strategies in Omni channel Context

Despite an increasing number of pop-up shops, the collective knowledge learned to date has not been researched, curated and mobilized.

Proposed eTextbook fills the gap – a wide variety of institutions and programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels could benefit by:

1. Incorporating pop-up retail theory into courses such as marketing and business
2. Leveraging information as a self-study resource for students

eTextbook will present these fresh, innovative concepts in a dynamic format.

Indigenous Policy

Project will develop a set of 12 modules designed to introduce students to Indigenous history, policy and social issues.

Together with a complete set of quizzes, reading lists, and classroom discussion questions, the modules will:

1. Create the basis for a graduate level public policy course to be called PADM 5224 Aboriginal Policy
2. Develop information that will be reusable in various graduate and senior undergraduate courses that relate either to Aboriginal Studies, Canadian Studies, Legal Studies or Public Policies.

Scientific Data Analytics with R

Project involves the development of a full set of open course modules to build students’ skills using the popular open-source statistical software, R, to analyze and interpret scientific data.

In working through these cross-disciplinary modules, students will experience the scientific inquiry process across a variety of scientific contexts.

Comprehensive Midwifery: The Profession of Midwifery

Midwifery textbook in a three-part series, entitled ‘Comprehensive Midwifery: An Interactive Approach to the Theory & Evidence of Practice.’

This section of our interactive eTextbook will discuss:

1. The history and philosophy of midwifery
2. How current midwifery theory and policies were/are developed
3. Role of education and research in advancing the field
4. Determinants of women’s health throughout Canada and the world
5. Principles and scope of midwifery practice

These will be common themes throughout the text. Policy outlines and case studies specific to the core text content will focus on Canadian examples.

The Open Digital Archaeology Textbook Environment: An Integrated Open Source Approach for Teaching Method and Practice in Digital Archaeology

Digital archaeology as a subfield rests upon the creative use of primarily open-source and/or open-access materials to archive, reuse, visualize, analyze and communicate archaeological data.

Digital archaeology encourages:

1. Innovative and critical use of open access data
2. Development of digital tools that facilitate linkages and analysis across varied digital sources

e-Textbook is an integrated, cloud-based digital exploratory laboratory of multiple cloud computing tools with teaching materials that instructors can use ‘out-of-the-box’ with a single click, or to remix as circumstances dictate.

Planet Earth Online

Planet Earth explores the fundamental concepts of how our planet works, including:

1. Plate tectonics
2. Deep internal structure and composition of the planet
3. Evolution of the biosphere and atmosphere
4. Relationship between geology and human history
5. Modern natural and anthropogenic environmental challenges

Currently there is a bottleneck in our capacity to handle escalating enrollments because:

1. The large class size prohibits laboratories
2. There is no appropriate textbook
3. High enrollment places excessive demand on existing lecture facilities

Enhance student learning experience and wider application of this popular course by developing 10 online modules equivalent to content of the entire course.

Work Integrated Learning Open Content Modules

Work Integrated Learning (WIL) has become a core element of post-secondary instruction, and a crucial means by which applied and experiential learning is infused into curriculum in highly meaningful and professionally relevant ways.

This collaborative project will create:

1. A comprehensive set of open access, learner-centred modules to support WIL preparedness among post-secondary students
2. Modules grounded in HEQCO’s A Practical Guide for Work Integrated Learning that will benefit all stakeholders involved in WIL placements.

Inclusion and Consultation in Early Childhood Studies and Care

Project includes the creation of 9 open content modules on Inclusion and Consultation in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) including:

1. Content that is typically covered in the 4th year of a degree program in Early Childhood Studies/Education
2. Content covered within the context of a required course in Inclusion for Teacher Education and Resource Education programs.

Other applicable courses for which the modules could be used include courses in Disability Studies, Nursing, Midwifery, Social work, Psychology, and Human Development.

Building Science Fundamentals Open Course Modules

Proposed Building Science Fundamentals Open Course Modules will be developed to support current undergraduate (2nd and 3rd year) building science education at the University of Toronto, and at other colleges and universities across the province.

There will be many uses of the modules including:

1. Inverting the classroom
2. Self-study preparatory work for advanced studies
3. Expansion of building science education across Ontario
4. Bringing science fundamentals to life in a new way through innovative live-action case study videos.

Write Here, Right Now: An Interactive Introduction to Academic Writing and Research

‘Write Here, Right Now: An interactive Introduction to Academic Writing and Research’ utilizes PressBooks to create and host a writing e-textbook for first year university students that will:

1. Effectively integrate into the flipped classroom model
2. Function well for non-flipped classroom designs, as the embedded videos, diagrams and linked modules would act as an all-in-one multimedia textbook geared towards multiple learning styles and disciplines.

Gaining a LegUP: University Readiness Resources for Students Entering Post-Secondary Education

Transition from high school to post-secondary education is fraught with issues of a personal and academic nature that can diminish the positive experience students anticipate when attending university.

The LegUP program was introduced to students in the School of Health Studies to:

1. Offer a six-week, online transition program that provides inherently interesting content in the student’s chosen discipline
2. Provide university-readiness skills such as cooperative learning, self-directed learning, reading and writing at the university level and research and inquiry skills

The current proposal looks to expand the pre-university transition program to three other high-demand programs: Biology, Psychology and Engineering.

Introduction to Heavy Civil Engineering Operations and Equipment Management

In this collaborative project between University of Toronto, University of Waterloo, and Lakehead University, a set of learning modules will be developed to support the teaching of an introductory course on Heavy Civil Engineering across all Civil Engineering programs in the province of Ontario.

Open Data Structures: open-content textbook, videos, and online exercises

Project will enhance the already successful eTextbook, Open Data Structures by:

1. Adding approximately 80 interactive videos and online exercises
2. Expanding the user experience by making it more accessible
3. Improving the current HTML version, incorporating transcripts, captions

Each interactive module will be self-contained, so it can be used as a resource by instructors working from any textbook.

Foundations for International Mobility and Engagement

Foundations for International Mobility and Engagement (FIME) is a series of modules designed to:

1. Respond to colleges’ and universities’ race to internationalize their institutions and curriculum
2. Prepare students for international experiences including exchange, research, internship, service learning, or study abroad opportunities

The FIME series of modules is intended for all levels of study including undergraduate and graduate students. Series is also intended for staff and faculty who conduct research abroad or supervise student groups participating in international opportunities.

Understanding American Politics

Project will adapt the textbook Understanding American Politics which Ryan Hurl developed for use in his American Politics courses at the University of Toronto, into an on-line, open access e-textbook. Outcomes will include:

1. Low-cost on-line text
2. Book which approaches the study of American politics with the interests and needs of Ontario university students in mind.

Online Modules with Virtual Gaming Simulation: The Essentials of Maternal and Newborn Assessment in Nursing

Develop a set of open access, online modules incorporating virtual gaming simulation for an entire course focusing on the essentials of maternal and newborn assessment and care in nursing.

A vital component of an undergraduate nursing degree is educational preparation in the essentials of maternal and newborn assessment and care. This substantive area focuses on:

1. Assessment and care of the pregnant woman and fetus
2. Assessment during the birthing process
3. Assessment of the mother, family and newborn for six weeks following birth.

ENSU 2P02 – Environmental Sustainability in Practice – Open Course Modules Project

The Environmental Sustainability Research Centre (ESRC) is one of five Transdisciplinary Hubs at Brock University. It brings together individuals (Faculty, librarians, staff, students) at Brock and beyond to pursue innovative and transdisciplinary research focussed on the environment, sustainability, and social-ecological resilience.

Collaborative project involves development of open course modules associated with, as well as beyond, the course Environmental Sustainability in Practice (ENSU 2P02), one of the core courses in the proposed Minor in Environmental Sustainability at Brock University.

Designing Online & Blended Learning with Impact – eTextbook

Project will create an open eTextbook entitled Designing Online & Blended Learning with Impact. eTextbook will:

1. Introduce pedagogical theories and design principles
2. Assist users with the design of highly effective learning experiences for fully online and blended delivery

Organized following a complete design and reflection cycle to illustrate the different steps and tasks involved in designing blended and online instruction.

Open eTextbook on Pension Finance and Management

Pension Finance and Management is a new CC-BY-licensed eTextbook to be developed through collaboration between:

1. Odette School of Business at the University of Windsor
2. Dr. Keith Ambachtsheer, Director Emeritus of the International Centre for Pension Management at the Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto, President of KPA Advisory Services

eTextbook will build capacity between finance graduates and professionals by developing knowledge and skills needed to design, govern and invest financial resources from savings set aside during working years by law, mutual- agreement, or privately.

eTextbook for Intro History and Philosophy of Science

HPS100 Intro History & Philosophy of Science is currently the largest online course at the University of Toronto St. George campus, with annual enrollment of more than 1,800 students.

Collaborative content project will create:

1. High-quality Intro HPS eTextbook openly available online
2. Text and assets downloadable for re-use in a range of formats including PDF, ePub, WordPress XML and HTML
3. Materials available for printing, access via web browser, or viewing on a range of devices including smartphones, tablets or eReaders.

Patient Safety and QI Methods and Tools for Nurses

Develop six open content modules in the field of patient safety and quality improvement (QI) methods and tools. The development of open content modules will:

1. Standardize high quality patient safety and QI education in Ontario
2. Provide free, open access modules that can be used for an entire course or strategically integrated across the nursing curriculum
3. Support the development of job-ready skill sets demanded by the workplace
4. Facilitate tracking education on patient safety and QI across Ontario.

Introduction to the Theory and Practice of Community-Based Research

Develop a bundled set of experiential learning themed, adaptable elearning modules with complete scope for a new one-term, half-credit course that develops foundational skills in community-based research.

Content will be aimed at a 2nd or 3rd year level and will:

1. Introduce students to the theory and practices of community-based research
2. Provide a foundation for students pursuing community-based research in senior-level capstone courses or graduate school

Existing courses are graduate level and seminar based – this innovative pedagogical approach will provide content in a bundled and online manner targeted at the undergraduate level.