Education

Curriculums, Texts

MIT OpenCourseWare

“A free and open educational resource for faculty, students, and self-learners around the world…a publication of MIT course materials…does not require any registration.” Over 2000 Courses available, spanning the fields of Architecture, Engineering, Management, Health Sciences, Humanities, Arts, Social Sciences, and beyond. Everything from Air Traffic Control, Experimental Molecular Biology and Microeconomic Theory to Costume Design, Music Composition, Videogame Theory and much more.

OpenStax

An educational initiative from Rice University with the mission to improve educational access and learning for everyone. “We publish high-quality, peer-reviewed, openly licensed college textbooks that are absolutely free online and low cost in print. Seriously. We are also conducting cutting edge learning research and providing free interactive, standards-aligned Algebra I curriculum giving educators and students the tools they need to drive learning and achievement.” See their current library of textbooks, the Kinetic research platform, and RAISE curriculum (Rice Algebra Initiative for Success and Equity).

Libretexts

“The LibreTexts mission is to unite students, faculty and scholars in a cooperative effort to develop an easy-to-use online platform for the construction, customization, and dissemination of open educational resources (OER) to reduce the burdens of unreasonable textbook costs to our students and society … All Libretexts libraries are accessible to everyone via the internet, completely free … The libraries are part of a huge network that provides not just single textbooks, but an infinitely large library through which new texts can be developed & shared.” Also see LibreCommons, hosting curated Open Educational Resources from 14 LibreTexts libraries in one convenient location.

Wikibooks

a collection of more than 3,500 open-content, editable textbooks.

The Textmapping Project

”… a graphic organizer technique that can be used to teach reading comprehension and writing skills, study skills, and course content … Textmapping involves long paper scrolls, colored markers, and a spatially-descriptive form of marking called mapping … The same strategies that can be taught in books can be taught more clearly and explicitly by using scrolls and mapping.”

Directory of Open Access Journals

”… free, full text, quality controlled scientific and scholarly journals … all subjects and languages … DOAJ is a unique and extensive index of diverse open access journals from around the world … committed to ensuring quality content is freely available online for everyone.”

The Public Library of Science

“…to make the original published reports of ideas, discoveries, and research results in the life sciences and medicine (and eventually other fields) freely available online, without restrictions on use or further distribution…” For example, see this paper on Gray Wolves and Climate Change in Yellowstone.

Textbook Weight in California: Data and Analysis (pdf)

Study of the role text-books play in creating over-burdened back-packs for children.

Supplies, Materials

American Science & Surplus

“Eclectic range of products, many with a science or educational tilt to them…for the hobbiest, tinkerer, artist, experimenter, home educator, do-it-yourselfer, and bargain hunter.”

NASCO Catalogs

Educational materials, classroom school supplies, and products for areas such as agricultural sciences, farm and ranch, anatomical/nursing, arts and crafts and science.

Home Mountain Biological

“Owl pellets dissections are a great hands-on lab that never fails to fascinate and engage students. Behind the scenes your pellet purchase helps support the rural economy and improve owl habitat … quality specimens, posters and guides … helps raise awareness of our beloved barn Owl (Tyto alba) … which have been on this continent for over 18,000 years.” A family-run supply business serving school educators and students, amateur scientists and hobby enthusiasts, and science professionals with a large array of high quality, low price, scientific laboratory and educational supplies and tools.”

Organizations, Projects

explOratorium

“The museum of science, art and human perception”, the Exploratorium was founded in 1969 by Frank Oppenheimer and others who wished to provide informal learning experiences in a public space. Check out the Teacher Institute and Institute for Inquiry. Or head over to The Palace of Fine Arts and experience the interactive exhibits first-hand!

Waldorf education

“Developed by Rudolf Steiner in 1919, Waldorf education is based on a developmental approach that addresses the needs of the growing child and maturing adolescent. Waldorf teachers strive to transform education in to an art that educates the whole child—the heart and the hands, as well as the head.”

Reggio Emilia

From Italy: “…educational project developed and practiced in the Municipal Infant-toddler Centers and Preschools of Reggio Emilia.”

School Arts for Nature

From Germany: “According to the slogan Thinking and learning about the environment with head, heart and hand, pupils explore their local and regional environment for special phenomena. Their impressions and experiences will then be expressed creatively in an artistic and aesthetic manner. The finished products will be presented to the local communities in the individual schools and will later be offered for sale.”

Shikshantar

From India, an organization that endeavors to “…construct and connect new open learning communities”

Motivating People to Learn

an interview with Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi about what motivates people to learn

Generation YES

“…works with schools…to implement and enhance student technology programs through innovative curriculum, online tools and research-based support services. Programs focus on student-centered, project-based experiences that impact student’s lives and increase student involvement in school and community through technology.”

ThinkerTools Project

“…researchers from UC Berkeley and elsewhere are collaborating with middle school teachers from inner-city, rural, and suburban public schools. We are developing instructional methods and materials aimed at making scientific inquiry accessible to a wide range of students.”