E-Books

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Stellenbosch University Library & Information Service: E-books

• https://library.sun.ac.za/en-za/Search/Pages/E-books.aspx

Digital Publishing Industry Standards

• http://www.idpf.org
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EPUB
• http://www.idpf.org/epub/301/spec/epub-ocf.html

What is an E-Book?

An e-book (short for electronic book and also known as a digital book, ebook, and eBook) is an e-text that forms the digital media equivalent of a conventional printed book, sometimes restricted with a digital rights management system. An e-book, as defined by the Oxford Dictionary of English, is "an electronic version of a printed book which can be read on a personal computer or hand-held device designed specifically for this purpose". Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E-book

E-Book Platforms

• http://www.jisc-adat.com/adat/adat_ebooks.pl

E-Book Readers

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_e-book_readers

E-Book Collections

• Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/e-Docs-Books/b?ie=UTF8&node=551440
• Kalahari.net: http://www.kalahari.net/ebooks/default.aspx?keyID=c2c_1-338082440-1-3-7735336
• Google Books: http://books.google.co.za/

E-Book Software

• http://www.sourcefabric.org/en/booktype
• http://code.google.com/p/sigil
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calibre_(software)
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EPUB#Software

E-Book Blogs

• http://ebookfriendly.com

What is an Open Textbook?

An open textbook is an openly-licensed textbook offered online by its author(s). The open license sets open textbooks apart from traditional textbooks by allowing users to read online, download, or print the book at no additional cost. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_textbook

Open Textbook Collections

• Open Textbooks: http://oerconsortium.org/discipline-specific/
• Community College Open Textbook Collection: http://www.collegeopentextbooks.org/
• Wikibooks: http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Main_Page
• Connexions: http://cnx.org/
• OER Commons: http://www.oercommons.org/
• MERLOT: http://www.merlot.org/merlot/index.htm

What is E-Learning?

E-learning comprises all forms of electronically supported learning and teaching, which are procedural in character and aim to effect the construction of knowledge with reference to individual experience, practice and knowledge of the learner. Information and communication systems, whether networked or not, serve as specific media to implement the learning process. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E-learning

Learning Management Systems

• Moodle: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moodle
• Sakai: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sakai_Project
• Joomla: http://www.joomlalms.com
• Blackboard: http://www.blackboard.com

What are Learning Objects?

A learning object is a resource, usually digital and web-based, that can be used and re-used to support learning. They will typically have a number of different components, which range from descriptive data to information about rights and educational level. At their core, however, will be instructional content, practice, and assessment. A key issue is the use of metadata. The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) defines a learning object as "any entity, digital or non-digital, that may be used for learning, education or training". Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Learning_object

In general, learning objects are defined as reusable digital media that support learning. These media have common behaviors such as reusability, interoperability, durability, accessibility, manageability, and granularity. Source: http://www.loaz.com/

Learning Object Projects

• http://www4.uwm.edu/cie/learning_objects.cfm?gid=37

Learning Object Repository Platforms

• DSpace: http://www.dspace.org/

Learning Object Software

• LOAZ: http://www.loaz.com

What is Open Courseware?

OpenCourseWare, or OCW, is a term applied to course materials in a virtual learning environment created by universities and shared freely with the world via the internet. Already in 1999 the University of Tübingen in Germany published videos of lectures online in the context of its timms initiative. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_courseware

Open Courseware Collections

• http://www.ubuntu.sun.ac.za/wiki/index.php/OpenEducation/Open_Courseware
• MIT OpenCourseWare: http://ocw.mit.edu/index.htm

Lists of Online Academic Resources

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_digital_library_projects
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_online_encyclopedias
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_academic_databases_and_search_engines
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_educational_video_websites
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_blogs

List of Library Software Systems

• http://code4lib.org
• http://www.oss4lib.org