Kurzgesagt Video Series added to the OER collection of NCLOR

Today over 90 video resources were added to the open educational resources collection from Kurzgesagt.org. Kurzgesagt – German for “In a nutshell“ is a Munich-based YouTube channel and design studio with a unique perspective on design, color and storytelling. They want their work to raise awareness for topics from the fields of science, space, technology, biology, history and philosophy. Their goal is to inspire people to learn – and believe humor and a good story to tell are just as important as straight facts.

Example: Building a Mars base is a Horrible Idea: Let’s do it!,  Kurzgesagt YouTube Channel, Feb 3, 2019

The NCCCS courses that could be enhanced by using these resources are: ANT-220 Cultural Anthropology, AST-111 Descriptive Astronomy, BAF-110 Principles of Banking, BIO-090 Foundations of Biology, BIO-145 Ecology, BIO-250 Genetics, ENV-110 Environmental Science, ENV-255 Envir/Public Hth.Pathogen, GRO-120 Gerontology, PHI-215 Philosophical Issues, PHS-130 Earth Science, PHY-110 Conceptual Physics, and SAB-110 Substance Abuse Overview.

Accessibility Statement:  All of the videos and/or learning objects in this series are closed captioned or have links to the text version of the video narration on of each activity.

To access this series, you can do any of the following:

• Log into the NCLOR and click on “Browse by Resource Series” and then the Kurzgesagt – In a nutshell series.
• If you are NCCCS faculty, you can add the links to the resources directly to your LMS based course. (learn how)
• Simply, click Kurzgesagt – In a nutshell to view the series as a guest.

SciShow – Space Video Series added to the OER collection of NCLOR

Today over 400 video space science resources were added to the open educational resources collection from SciShow -Space. SciShow – Space is a video series from a family of science related YouTube channels. They make videos about: science news, history, particle physics, chemistry, biology, psychology, you name it. Their goal is to capture the awesomeness of our bizarre universe and make it easy for everyone to understand and enjoy. This space science video series includes topics like: Aliens, Astronauts, Black Holes, Comets, Dark Matter, Exoplanets, Galaxies and more.

Example: The Truth About Warp Drive,  Hank Green, May 14, 2015

The NCCCS courses that could be enhanced by using these resources are: AST-111 Descriptive Astronomy, AST-151 General Astronomy I

To access this series, you can do any of the following:

• Log into the NCLOR and click on “Browse by Resource Series” and then the SciShow-Space series.
• If you are NCCCS faculty, you can add the links to the resources directly to your LMS based course. (learn how)
• Simply, click SciShow – Space to view the series as a guest.

CrashCourse Video Series Added to OER Collection

On May 5th, the CrashCourse educational video series was added to the open educational resources collection within the NCLOR. CrashCourse is a YouTube based educational channel that creates free, high-quality educational videos used by teachers and learners of all kinds. CrashCourse is a educational video series created by John and Hank Green. Over 660 resources were added in the courses of World Mythology, Computer Science, Sociology, Media Literacy, Statistics, Film, History, Biology, Ecology, Chemistry, Psychology, Anatomy & Physiology, Physics, Philosophy, Astronomy, and U.S. Government and Politics. This series has helped changed attitudes towards education by creating a community of learners who are looking for more than just help passing a test. Each course includes animated videos to explain course topics in an easy to understand manner.

Example: Quantum Mechanics – Part 1: Crash Course Physics #43

Accessibility Statement:  All of the videos and/or learning objects in this series are closed captioned or have links to the text version of the video narration on of each activity.

The NCCCS courses that these resources may supplement are; AST111, AST151, AST152, BIO090, BIO145, BIO163, BIO165, BIO166, CHM082, CHM090, CHM092, CSC120, CSC130, FVP111, FVP112, FVP212, FVP213, FVP3100, HEA3002, HIS111, HIS112, MAT152, PHI210, PHI215, PHY110, PHY151, POL120, PSY150, SOC100, and SOC210.

To access these resources, you can do any of the following:

• Since these resources are open, you can access the series via Guest Access here: CrashCourse or log into the NCLOR and click on the More button on the left menu bar. Then click the Browse by Open Educational Resource Series link and then click the CrashCourse link.
• If you are K-14 faculty, you can add the links to the resources directly to your LMS based course. (learn how)

Georgia Virtual Learning Content Added to OER Collection in NCLOR

Today, over 1100 individual learning modules were added to the open educational resources collection within the NCLOR. This series has been made available from the Georgia Department of Education. The Georgia Virtual Learning (GVL) is a large online repository of learning content used for online instruction. The virtual courses included in this series serve a wide array of student learning styles through interactive and engaging learning content that’s designed for best practice and flexibility. The resources included in this series are the “shared” or the open educational resources created for the Georgia Virtual Learning instruction. There are 94 complete courses included in this collection, in subjects such as: Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education, Fine Arts, Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, Social Sciences, and World Languages.

The courses were created by Georgia Department of Education faculty. They are organized in modular format (SoftChalk) with audio/video interactive features and built in navigation. Specific attention was paid regarding ADA compliance with the inclusion of closed caption/audio features as well as universal design.

The courses included in this series are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 Unported License. 

In the NCLOR, the courses are sorted by subject area, course name and then module order. Click a subject area listed below, to view the full list of courses available.

Subjects

• Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education
• Fine Arts
• Language Arts
• Mathematics
• Science
• Social Sciences
• World Language

Example: “Introduction to Digital Design” – Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education

The NCCCS courses that these resources may supplement are; ACC-125, AIB-110, ART-111, ART-114, ART-115, AST-111, ATR-282, BAF-110, BIO-106, BIO-110, BIO-111, BIO-163, BIO-165, BIO-280, BUS-110, CHM-090, CHM-131, CIS-070, CIS-110, CIS-111, CIS-115, CIS-3100, CJC-111, CJC-251, CJC-5001, CJC-5070, COM-120, DET-112, DMA-030, DME-110, DME-140, ECO-251, EFL-093, ENG-231, ENG-241, ENG-261, ENG-271, ENV-110, ENV-120, FLI-3712, FLI-3714, FLI-3715, FLI-3720, GEL-111, GEO-111, GEO-112, GEO-113, HIS-111, HIS-112, HIS-131, HIS-132, HRD-3008, HUM-130, JOU-110, LAT-111, LAT-112, MAT-110, MAT-121, MAT-122, MAT-171, MAT-271, MKT-227, MUS-110, MUS-121, NUR-3100, PHY-101, PHY-110, PHY-131, PHY-132, POL-120, PSY-150, SGD-112, SGD-3200, SOC-210, SPA-110, WEB-210, and WEB-3000.

Technology Note: Many of the resources in this series use embedded Flash elements within the modules. You should be sure to configure your web browser to accept embedded Flash content.  

To access these resources, you can do any of the following:

• Since these resources are open, you can access the series via Guest Access here: Georgia Virtual Learning or log into the NCLOR and click on the More button on the left menu bar. Then click the Open Educational Resource Series link and then click the Georgia Virtual Learning link.
• If you are K-14 faculty, you can add the links to the resources directly to your LMS based course. (learn how)

Science Friday Series Added to NCLOR

Today, the NCLOR added a 100+ video series from Science Friday (SciFri). For 25 years SciFri introduced top scientists to public radio listeners, and reminded them how much fun it is to learn something new. But it is more than just a radio show. They produce award-winning digital videos, original web articles, and educational resources for teachers and informal educators. All of the work is independently produced by the Science Friday Initiative, a non-profit organization dedicated to increasing the public’s access to science and scientific information. Public Radio International (PRI) distributes the radio show, which you can catch on public radio stations across the U.S.

The videos in this series include topics in the subjects of: Arts, Biology, Chemistry, Design, Earth Science, Engineering, Food Science, Health, and Physics.

Example: “How Owl Turn their Heads” Science Friday, Feb 1, 2013.

The NCCCS courses that these resource may supplement are: ANS111, ART261, ART267, ART281, ART282, ASL250, AST111, AST151, BDF114, BIO090, BIO110, BIO120, BIO130, BIO140A, BIO160, BIO163, BIO165, BIO168, BIO170, BIO173, BIO230, BIO243, BIO250, BIO275, BIO280, BTC260, CHM080, CHM082, CHM090, CHM092, CHM131, CUL142, CUL150, DAN140, DES125, DES135, DES240, DES3000, DME110, EDT110, EDU234, EGR150, EGR230, EGR250, ENV110, ENV218, HIS164, HOR3307, ISC3600, MSC172, MUS110, MUS111, PED211, PHY101, PHY110, PHY122, PSY150, and REL221.

To access these resources, you can do any of the following:

• Log into the NCLOR and click on the More button on the left menu bar. Then click the Resource Series link and then SciFri – Science Friday.
• If you are K-14 faculty, you can add the links to the resources directly to your LMS based course. (learn how)

CK-12 Resource Series Updated in NCLOR

Due to a resource reorganization at CK-12, the NCLOR needed to re-catalog all the resources available from the CK-12 foundation. The FlexBooks® currently available (72), have now been downloaded to the NCLOR directly in PDF and ePub formats. To view the files you will need a pdf reader or an iOS device, Android device or ePub reader to view the ePub files. All older versions of the resources in the CK-12 series have been archived.

FlexBook® textbooks are CK-12’s open source digital textbooks.

The CK-12 Foundation is a non-profit organization with a mission to reduce the cost of textbook materials for the K-12 market both in the U.S. and worldwide. Using an open-content, web-based collaborative model termed the FlexBook®, CK-12 intends to pioneer the generation and distribution of high-quality educational content that will serve both as core text as well as provide an adaptive environment for learning.

Except as otherwise noted, all CK-12 Content is made available to users in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial 3.0 Unported (CC BY-NC 3.0) License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/), as amended and updated by Creative Commons from time to time (the “CC License”), which is incorporated herein by this reference.

Click on the links below to view the different FlexBook® subjects available in this resource series collection.

FlexBook® Subjects

• Science : Biology (14), Chemistry (4), Earth Science (4), Life Science (4), and Physics (7) 
• Mathematics : Algebra (8), Analysis (3), Calculus (4), Geometry (8), Probability (6), Statistics (6), and Trigonometry (5)
  
• Engineering (3) 
• English (3) 
• Technology (1) 
• Astronomy (1) 
• History (2)
  

The NCCCS courses that these resource may supplement are: AST111,  AST111A,  BIO090,  BIO094,  BIO100,  BIO106,  BIO110,  BIO111,  BIO112,  BIO150,  BIO162,  BIO163,  CHM080,  CHM081,  CHM082,  CHM130,  CHM132,  DFT214,  DMA030,  EGR110,  EGY2000,  ENG125,  ENG126,  EVN110,  HIS131,  JOU110,  MAT121,  MAT122,  MAT142,  MAT223,  MAT252,  MAT263,  MAT271,  PHY101,  PHY110,  PHY121,  and PHY122.

To access these resources, you can do any of the following:

• Click on any of the links above.
• Log into the NCLOR and click on the More button on the left menu bar. Then click the Resource Series link and then CK-12 Flexbooks.
• If you are K-14 faculty, you can add the links to the resources directly to your LMS based course. (learn how)

Sumanas Inc. Learning Objects added as new Series

Sumanas Inc is a education multimedia group that specializes in accurate high-impact interactive learning activities for higher education. Sumanas has made available 105 examples of the work they have completed for science textbooks and related fields. The subjects included in this series are: General Biology, Molecular Biology, Microbiology, General Biotechnology, Biopsychology & Neuroscience, Environmental Science, Astronomy, and Chemistry. This series is a open educational resource and available to everyone.

Example: Screenshot of the “Blood Flow through the Human Heart” learning object. from the Sumanas Inc. series. Click the image to view the resource.

The suggested NCCCS courses these resources may benefit are:  BIO100, BIO111, BIO112, BIO165, BIO166, BIO168, BIO169, BIO170, BIO175, BIO275,  BIO280, ENV110, EHS115, AST151, CHM080, CHM082, CHM090, and CHM094.

To access this series, you can do any of the following:

• Log into the NCLOR and click on “Browse by Resource Series” and then the Sumanas Inc.  series.
• If you are NCCCS faculty, you can add the links to the resources directly to your LMS based course. (learn how)
• Simply, click Sumanas Resource Series to view the series as a guest.

SBCTC Open Course Library Phase II Courses added to NCLOR

The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) has updated the Open Course Library, which is a collection of expertly developed educational materials for 81 of the state’s highest-enrolled college courses. The materials are freely available online under an open license for use by the state’s 34 public community and technical colleges, four-year colleges and universities, and anyone else worldwide. The subjects included in this update  are: Business, Communications, English, Fine Arts, Humanities, Mathematics,  and Science.

This resource series contains the IMS Common Cartridge files of the Open Course Library catalog. These files are compatible with many learning management systems (LMS) and contain all of the course content including syllabi, course activities, readings, and assessments. Some courses have content available via Google Docs which enables users to download the course resources directly to their Google account.

All of the course titles included in this series are:

American Government, American Literature I, American Sign Language I, American Sign Language II, American Sign Language III, Art Appreciation, Biology I, Biology II, Biology III, Business Calculus, Business Law, Calculus I, Calculus II, Calculus III, College Success Course, Cultural Anthropology, Elementary Algebra, Engineering Physics I, English Composition I, English Composition II, French I, French II, French III, General Biology with Lab, General Chemistry with Lab I, General Chemistry with Lab II, General Chemistry with Lab III, General Psychology, Health for Adult Living, Human Anatomy and Physiology 1&2, Intermediate Algebra, Interpersonal Communication, Intro to Communication, Intro to Drama, Intro to Humanities, Intro to Mass Media, Intro to Political Science, Intro to Sociology, Introduction To Astronomy, Introduction To Business, Introduction to Chemistry (Inorganic), Introduction To Literature I, Introduction To Logic, Introduction To Oceanography, Introduction To Philosophy, Introduction to Physical Geology, Introduction to Statistics, Lifespan Psychology, Macroeconomics, Math in Society, Microbiology, Microeconomics, Music Appreciation, Nutrition, Pacific NW History, Physical Anthropology, Physics: Non Science Majors, Precalculus I, Precalculus II, Pre-College English, Principles of Accounting I, Principles of Accounting II, Principles of Accounting III, Public Speaking, Research for the 21st Century, Small Group Communication, Social Problems, Spanish I, Spanish II, Spanish III, Survey of Anthropology, Survey of Biology, Survey of Environmental Science, Symbolic Logic, Technical Writing, US History I, US History II, US History III, Western Civilization, Women in US History, and World Civilizations I.

Creative Commons License
This content is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License which means that you are free to reuse the course in its entirety, edit it and use a your own modified version, or pick out only pieces which can be incorporated into your own course, as long as you credit the original author for their work.

The NCCCS courses that could be enhanced by using these resources are:

ACC111, ACC115, ACC118, ACC119, ACC120, ACC221, ACC3107, ANT210, ANT220, ANT230, ART111, ASL111, ASL112, ASL211, ASL221, ASL222, AST151, BIO100, BIO106, BIO110, BIO111, BIO112, BIO155, BIO160, BIO163, BUS110, BUS115, BUS116, BUS121, CHM115A, CHM121A, CHM131, CHM131A, CHM151, COM110, COM120, COM150, COM160, COM231, COM3709, ECO251, ECO252, EGR150, EGR220, ENG090, ENG110, ENG111, ENG116, ENG131, ENG132, ENG138, ENG231, ENV110, FLI3714, FLI3717, FRE111, FRE112, FRE211, FRE212, FRE221, GEL120, HEA110, HIS111, HIS121, HIS122, HIS131, HIS132, HIS162, HIS165, HIS232, HUM211, LIB210, MAT070, MAT080, MAT101, MAT151, MAT171, MAT172, MAT210, MAT223, MAT271, MAT272, MAT273, MSC160, MUS110, PHI210, PHI216, PHI230, PHY080, PHY090, POL110, POL120, PSY110, PSY150, SOC210, SOC220, SPA110, SPA111, SPA211, SPA212, SPA241,and SPA242.

To access this series, you can do any of the following:

• Log into the NCLOR and click on “Browse by Resource Series” and then the Open Course Library series.
• If you are NCCCS faculty, you can add the links to the resources directly to your LMS based course. (learn how)
• Simply, click here to view the series as a guest.

Khan Academy Resource Series Added to NCLOR

The Khan Academy is a not-for-profit organization with the goal of changing education for the better by providing a free world-class education to anyone anywhere. This series includes over 1600 math,  biology, chemistry, finance, physics, and history videos tutorials. Each video is a digestible chunk, approximately 10 minutes long, and especially purposed for viewing on the computer.

This material is directly suited for supplementing standard lesson activities and gives the student the opportunity to review complicated procedures many times.

Bill Gates calls the Khan Academy “the future of education”.

To access the Khan Academy resource series:

1. log into the NCLOR  < www.explorethelor.org > or through your institution’s learning management system
2. navigate to the Browse by Resource Series area
3. click on the Khan Academy series.

Yale University Open Courses added to the NCLOR

Enjoy the privilege of having Ivy League instructors delivery material to your students.  Open Yale Courses provide free and open access to a selection of introductory courses taught by distinguished teachers and scholars at Yale University. This collection is a variety of subjects developed into a series of video lectures.  These resources have now been added as a Resource Series into the NCLOR.

Currently, there are 14 complete courses with syllabi, lecture notes, and resources.  In this collection, you will find courses on: Astronomy, Biomedical Engineering, Chemistry, Economics, History, Physics, Political Science, and Psychology.  These resources are perfect as “value added” instruction for students or as professional development activities for instructors.

To access the Open Yale Courses resource series:

1. log into the NCLOR  < www.explorethelor.org > or through your institution’s learning management system
2. navigate to the Browse by Resource Series area
3. click on the Open Yale Courses series.