Developing OER in PressBooks

Step-by-Step Process to Create OER Using PressBooks

1. Accessing PressBooks

• Website Access: Email Mitch Cota for a PressBooks account. He will create your account
  and email back with log-in credentials.

2. Creating a New Book

• Dashboard Navigation: Once logged in, you will be taken to the PressBooks dashboard.
• Initiate a New Book:
  • Click on the “My Books” button, then select "Create a New Book."
  • Book Information: Enter the book title, choose a unique URL for your book (e.g., pressbooks.ccconline.org/acccomposition), and select the primary language.
  • Create Book: Click “Create Book” to proceed.

3. Setting Up Your Book

• Book Info:

  • Navigate to the “Book Info” tab under the “Book” menu on the left sidebar.
  • Metadata Entry: Fill out the detailed metadata fields including:
    • Title: Main title of your book.
    • Subtitle: Additional context for the title.
    • Author(s): Names of all contributing authors.
    • Publisher: Institution or entity publishing the book.
    • Publication Date: Planned or actual publication date.
    • Short Description: A brief summary of the book’s content.
    • Keywords: Relevant keywords to enhance searchability.
  • Save Changes: Click “Save” after entering the information.

• Organizing Content:

  • Structure Setup: Go to the “Organize” menu.
  • Add Parts and Chapters:
    • Click “Add Part” to create major sections of the book.
    • Under each part, click “Add Chapter” to create individual chapters.
  • Drag-and-Drop Organization: Arrange parts and chapters by dragging them into the desired order.
  • Front and Back Matter: Add sections like the introduction, preface, bibliography, and index in the designated areas.

4. Writing and Formatting Content

• Chapter Creation:

  • Navigate to “Text” and select “Add New” to create a new chapter.
  • Rich Text Editor: Utilize the rich text editor to input your content. Key features include:
    • Text Formatting: Use bold, italics, underline, and other text styles.
    • Headings and Subheadings: Organize content with various heading levels for clear structure.
    • Lists: Create ordered and unordered lists for better readability.
    • Hyperlinks: Insert hyperlinks for referencing external resources.

• Media Integration:

  • Images and Figures: Click “Add Media” to upload images. Ensure to add alt text for accessibility.
  • Tables: Use the table creation tool to present data systematically.
  • Multimedia: Embed videos and audio files using the media embed options.

5. Adding Interactive Elements

• H5P Integration:
  • Go to the “H5P Content” menu under “Media”.
  • Create H5P Content: Click “Add New” and select the type of interactive content (e.g., quizzes, interactive videos).
  • Embed H5P Content: Insert the created H5P content into chapters by using the H5P shortcode.
  • The Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning can provide guidance on useful content.

6. Exporting and Publishing

• Export Options:

  • Navigate to the “Export” menu.
  • Select Formats: Choose the desired formats for export such as PDF, EPUB, MOBI, and XHTML.
  • Customization: Adjust export settings for each format, such as pagination, format-specific styles, and metadata inclusion.

• Generate Files:

  • Click “Export Your Book” to generate files in the selected formats.
  • Download Links: After export, download the files for review.

• Publishing:

  • Webbook URL: Share the webbook URL with your audience for online access.
  • Distribution: Distribute the exported files through institutional repositories, learning management systems, or other platforms.

7. Collaboration and Sharing

• Invite Collaborators:

  • Navigate to the “Users” menu.
  • Add Users: Enter the email addresses of collaborators and assign appropriate roles (e.g., editor, author, contributor).
  • Role Definitions: Define roles and permissions to manage access and editing rights.

• Share Your Book:

  • Provide direct links to the webbook or downloadable files.
  • Utilize social media, email, and institutional channels to promote your OER.

Additional Tips

• Regular Backups: Periodically back up your book to prevent data loss.
• Quality Assurance: Conduct thorough reviews and solicit feedback from colleagues to ensure content accuracy and quality.
• Leverage Support: Utilize PressBooks’ support documentation and community forums for troubleshooting and advanced tips.

By following these detailed steps, college faculty can effectively create, organize, and publish Open Educational Resources using the PressBooks platform.