Free Educational Resources
Free Educational Resources
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| Meeting Place: | ELDER Project |
| Book: | Free Educational Resources |
| Printed by: | Guest User |
| Date: | Friday, 22 November 2024, 07:25 PM |
150 free textbooks
from: http://www.openculture.com/free_textbooksFree textbooks (aka open textbooks) written by knowledgable scholars are a relatively new phenomenon. Below, find a meta list of 150 Free Textbooks, and check back often for new additions. Also see our online collection of Free Courses.
Art History
Biology
Business and Management
Chemistry
Computer Science and Information Systems
Earth Science
Economics & Finance
Education
Engineering
History
Linguistics
Mathematics
Music
Philosophy
Physics
Political Science
Psychology
Free audio books
from: http://www.openculture.com/freeaudiobooksAudio Book Podcast Sites
Free Books
Free E-books: Where to get them and How to read them
By Michael Mak, ELDER Project (www.elderproject.knet.ca)
With the evolution of portable e-book readers such as the Amazon Kindle or the IPad, or even the XO laptop, one might ask – are free books available on the internet? And what do we use to read them on a computer?
As I was compiling the OLPC Little Green Machines site (please check it out at: http://meeting.knet.ca/mp19/course/view.php?id=81 ) I came across a guide to use the XO as a eBook reader, so I decided to create a guide to share the info on how you can get free books and read them on a generic PC or a Mac.
1) Where to get Free E-Books?
For me, there are 2 main places to get books: Project Gutenberg and The Internet Archive
Project Gutenberg:
Project Gutenberg is the oldest source of free e-books and still one of the best. There are three main sites with different titles to choose from, including audio book format:
Project Gutenberg at http://www.gutenberg.org/wiki/Main_Page
Project Gutenberg Australia at http://gutenberg.net.au/
Project Gutenberg Canada at http://www.gutenberg.ca/
The Internet Archive is a site devoted to preserving the public domain. In addition to books they have movies, music, and even some software that is in the public domain. There are over a million and a half e-books available from this site. The URL for e-books is:
http://www.archive.org/details/texts
Internet Archive books are created by scanning page images, including the covers of the books. When you read one of them the visual experience is very much like reading the original book. The website lets you read the book online in "flipbook" format, which is very much like paging through the original book:
There is a Children's Book Collection at the Internet Archive at this URL:
http://www.archive.org/details/iacl
Quite a few of the books are from the 1800's and more of interest to children's book collectors than actual children, but you can find the Oz books, books by Edgar Rice Burroughs ( Tarzan ), Jules Verne, Andrew Lang's Fairy Books , The Wind In The Willows , etc. all with illustrations.
2) How do you read them?
From both Project Gutenberg and Internet Archive, there are options to save it to a format called EPUB. (You can also save it to PDF, which is equally readable and accessible). For example, downloading Pride and Prejudice from Project Gutenberg will look like this:
http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/1342
Click EPUB (http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/1342.epub )
And save it to your desired directory, for example a flash disk for portability.
Now, it’s time to get the reader. Go to http://www.adobe.com/products/digitaleditions/#fp to download adobe software called adobe digital editions. For Windows users, you can download the EXE installation file here:http://www.softpedia.com/progDownload/Adobe-Digital-Editions-Download-76668.html
After the download is complete, you can use the reader to open EPUB (and PDF as well) to read your downloaded books. It has an extremely clean interface, where you can switch from library view to single book view. Please note to “open” the EPUB file, press ctrl + o to find the EPUB/PDF file that you are looking.
For Linux Users:
calibre is a free and open source e-book library management application developed by users of e-books for users of e-books. It has a cornucopia of features divided into the following main categories:
calibre manages your e-book collection for you. It is designed around the concept of the logical book, i.e., a single entry in your library that may correspond to actual e-book files in several formats.
calibre can sort the books in your library by: Title, Author, Date added, Date published, Size, Rating, Series, etc.
In addition, it supports extra searchable metadata:
Tags: A flexible system for categorizing your collection however you likeComments: A long form entry that you can use for book description, notes, reviews, etc.You can easily search your book collection for a particular book. calibre supports searching any and all of the fields mentioned above. You can construct advanced search queries by clicking the helpful "Advanced search" button to the left of the search bar.
You can export arbitrary subsets of your collection to your hard disk arranged in a fully customizable folder structure.
Finally, calibre will even go out onto the internet to find book metadata based on existing title/author or ISBN information. It can download various types of metadata and covers for your books, automatically. The metadata system is written using plugins so that different types of metadata sources can be supported in the future.
calibre can convert from a huge number of formats to a huge number of formats. It supports all the major e-book formats. The full list of formats can be found here.
The conversion engine has lots of powerful features. It can rescale all font sizes, ensuring the output e-book is readable no matter what font sizes the input document uses. It can automatically detect/create book structure, like chapters and Table of Contents. It can insert the book metadata into a "Book Jacket" at the start of the book.
calibre has a modular device driver design that makes adding support for different e-reader devices easy. At the moment, it has support for a large number of devices, the complete list of which is here. Syncing supports updating metadata on the device from metadata in the library and creation of collections on the device based on the tags defined in the library. If a book has more than one format available, calibre automatically chooses the best format when uploading to the device. If none of the formats is suitable, calibre will automatically convert the e-book to a format suitable for the device before sending it.
calibre can automatically fetch news from websites or RSS feeds, format the news into a ebook and upload to a connected device. The ebooks include the full versions of the articles, not just the summaries. Examples of supported news sites include:
calibre has over three hundred news sources and the news system is plugin based, allowing users to easily create and contribute new sources to calibre. As a result the collection of news sources keeps on growing!
If you are interested in adding support for a news site, read the User Manual. Once you have successfully created a new recipe, you can share it with other users by posting it in the calibre forum 
or sending it to the calibre developers for inclusion in calibre.
calibre has a built-in ebook viewer that can display all the major ebook formats. It has full support for Table of Contents, bookmarks, CSS, a reference mode, printing, searching, copying, customizing the rendering via a user style sheet, embedded fonts, etc.
Learn Ojibway Online
This is an Online Ojibwe classroom where students, children, youth, parents and grandparents can login from the privacy of your home/work/classroom computer to participate in our live Online Ojibwe lessons for FREE!!!!55 Open Source Apps Transforming Education
from: http://itmanagement.earthweb.com/osrc/article.php/12068_3831751_4/55-Open-Source-Apps-Transforming-Education.htmWhile some educators have been quick to grasp the potential and promise of open source software, many others have been hesitant to stray from the comfortable zone of commercial applications. Yet that’s changing.
More teachers and institutions are now participating with organizations likeSchoolForge, the Open Source Education Foundation, and Open Source Schools. These educators are beginning to see that the open source philosophy has the power to transform education in several key ways.
First, schools can use open source apps to replace costly commercial software and free up resources for other purposes. For example, openSIS performs the same tasks as closed-source school administration programs (scheduling, grades, report cards, attendance, etc.) while reducing total cost of ownership up to 75 percent.
Second, open source applications are changing the ways students and teachers interact, as applications like Moodle make eLearning simple an affordable. Some institutions, notably MIT and UC Berkeley, have taken the concept of open source distance learning one step further. As members of theOpenCourseWare Consortium, they've made the content of some courses available for free, so that anyone in the world can benefit from their expertise.
Finally, open-source software gives educators more options than ever before. Today, instructors have dozens, if not hundreds, of options for free and open source applications that help them present lessons on everything from learning the ABCs to modeling the complex interactions of molecules during biochemical processes.
The list below provides just a small sampling of the open source applications available to help educators teach and inspire their students.
The "Open Source Student Information System," or openSIS, claims to lower a school district's total cost of ownership by 75 percent when compared to comparable commercial systems. It includes student demographics, contact information, scheduling, grade book, reporting, report cards, transcripts, health records, attendance, a built-in parent portal, and advanced security features. Operating System: Windows, Linux.
Astronomy
2. Stellarium
Downloaded more than 7 million times, Stellarium is one of the most popular open-source education apps available. With this app, you can input coordinates for any point on earth and view the night skies for any particular point in time. It's so accurate, it's even used to power many planetariums. Operating System: Windows, Linux, OS X.
3. Celestia
Like Stellarium, Celestia lets you view the night skies from earth, but it also lets you fly through 3D space to any place in the known universe. When possible, it uses actual photographs of planets, asteroids, and other objects, so that you can see what they really look like. Operating System: Windows, Linux, OS X.
This app lets researchers analyze, simulate, and visualize the paths of objects that have been launched into space. It's currently being used by the European Space Agency and a number of international universities. Operating System: Windows, Linux, OS X.
Biology
5. ByoDyn
Scientists building models of biochemical networks or pathways can use ByoDyn to estimate and analyze the parameters underlying these processes. In addition to the downloadable version, it can also be accessed online as a Web app. Operating System: Linux, OS X.
Chemistry
6. Jmol
This java-based app lets students create diagrams of atoms, molecules, macromolecules, crystals, and more. The site includes a handbook and tutorials for helping you learn how to use the software. Operating System: OS Independent.
7. ProtoMol
ProtoMol is a framework for molecular dynamics simulation. It's designed to be highly flexible, easily extensible, and to meet high performance demands. Operating System: Linux, Unix, Windows.
Classroom Management
8. iTALC
Short for "intelligent teaching and learning with computers," iTALC makes it easier for teachers to interact with students using PCs in the classroom or those joining from home via a VPN connection. With it, you can view a snapshot of every screen in the class, show students a demo from your screen, lock workstations (so students have to pay attention to you), send text messages, and more. Operating System: Windows, Linux.
9. Mando
Mando lets you create an interactive whiteboard. If you have your computer connected to a camera and a projector, you can use your laser pointer to control the computer in front of the class, just as you would use a mouse at your desk. Operating System: Linux.
Digital Content Management
10. Archon
Winner of several awards, Archon simplifies the process of creating a searchable Web site to house archival materials. Administrators can input or edit information via Web forms, and the software automatically uploads and publishes the data. It's currently being used by more than 40 universities, zoos, historical societies, and other institutions. Operating System: OS Independent.
11. Fedora Commons
Fedora Commons allows you to manage, preserve, and link different types of digital content. For example, you can use it to create an archive of video, audio, and text files on a particular topic which users can then search or comment on. Operating System: OS Independent.
This app makes it easier for scientists and researchers to analyze data from seismic events. It includes tools for filtering and plotting data, evolutive polarization, and more. Operating System: Windows, Linux, OS X.
13. Tux Paint
This award-winning art program lets kids create small drawings using paintbrush, rubber stamp, line, shape, and text tools, as well as "magic" special effects. TuxPaint is designed for kids age 3-12, but its simple design and cartoon characters (including help from Tux the Linux penguin) make it most suitable for kids in preschool through second grade. Operating System: Windows, Linux, OS X.
14. TuxMath
In this arcade style game, kids prevent comets from destroying igloos by solving math problems. You can set the preferences so that it focuses on a particular type of problem—anything from simply locating the right number on the keyboard through addition and subtraction to multiplication and division with both positive and negative numbers. Operating System: Windows, Linux, OS X.
15. ChildsPlay
ChildsPlay includes a number of different games suitable for preschoolers and kindergarteners. Some of the games are educational (letter memory) and some are just fun (classic Pong). The CognitionPlay version contains similar activities designed for people suffering from mental illness. Operating System: Windows, Linux, OS X.
16. GCompris
This educational suite currently contains more than 100 educational activities for children ages two through ten and more are being added all the time. It includes games that teach keyboard skills, math, science, geography, reading, and several games that are mostly fun, but also develop problem-solving skills (chess, sudoku, etc.) Operating System: Windows, Linux.
17. jVLT
The Java Vocabulary Learning Tool, or jVLT combines a flashcard-like tool with a dictionary and a quiz tool to help students learn a foreign language. You can input your own vocabulary list or use one of the downloadable files, which include German-French, Thai-English, French-English, practical Chinese, and several others. Operating System: Windows, Linux, OS X.
18. ZWDisplay
Input Chinese characters and ZWDisplay will show the pronunciation (in Pinyin) and the English translation. You can also use it to create flashcards and keep track of which Mandarin characters you've learned. Operating System: Linux.
19. Zkanji
Zkanji is designed to help English speakers learn Japanese. It includes a dictionary, vocabulary lists, a study program, tests, and other helpful features. Operating System: Windows.
20. FlashQard
With FlashQard, you can create flashcards to help students review just about any subject matter. It allows you to create different cards for different purposes, insert pictures, record answers, and it includes an "espeak" feature. Operating System: Windows, Linux.
In addition to allowing you to create your own flashcards, this app uses a sophisticated algorithm to determine which card should appear next in order to maximize your learning (in other words, the cards you get wrong frequently will appear most often). If you use the software, you can also choose to upload your data to a research project studying memory. Operating System: Windows, Linux, OS X.
22. Pauker
This flashcard app is designed to strengthen your ultra-short-term, short-term, and long-term memory. Because you create your own flashcards, you can use it to help you remember vocabulary words, capitals, important dates, and other facts. In addition to the standard version, it's also available in a mini version for mobile devices. Operating System: Windows, Linux, OS X.
23. jMemorize
Like the other software in this category, jMemorize lets you create your own flashcards and then quizzes you on those cards. The feature that sets this app apart is the series of graphs on the main screen which make it easy to keep track of how many of your cards you know well, which you sometimes know, and which you don't know at all. Operating System: OS Independent.
24. WorldWind
Developed by NASA, WorldWind allows you to access satellite imagery of any point on earth. It's very similar to Google Earth, but does offer some different features, including the ability to access satellite imagery of the moon. Operating System: Windows.
25. BingoCardMaker
Elementary school and foreign language instructors often find that a game of Bingo breaks up the monotony of learning new vocabulary words. This app makes it easy to generate random cards from a set of images. Operating System: OS Independent.
26. OpenBiblio
OpenBiblio is an automated library system that includes a public catalog, circulation, and administration features. It works with any scanners that can display a barcode as keyboard input, and a list of scanners known to work with the system is available on the site. Operating System: OS Independent.
27. VuFind
Designed by libraries for libraries, VuFind replaces the traditional online public access catalog (OPAC) with a Web 2.0 portal for searching all of your library's resources. Unique features include the ability to browse all resources, faceted results to search queries, a "more like this" link for searches, and the ability to text yourself a call number so you don't have to write it down on a little slip of paper. Operating System: OS Independent.
28. Argumentative
This app lets you build an "argument map": a visual representation of the structure of an argument. It's helpful for students studying critical reasoning, logic, debate, philosophy, and persuasive writing, as well as lawyers and law students. Operating System: Windows.
29. gnuplot
Gnuplot creates both 2D and 3D graphs to make it easier to visualize mathematical functions or scientific data. Graphs can be saved or exported in numerous file formats or sent directly to your printer. Operating System: Windows, Linux, Unix, OS X, and others.
30. GeoGebra
Multiple-award-winning GeoGebra creates dynamic models useful for learning about geometry, arithmetic, algebra, and calculus. In addition to the downloadable version, you can also use the applet version while you're online. At the site, you'll also find extensive wikis, worksheets, and other help for math teachers. Operating System: OS Independent.
31. GraphCalc
Why buy a graphing calculator when you can run GraphCalc for free on your PC? It's at least as easy to use as a standalone graphing calculator and it creates graphs in both 2D and 3D. Operating System: Windows.
32. TTCalc
TTCalc is a scientific calculator that lets you use really big numbers. Features include arithmetical functions, trigonometric and inverse trigonometric functions, hyperbolic and inverse hyperbolic functions, logical operators, logarithms, and more. Operating System: Windows.
33. Maxima
This computer algebra system solves equations and plots data and functions in both 2D and 3D. The Maxima Web site also includes a handy list of links to other open-source computer algebra software. Operating System: Windows, Linux, OS X.
34. LenMus
LenMus combines a bunch of useful tools for learning music into a single download. It includes ear training activities, music theory exercises, and a score editor so you can write your own compositions. Operating System: Windows, Linux, OS X.
35. GNU Solfege
Wish you had perfect pitch? GNU Solfege is an ear-training application that teaches students to identify and sing intervals, recognize rhythms patterns, sing scales and chords, and identify harmonic progressions. Operating System: Windows, Linux, OS X.
36. BestPractice
If you're trying to transcribe, orchestrate, or just learn how to play a particular piece, it can be really helpful to be able to slow down a recording. But slowing down a recording usually changes the pitch. BestPractice lets musicians slow down CD tracks or MP3s without lowering the pitch of the music. Operating System: Windows.
37. Claroline
Claroline makes it easy to set up an online class or organize student activities on the Web. With it, teachers can write a course description, publish multimedia documents for students to view, prepare online exercises, administer a wiki and a forum, assign homework, send announcements, track student usage, and more. Operating System: Windows, Linux, Unix, OS X.
38. Moodle
One of the most popular open source class management systems, Moodle boasts more than 24 million users. Key features include assignments, blogs, chats, forums, polls, surveys, quizzes, wikis, and more. The site includes a great deal of help for teachers and administrators new to online education. Operating System: Windows, Linux, OS X.
39. eFront
Like Claroline and Moodle, eFront lets you author online content, create tests, communicate with the class, assign homework, and track progress, and it also includes a survey feature and the ability to create your own certifications. In addition to the free community edition, eFront is also available in fee-based editions that are customized for educational institutions or enterprises. Operating System: Windows, Linux.
40. ILIAS
Widely used internationally, you can attend ILIAS conferences and user meetings around the world in order to learn more about this learning management system. Like the others in the category, it includes features like course management, online exercises, surveys, chat, forums, etc. It also boasts compliance with relevant standards and strong authentication protocols. Operating System: Windows, Linux.
41. CoFFEE
Short for "Collaborative Face-to-Face Educational Environment," CoFFEE aims to help groups of students work together on problem-solving activities. It includes a set of tools for collaboration, shared work, individual work, and communication that can be managed and monitored by the instructor. Operating System: OS Independent.
42. BOSS Online Submission System
Developed by the University of Warwick, the BOSS Online Submission System isn't a complete eLearning solution, but does allow students to submit assignments online securely. Teachers can then run tests on submissions and grade assignments online. Operating System: Windows, Linux, Unix, OS X.
43. eduCommons
A number of universities around the world aren't just utilizing open-source software, they're "open-sourcing" the content of their courses by making it freely available online. EduCommons is a content management system designed for these OpenCourseWare projects. (More information about the movement is available from the OCW Consortium.) Operating System: OS Independent.
44. Xoscope
Xoscope turns any Linux PC into a digital oscilloscope for analyzing sound waves. You can visualize up to eight channels at once, control the time scale, make measurements, and more. Operating System: Linux.
45. WIKINDX
Remember the days of making note cards and bibliography cards by hand? WIKINDX replaces that laborious process with a digital system that makes it much easier to search for a quote or collaborate with multiple authors. And it automatically formats footnotes, endnotes, and bibliography for you based on your chosen style guide. Operating System: OS Independent.
More middle and high school are offering classes in robotics, and The Player Project provides some of the software that supports instruction in robotics. It includes Player, a network server for robot control; Stage, a 2D multiple robot simulator; and Gazebo, a 3D multiple robot simulator with dynamics for simulating outdoor environments. Operating System: Linux, Unix.
47. TCExam
Compared to traditional pen-and-paper testing, TCExam makes grading much faster and more accurate, and it makes it more difficult for students to cheat. It installs on any server, and students can take the test from any computer or PDA with a browser. Operating System: OS Independent.
This app locks down students' PCs so that they can't use any unauthorized materials while taking an online exam. By default, it prevents students from closing or leaving the testing window, using keyboard shortcuts, using the right-click menus, switching to other applications, or surfing the Internet. Operating System: Windows.
49. TuxType
In addition to typing lessons, TuxType includes two games for practicing your keyboarding skills. In Fish Cascade, kids help Tux the Linux penguin eat fish by typing the correct letters, and in Comet Zap, they save Tux from destruction by typing the correct letters. With its simple nature and cartoon character, this app is best for elementary-school kids who are just learning their way around the keyboard. Operating System: Windows, Linux, OS X.
50. Klavaro
In addition to the standard "qwerty" keyboard, Klavaro supports five other international keyboards and even lets you custom design your own keyboard. It includes a basic course for learning the locations of letters, as well as exercises for increasing adaptability (typing unfamiliar words), velocity, and fluidness. It also includes a progress tracking and a Linux-only game where students can challenge each other in the fluidness exercises. Operating System: Windows, Linux.
Open Source Education Apps by KDE
Astronomy
51. KStars
Developed by the KDE Education Project, KStars is a planetarium program that's very similar to Stellarium. Unique features include an altitude vs. time tool, what's up tonight tool, and an AAVSO Lightcurve Generator. Operating System: Linux.
Chemistry
52. Kalzium
Kalzium contains more information about the periodic table of the elements than most high school students ever wanted to know. It also solves chemical equations, shows pictures of the elements, and includes a helpful glossary. Operating System: Linux.
Flashcards
53. Parley
Part of the KDE Education Project, the Parley flashcard app stands out because of its extensive set of pre-existing flashcard files available for download. In addition to sets of cards to help you learn more than a dozen different languages, it also has cards to help you learn important dates, anatomy, music theory, chemical elements, and more. Operating System: Windows, Linux.
Geography
54. Marble
Marble is similar to WorldWind and Google Earth, but in addition to satellite imagery, it also lets you explore maps of the world. Choose from topographic maps, street maps, temperature and precipitation maps, and flat, Mercator projection, and globe views. Operating System: Windows, Linux, Unix, OS X.
Physics
55. Step
Sometimes it's difficult to demonstrate the principles of physics in a live lab. Enter Step. With this physics simulator, you place an object in a scene, add forces like springs or gravity, and see what happens. Operating System: Linux.
Open source living
from: http://osliving.com/Open Source Living is a dynamic archive of Open Source software (OSS) spanning all major platforms, inclusive of small to large scale projects. It aims to introduce and inform new users about viable OSS alternatives to corporate, closed source software.
UNESCO Open Source Resources for Schools
from: http://www.unescobkk.org/education/ict/online-resources/e-library/elibrary-themes/teaching-and-learning/
ICT in Education Teacher Training Series 6
ISBN:978 92 9223 354 9
This CD-ROM contains a collection of free e-learning tools suitable for advanced learners and useful for instructed learning and self-learning. The e-learning tools on the CD-ROM are divided into the following categories: Geography & Astronomy, Language Learning, Mathematics, Science, Programming and Memorizing.
More info...
ICT in Education Teacher Training Series 5
ISBN: 978 92 9223 353 2
This CD-ROM contains a collection of free e-learning tools suitable for children age 3-13. They are useful for instructed learning and self-learning. We highly recommend guiding very young children in the useage of the software. The e-learning tools on the CD-ROM are divided into the following categories: Educational Suites, Language Learning, Mathematics, Arts & Graphics, Computer Literacy and Geography & Astronomy.
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ICT in Education Teacher Training Series 4
ISBN: 987-92-9223-170-5
(reproduction of the 2008 Japanese Funds-in-Trust funded edition)
The Directory contains a set of ICT-based resources for teaching and learning of science, mathematics and language for secondary-level students, including simulations, video clips, interactive learning objects for quizzes, animation, and other kinds of multimedia learning activities.
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ICT in Education Teacher Training Series 3
(updated version of the 2007 Japanese Funds-in-Trust funded edition)
This CD-ROM offers about 50 web-based applications which are potentially useful for all types of education activities. Every application has its own tutorial explaining the educational potential and the technical installation.
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ICT in Education Teacher Training Series 2
ISBN: 978-92-9223-270-2
A collection of clip art, PowerPoint backgrounds, icons, pictures, music, flash applets for teachers to produce their own materials or lesson plans.
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ICT in Education Teacher Training Series 1
ISBN: 978-92-9223-271-9
This CD-ROM contains free (open source) software which may help educators to produce their own ICT based learning objects, learning materials and classroom resources. About 30 applications are included, categorized into Office & Design, Internet, Educational Tools, Audio and Video, Graphics & Animation and Utilities.
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