FAQ from dScribes

FAQ from dScribes

I have a signed permission forms from the instructor, but only as a scanned PDF file. Is this adequate or do you need the paper copy?
Answer: The .pdf file will suffice, but it would also be good to have the originals. (added 10/2/08) (edited 06/03/09)

When added course information in OERca, is there a format for the keywords (e.g. should they be in quotes or comma separated values)?
Answer: They are comma-separated values. If you want to include an exact phrase (e.g. incentive centered design), just include the whole phrase e.g. incentive centered design, icd, economics, etc. (added 9/29/08)

Does OERca accept files in the format of Keynote or does we have to convert them to .ppt files first?
Answer: Yes, but you need to first zip the Keynote presentation and then upload it as a single file upload of type zip in OERca. Then add your content objects. During the publishing process, after you've cleared all of the content, you should save copies of the Keynote presentation as both .ppt and .pdf. We'll distribute all 3 versions. (added 9/29/08) (edited 06/03/09)

If we come across source code written by the instructor in lecture notes or lecture slides and we have permission to use the code, what license do we attach to the code?
Answer: Any code that is produced by the professor for a class and is to be included with an Open Educational Resource should be released using an Open Source license. In the case where the code is not already part of a licensed program, the professor should license their work with one of the Open Source Initiative's approved licenses: http://www.opensource.org/licenses/alphabetical. Open.Michigan encourages the use of a MIT or BSD license for all source code used in an Open Educational Resource. The rationale for recommending a BSD or MIT license for Open Educational Resources is that they are two of the least restrictive and highly regarded licenses available. (added 9/29/08) (edited 06/03/09)

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Within the course lecture slides, there is a section of that says "adapted from lecture notes by [Another instructor]". There is nothing in this section that is copyrightable. Should we still try to get this other instructor's permission? =====

Answer: The first step is to speak with the professor and ask them if they want to include this other person's slide in the published version of the lecture. The next step is to confirm with a dScribe 2 that there's really nothing here that's copyrightable. As the instructor did, we'll simply include the attribution tag (perhaps on each slide) that's adapted. (added 9/29/08)

Can I use the latest Microsoft Office file versions (.docx, .pptx) for OERca?
Answer: Many people still use older versions of Microsoft. For this reason, we require that you use the older non-XML versions of file formats (e.g. .doc, .ppt). (added 9/29/08)

My instructor's syllabus is in HTML. In what format should I add it to OERca?
Answer: Open the HTML file with Microsoft Word. Make any necessary edits to the file in Word. Save as a Word document. Upload the Word document to OERca and handle any embedded content objects. Later, when the course is published, we'll present the syllabus in three forms: the Word document, PDF, and HTML (the latter two will be generated from the Word document). (added 10/2/08)

One of the assignments uses raw data from a website which says its data is copyrighted. Can I keep the data in the assignment?
Answer: Raw datasets are not protected by copyright. You can keep the data in the course assignment. Be sure to clear this decision with a dScribe2. (added 10/2/08) (edited 06/03/09)

I have course material (a handout) that was created by person other than the instructor. It has no content objects. How do I add copyright info at the course material level?
Answer: There's no field for copyright at the material level in OERca. The best approach would be to add this information as a comment on the course material. Click "Comment" under the name of the course material. If the material will be licensed under a Creative Commons license, apply the same License/Disclaimer information to it as you would for any other document (substituting the other person's information, of course). (added 10/23/08) (edited 06/03/09)

Why am I getting out-of-memory errors when I use the Snapper tool?
Answer: This seems to be a problem with Java. Instead of using CTRL+C to copy items to the clipboard, use one of the following methods to copy to the clipboard:


 * Windows: Open the ScreenHunter application. Press F6.
 * Mac OS: CTRL+SHIFT+APPLE+4

(added 10/23/08)

One of my presentations has a book cover (or other image) that I'm retaining under fair use. It's a high-resolution image though that takes up half the screen. What do I do?
Answer: Replace the image with one of lower resolution. In addition, decrease the size of the image on the PowerPoint slide. (added 10/29/08) (edited 06/03/09)

Most of my replacement items have a Creative Commons 2.0 License. The latest license is 3.0 Which version should I link to?
Answer: You maintain the Creative Commons license link that is attached to the original object, in this case the 2.0 version. (added 10/29/08) (edited 06/03/09)