Comments on: Early Decisions on Reuse of OER: Copy or Link? http://jaredstein.org/2009/03/23/early-decisions-on-reuse-of-oer-copy-or-link/ Education, Technology, Culture, and the Internet Sun, 15 Jan 2012 02:27:59 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Mr. Jared Stein http://jaredstein.org/2009/03/23/early-decisions-on-reuse-of-oer-copy-or-link/comment-page-1/#comment-363 Mr. Jared Stein Wed, 25 Mar 2009 16:33:37 +0000 http://flexknowlogy.learningfield.org/?p=613#comment-363 I have a penchant for testing accessibility particularly for mobile devices, though that might be putting the cart before the horse (that is, presuming that the demand for OER content on mobile devices may not outpace the development of mobile browser support for these technologies). More good links for me to read through! I can't keep up with you, but this is definitely appreciated nonetheless. I have a penchant for testing accessibility particularly for mobile devices, though that might be putting the cart before the horse (that is, presuming that the demand for OER content on mobile devices may not outpace the development of mobile browser support for these technologies).

More good links for me to read through! I can’t keep up with you, but this is definitely appreciated nonetheless.

]]> By: Tony Hirst http://jaredstein.org/2009/03/23/early-decisions-on-reuse-of-oer-copy-or-link/comment-page-1/#comment-364 Tony Hirst Wed, 25 Mar 2009 13:53:09 +0000 http://flexknowlogy.learningfield.org/?p=613#comment-364 I haven't actually given much thought to accessibility/JS; i'm still trying to identify the "wiring patterns" that are possible and seeing what they support; eg the grazr widget could equally well be a server side feed2html service? Re the xml - interesting; have you been following @patrickgmj's stuff - eg http://semantic.umwblogs.org/2009/03/10/whose-link-is-it-anyway/ My dabblings with XML in OpenLearn context are partially recorded here, but i think everything has rotted since i posted?! http://ouseful.open.ac.uk/blogarchive/010124.html http://ouseful.open.ac.uk/blogarchive/013035.html I haven’t actually given much thought to accessibility/JS; i’m still trying to identify the “wiring patterns” that are possible and seeing what they support; eg the grazr widget could equally well be a server side feed2html service?

Re the xml – interesting; have you been following @patrickgmj’s stuff – eg http://semantic.umwblogs.org/2009/03/10/whose-link-is-it-anyway/

My dabblings with XML in OpenLearn context are partially recorded here, but i think everything has rotted since i posted?!

http://ouseful.open.ac.uk/blogarchive/010124.html
http://ouseful.open.ac.uk/blogarchive/013035.html

]]> By: Mr. Jared Stein http://jaredstein.org/2009/03/23/early-decisions-on-reuse-of-oer-copy-or-link/comment-page-1/#comment-367 Mr. Jared Stein Tue, 24 Mar 2009 15:44:18 +0000 http://flexknowlogy.learningfield.org/?p=613#comment-367 Very cool, Tony; thanks for posting. You've given a lot to think about in terms of alternate approaches. I'm going to take some time today to read through these posts and reply or follow-up later. A couple issues off the top of my head: * concern over mobile device performance * concern over bad browser performance (aka JS-disabled) Also, I had thought last night about an XSL for custom-rendering of XML-written full feeds taken from external sources, mixed in with "staple" XML from local hosts for local branding and navigation. I suspect this will require a special plug-in on the server side. Regardless, it's another approach that may be worth looking into in instances where the XML is predictable (semantically correct XHTML is a viable target, but may not be consistent enough. Very cool, Tony; thanks for posting.

You’ve given a lot to think about in terms of alternate approaches. I’m going to take some time today to read through these posts and reply or follow-up later.

A couple issues off the top of my head:
* concern over mobile device performance
* concern over bad browser performance (aka JS-disabled)

Also, I had thought last night about an XSL for custom-rendering of XML-written full feeds taken from external sources, mixed in with “staple” XML from local hosts for local branding and navigation. I suspect this will require a special plug-in on the server side.

Regardless, it’s another approach that may be worth looking into in instances where the XML is predictable (semantically correct XHTML is a viable target, but may not be consistent enough.

]]> By: Tony Hirst http://jaredstein.org/2009/03/23/early-decisions-on-reuse-of-oer-copy-or-link/comment-page-1/#comment-366 Tony Hirst Tue, 24 Mar 2009 10:15:00 +0000 http://flexknowlogy.learningfield.org/?p=613#comment-366 For an example of how to embed a complete oer course in a page using a Grazr widget see eg http://openlearnigg.corank.com/tech/story/an-introduction-to-information-securit which shows an OpenLearn course from the OU embedded in a page (hundreds of other examples of openlearn widgets are available on the same site). If the content you want to refer to/copy/link to is on a wordpress blog, you can easily get the single page rss and then render or embed that - eg see the PS to http://ouseful.wordpress.com/2009/02/02/single-item-rss-feeds-from-wordpress-blogs/ Here's a bookmarklet that will pop a single Wordpress blog page that you are currently viewing into a portable grazr widget: javascript:window.location="http://grazr.com/gzpanel.html?pl=ou&exp=1&file="+window.location+"?feed=rss2&withoutcomments=1" (The pl=ou includes demo OU branding; remove it for your own bookmarklet, or chat to the Grazr folks about getting your own Grazr skin...) For an example of how to embed a complete oer course in a page using a Grazr widget see eg http://openlearnigg.corank.com/tech/story/an-introduction-to-information-securit which shows an OpenLearn course from the OU embedded in a page (hundreds of other examples of openlearn widgets are available on the same site).

If the content you want to refer to/copy/link to is on a wordpress blog, you can easily get the single page rss and then render or embed that – eg see the PS to http://ouseful.wordpress.com/2009/02/02/single-item-rss-feeds-from-wordpress-blogs/

Here’s a bookmarklet that will pop a single WordPress blog page that you are currently viewing into a portable grazr widget:

javascript:window.location=”http://grazr.com/gzpanel.html?pl=ou&exp=1&file=”+window.location+”?feed=rss2&withoutcomments=1″

(The pl=ou includes demo OU branding; remove it for your own bookmarklet, or chat to the Grazr folks about getting your own Grazr skin…)

]]> By: Tony Hirst http://jaredstein.org/2009/03/23/early-decisions-on-reuse-of-oer-copy-or-link/comment-page-1/#comment-365 Tony Hirst Tue, 24 Mar 2009 09:07:19 +0000 http://flexknowlogy.learningfield.org/?p=613#comment-365 I've often thought about the link or embed issue too, and I think there is a third option - to use a lightbox (shadowbox) to pop up the linked to resource in an overlay on the current page. e.g. http://ouseful.open.ac.uk/blogarchive/007632.html and http://ouseful.open.ac.uk/blogarchive/014014.html The rationale behind this approach is that it: 1) allows the reader to see the content in the current context; 2) whilst retaining the original context in the background. If you just embed/transclude content you are forcing the reader to engage with it inline/in the flow; if you use a lightbox, it's a bit like a box in a print document -it takes you out of the original narrative flow but reminds you why you are viewing that document by retaining the original context (the reason for visiting the popped up/lightbox site) in the lower layer. It also retains a linear reading line. The link lets you open in the same window, open in another tab, open in another window or bookmark for later, which changes the dynamic, I think? Ie there are now multiple open documents that you have to read. As far as the publishers of the linked to content go, if you pull the content from their site (as you do with a link, transclude, or lightbox), they get traffic stats and maybe page referrer information too. I’ve often thought about the link or embed issue too, and I think there is a third option – to use a lightbox (shadowbox) to pop up the linked to resource in an overlay on the current page.

e.g. http://ouseful.open.ac.uk/blogarchive/007632.html and http://ouseful.open.ac.uk/blogarchive/014014.html

The rationale behind this approach is that it:
1) allows the reader to see the content in the current context;
2) whilst retaining the original context in the background.

If you just embed/transclude content you are forcing the reader to engage with it inline/in the flow; if you use a lightbox, it’s a bit like a box in a print document -it takes you out of the original narrative flow but reminds you why you are viewing that document by retaining the original context (the reason for visiting the popped up/lightbox site) in the lower layer. It also retains a linear reading line. The link lets you open in the same window, open in another tab, open in another window or bookmark for later, which changes the dynamic, I think? Ie there are now multiple open documents that you have to read.

As far as the publishers of the linked to content go, if you pull the content from their site (as you do with a link, transclude, or lightbox), they get traffic stats and maybe page referrer information too.

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