Author Archives:
Free and Open eTextbooks added to the NCLOR
Today, 58 eTextbooks from Flat World Knowledge were added to the NCLOR. Flat World Knowledge (FWK) is a college textbook publishing company with a mission to use technology and innovative business models to lower costs, increase access and personalize learning worldwide. They work with successful textbook authors and well-known scholars to create great free textbooks. This open textbook model gives faculty complete control over their content. Students have a choice of low-cost print and digital formats, including a free online reader. 
With the FWK online reader you can search or jump to any part of the book using the table of contents. Click on any chapter title or section and head directly there.
Subjects included in this resource series are: Business & Economics, Science, Humanities & Social Sciences, Professional & Applied Sciences, and Mathematics.
The NCCCS courses that could be enhanced by using these resources are: ACA111, ACC120, AIB222, AIB246, BAF110, BUS110, BUS115, BUS125, BUS151, BUS153, BUS240, BUS255, BUS259, CHM081, CHM082, CHM092, CJC111, COE110, COM250, COM3711, CTS115, CTS240, ECO101, ECO251, ECO252, ENG080, ENG111, ETR210, GEO110, INS105, INT210, MAT050, MAT060, MKT120, MKT220, OMT222, POL110, PSY150, and SOC100
To access the series you can do any of the following:
New Math Resources from Khan Academy & SAS Added to NCLOR
Over 450 math resources have been added to the Khan Academy and SAS Curriculum Pathways resource series. The complete developmental math collection of Khan Academy is now available in the NCLOR. Resources on Algebra, Geometry, Numbers and Operations, Statistics and Probability, and Trigonometry have been added to the SAS Curriculum Pathways series.
The NCCCS courses that could be enhanced by using these resources are: MAT120, MAT121, and MAT151. The new developmental math redesign courses will also be tagged to this content.
To access the series you can do any of the following:
- Log into the NCLOR and click on “Browse by Resource Series” and then the Khan Academy or SAS Curriculum Pathways 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 Khan series as a guest. *The SAS series is not available to guests.
History Animated Resource Series updated in NCLOR
The History Animated resource series was updated with 6 new animations. This collection is a series of depictions of the key naval and land battles using animation technology. The new animations include 4 on The War of 1812 , 1 on The Mexican American War, and 1 animation about the road to the Civil War.
The NCCCS courses that could be enhanced by using these resources are: HIS131, HIS132, HIS145, HIS216,HIS228.
To access the series you can do any of the following:
- Log into the NCLOR and click on “Browse by Resource Series” and then the History Animated (Military History) 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.
Skulls added to NCLOR from NC School of Science and Math
The North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics now has a dedicated resource series within the NCLOR. The Distance Education and Extended Programs (DEEP) division serves as the outreach arm of the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics (NCSSM). It is a leader in distance education providing a full range of educational opportunities and high quality resources to teachers and K-12 students across North Carolina.
This series of resources will grow but for now it includes graphics and interactive animations. Videos, lesson plans, and professional development materials are planned for the future. The first content made available is a group of 67 resources dedicated to the study of hominid skulls in biology.
Hominid skull (Example)
The Hominid Skulls have been rendered in 360 degree animation as well as life-size images of the skulls in PDF format. The animations can be viewed with flash player from any web browser.
This series is available to everyone in the NCLOR including guests.
The NCCCS courses that could be enhanced by using these resources are: ANT210, ANT220, ANT230, and ANT245.
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 NC School of Science and Mathematics series.
Black History Month Resource Series Added to NCLOR
Harriet Tubman, Image from the Library of Congress
In honor of Black History Month, the NCLOR has created this resource series to help faculty teach African-American history. The theme for 2012 is “Black Women in American Culture and History”. This February take the opportunity to discover the great leadership and heroism of African-American woman in our county’s history including: Phillis Wheatley, Ida B. Wells, Harriet Tubman, and Rosa Parks. You can find many resources related to exceptional women black women as well as other black history topics.
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 Black History Month series.
NOAA Ocean Explorer Resource Series Added to NCLOR
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has developed a set of 15 interactive multimedia presentations and learning activities that address topics ranging from Chemosynthesis and Hydrothermal Vent Life and Deep-sea Benthos to Food, Water and Medicine from the Sea. This set of resources are now a resource series in the NCLOR.
The NCCCS courses that could be enhanced by using these resources are: GEL111, GEL120, GEL220, MSC160, MSC172, EGY3000, AQU111, and ENV228.
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 NOAA Education 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.
Open Learning Initiative Resource Series Added to NCLOR
Fourteen courses from the Open Learning Initiative were added to the NCLOR. The Open Learning Initiative (OLI), based at Carnegie Mellon University, is an open educational resources project that strives to transform instruction, significantly improve learning outcomes and to achieve significant increases in productivity in post secondary education. The Open Learning Initiative is supported by the National Science Foundation, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, and others.
The topics of the courses include: Biology, Economics, Math, French, Chemistry, Engineering, and Physics. The courses are exemplars of scientifically based online courses and course materials that enact instruction. The courses are designed based on learning science research.
The list of the courses along with the recommended NCCCS course the resource may enhance are outlined in the chart below.
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 Learning Initiative 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.
Princeton University Video Lecture Series Added to NCLOR
Today, 40 new video lectures were added to the NCLOR from Princeton University. These resources are video captures of their famous public lecture series and include lectures given by Tom Brokaw, Noam Chomsky, Former Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens, and Dr. Cornel West just to name a few. The subjects included in this series are broad and include: Political Science, Finance, Biology, Literature, Religion, and Physics.
To access this series, you can do any of the following:
Open Yale Courses Resource Series Updated
The Yale Open Courses Resource Series was updated today with 17 new courses. Open Yale Courses provide free and open access to a selection of introductory courses taught by distinguished teachers and scholars at Yale University. The new course resources include all video lectures and course syllabi for the year the courses were offered at the institution. The list of the Yale courses along with the recommended NCCCS course the resource may enhance are outlined in the chart below.
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 Yale Courses 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.
Yale Resource Update Chart
NCLOR 5.0 Update Complete!
The NCLOR has been updated to version 5.0 and was available for use as of 5:03 PM this evening. This was a major upgrade so please bear with us while we work out any kinks in the application in the next few days. In the next few weeks, we will be highlighting some of the new features now available in 5.0, of which there are many. Thanks for everyone who helped the upgrade and we hope all users enjoy the new functionality.
