Douglas Wilkin, Ph.D.
CK-12 Life Science Editor
douglas@ck12.org
About The CK-12 Foundation
Mission: To reduce the cost of textbook materials for the K12 market, both in the U.S. and worldwide.
Innovative, open-content,
web-based, collaborative model.
Termed the “FlexBook”
Neeru Khosla, Executive Director
A Non-profit Organization
Located in Palo Alto, CA
FlexBooks
All content created by CK-12 is intended to
provide a foundation for the creation of
FlexBooks – customized books that fit:
• the needs of students
• the creativity and style of teachers
• the goals of the district
Currently, content created by CK-12 is aligned to CA state
standards, as well as over 20 other states.
Biology/Life Science FlexBooks
• Provides a complete set of Life Science material
• CK-12 Biology (regular & honors editions)
• CK-12 Life Science For Middle School (regular
& honors editions)
• CK-12 Biology Concepts (327 individual
modules)
• Teacher’s Editions, FlexLessons, Student
Workbooks & Assessment materials are also
available.
Free and Open Textbooks
The content provided by CK-12 is free!
Our content is open and published under the Creative
Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0
License.
Content can be modified, repurposed, copied,
individualized, customized, and distributed.
Collaborative Environment
FlexBooks can be modified and/or updated
practically instantly.
This encourage collaboration:
• within a classroom
• within a department
• across schools within a district
• between HS students and college/university
level academics
The options for collaboration are endless.
FlexBook Distribution
The CK-12 – EOL Collaboration
How can the two groups use each other’s
expertise and tools to benefit science
education, especially high school biology
education?
Our goals are to work together to make
biodiversity materials accessible to the high
school student, educating students about the
importance and relevance of biodiversity while
fostering their stewardship of Earth.
Initiated in 2010.
The CK-12 – EOL Collaboration
Biodiversity is underrepresented,
underemphasized and under-taught in
the typical American high school biology
class.
But, especially today, it is too important
not to be discussed.
The CK-12 – EOL Collaboration
In a climate where teachers,
schools and school districts are
continuously evaluated by test
scores,
with
a
curriculum
dominated by cell and molecular
biology and genetics, how do we
induce the typical student or
class to take the time to study
biodiversity?
The CK-12 – EOL Collaboration
Do we convince them of the importance?
Do we offer them something that can
generate enthusiasm and excitement?
Do we offer them something where they can
contribute? Where they can make a
difference?
Do we offer them a unique opportunity?
The CK-12 – EOL Collaboration
We hope to give them Understanding Biodiversity.
Understanding Biodiversity
Understanding Biodiversity is a collaboration between
the CK-12 Foundation and the Encyclopedia of Life.
The goal of Understanding Biodiversity is to generate
an expanding library of biodiversity information aimed
exclusively at the secondary-level biology student.
Understanding Biodiversity will consist of species
pages describing a variety of organisms. Individual
species pages will focus on information relevant to the
high school biology curriculum: cell biology, molecular
biology, genetics, evolution, ecology, and physiology.
Understanding Biodiversity
Secondary level biology students/classes
around the world are currently invited to submit
species information to CK-12 using the
Understanding Biodiversity template.
Understanding Biodiversity
Will be maintained by CK-12 and accessed
through the CK-12 web site. Links from EOL
and other sites can easily be available.
Understanding Biodiversity can be updated
weekly, if not daily, and new versions can be
loaded onto the CK-12 site instantly.
Student work will be reviewed and published.
Understanding Biodiversity
In addition to generating excitement and interest in
biodiversity, this effort should generate collaborations
between high school students and classes, and the
biodiversity research community and academic
institutions.
Understanding Biodiversity
Contents
Understanding Biodiversity: Call for Contributions
Understanding Biodiversity: Information for
Contributors
Understanding Biodiversity: The Encyclopedia of Life
Understanding Biodiversity: An Introduction
Understanding Biodiversity: Global Climate Change
Understanding Biodiversity: Bacteria
Understanding Biodiversity: Archaea
Understanding Biodiversity: Protists
Understanding Biodiversity: Fungi
Understanding Biodiversity: Plants
Understanding Biodiversity: Animals
Understanding Biodiversity: List of Contributors
Understanding Biodiversity Template
Understanding Biodiversity
Example Species:
•Aquila chrysaetos (Golden Eagle)
•Bubo virginianus (Great Horned Owl)
•Didelphis virginiana (Virginia Opossum)
•Elephas maximus (Asian Elephant)
•Gorilla gorilla (Western Gorilla)
•Loxodonta africana (African Elephant)
•Sepia bandensis (Dwarf Cuttlefish)
Understanding Biodiversity
The template is meant to attract
students-not scare them:
•Species
•Common Name
•Description
•Habitat
•Biology
•A. Cell Biology
•B. Genetics
•C. Evolution
•D. Ecology
•E. Physiology
•References
•Attribution
•Authors
•Affiliation
What do secondary-level
students need
from the BHL?
“If I know little about biodiversity,
where do I even start?”
What do secondary-level
students need
from the BHL?
•Informative and Easy to Use
•Biodiversity Background Information
•Why is Biodiversity Important?
•Appropriate Links on BHL Homepage
•Suggestions for the Secondary-Level
Student
www.ck12.org
Douglas Wilkin, Ph.D.
CK-12 Life Science Editor
douglas@ck12.org
Mission Statement
Create an online collaborative environment
to produce free and open textbooks (digital
content)
that are aligned to curriculum guidelines and can
be customized for individualized needs.
Additional CK-12 Science FlexBooks
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•
•
•
•
•
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CK-12 Earth Science For Middle School
CK-12 Earth Science For High School
CK-12 Concept Earth Science
CK-12 Physical Science (expected December 2011)
CK-12 Chemistry Basic (expected March 2012)
CK-12 Chemistry Intermediate Honors (expected March 2012)
CK-12 Physics Intermediate Honors (expected March 2012)
CK-12 Physics Advanced (expected March 2012)
FlexBooks: Why?
Traditional
Textbooks:
• Heavy
• Rigid
• Outdated
Vs
FlexBooks:
• Digital
• Multiple outputs
(online, PDF,
iPad, ePub,
Kindle)
• Up-to-date
• Personalized