Diegetic University

[Tinker]

I want to create a university with this website. I would like to start with science coursework. To compile various multimedia aids that are available across the internet into a comprehensive course of study. I would like to start with General Science, Chemistry, Biology and Physics 101. So the problem presented to me, is how to present the information in such a way as to be both scalable, and allows people to interface with it as a community. I will create a separate forum for the coursework that will not have a freewheeling atmosphere like we have here. Something that is specifically devoted to study, and not to debate.

I am seeking opinions as to how to go about this. Because I am uncertain as to where to begin. So I am beginning by seeking advice, and even more ideally, enlisting aid from those who may know best how to solve my problem. I am thinking that Drupal would be the ideal platform for what I want to accomplish, but, I am not a developer. I can implement things ok, but only after a bit of struggle.

So, I need to attack this from two angles. Both of which, I am not erudite enough to do on my own.

1) Compiling the coursework and determining a curriculum for the presentation of information in a coherent framework.
2) How to implement such a thing for scalability using a web content management system.

[thecontributer]

TInker,

The first, and most pressing problem, is where are you going to get your instructors/mentors from?

To my knowledge, none of us here, with the exception of Sun-sama and perhaps ~, are really trained in the basic sciences. And even then, they can probably cover only physics and engineering, not chemistry and biology. Regrettably, I did receive a BA in bio but that was a long time ago, and haven't used it much ever since. I don't even think i can explain the cell theory in detail any more

[Tinker]

I believe such an endeavor would attract such people. But the thing is, it doesn't need to be an instructor based system, that's the point of open-source. Biology is largely a taxonomical logic system. If there is anything that a website is well suited toward, it's non-linear taxonomical structures. So right now, I am on the tip of trying to figure out how to make it happen. Not so much looking for reasons why it cannot work. Develop content, present that content, and it'll attract like-minded individuals.

I think i am going to look in the Massage Therapy/Acupuncturist scene. I know anatomists and biology instructors.

[anderson]

Hi Tinker,

I'm actually an instructional designer by profession, so this is kind of up my alley.
Are you looking to pool pre-existing multimedia materials as self-study materials, or about producing didactic multimedia e-learning modules in courses?

To develop content you need:
-Subject matter experts
-Multimedia specialists
-Somebody with instructional design / course development experience to act as a go-between, storyboarding lesson modules, etc.

In terms of effort required, typically you're talking 200-400 hours per hour of instruction for nice multimedia instruction with animation, video, audio, etc., once you account for subject matter input, designer curriculum and instructional strategy planning, storyboard development, and multimedia developmenyt. A 101-level university course you're talking 40 hours of instruction, so 8000-16 000 hours of effort per course.

[Tinker]

I don't want to develop content, I want to compile content from freely available sources. There are plenty of videos on all sorts of topics. So all I really want to do is present that information. I want to encourage input into course materials from the people who are actually using the resources.

[thecontributer]

[Tinker]

Love the new avatar thecontributer yeah, there is a lot of open courseware online. I'll look at what you've linked and see if it's in line with what I am talking about and if not, how it can be tooled to be what I'm talking about.