foolfillment: the blog

I’ve been spending some time recently writing up a book of notes for Standard Grade Craft and Design. There is a booklet of notes that have been in every school I’ve been in. I think they were originally written by a teacher at Penicuik High School, but I’m not sure.

They are a pretty comprehensive set of notes and I use them a lot, however nobody seems to know about where they came from or what the copyright issues are for sharing them about. So, I’ve been writing up my own booklet based quite closely on these existing notes, with the intention of releasing them freely under a Creative Commons license so people can change them to suit their own needs. I’ve done about 45 pages so far.

Then I got thinking though, after reading We-Think by Charles Leadbetter, if I should be doing this all myself or if I would be better to try and get them written collaboratively, in a more open source sort of way. I’m not sure how if would work but I envisage some place – like a wiki but with more control over the layout – where people can contribute, edit, discuss, and importantly take, the content.

Does anyone know of something like this happening for a school book already? Or of an online environment that would allow for this easily?

Does anyone think it could work?

And the big question: Does anyone want to help? Or would I end up writing it all myself anyway?

Over the Easter holidays I had the enormous privilege of accompanying two Hawick 6th years to Cape Town. They have been part of the Global Ambition project this year and it has all been leading up to gaining a better understanding of that slippery term ‘diversity’ and finding ways to contribute to their community.

I’ll not write too much here as the students will be writing up their own report soon (before they go on study leave!) and I’ll link to that when it’s done.

Cape Town is an incredible city, I found the trip a really thought provoking experience, I hope the students got as much out of it as I did, they seem to have done. We took part in a lot of activities but the day and a half that we spent in the Red Cross Hospital will probably stay with me longest.

I can’t possibly write this post without mentioning the staff at the Shetland Isles who organised the whole trip – thanks guys!