221029P - WRITING TEACHING MATERIALS FOR IOK*

Presented at a Faculty Development Sessions on Writing Integrated Teaching Materials from an Islamic Perspective held at Riphah International University Islamabad Pakistan on July 5, 2022 by Professor Omar Hasan Kasule Sr. Mb Chb (Muk). MPH (Harvard), Drph (Harvard)

 

* Adapted from the author’s presentation at the 1^st International Islamic Epistemology and Curriculum Development Conference held at the Muslim University of Morogoro 9-11 August 2014

 

WHY WRITE OUR OWN TEXTBOOKS?

• Psychological: Self-dependence, self-confidence, self-esteem, self-reliance, intellectual self-determination, and intellectual independence.
• Economic: Import substitution, cheaper books, wider availability/access for students, encourage local publishing industry.
• Educational: Integrated education, value-added education.
• Societal: Social improvement following epistemological, knowledge, and educational transformation.
• Common sense: Simply because we have our own epistemology.

PROCESS OF TEXTBOOK WRITING 1: PRELIMINARY PREPARATION

• The process of textbook preparation should start with general epistemology and curriculum reform seminars to raise awareness of the problem of duality and propose epistemological and curricular reform as the needed solution.
• These should be followed by specific seminars with discipline experts to explore IOK issues in each discipline.
• Specific working groups should then be set up for each discipline of knowledge.
• At this stage discussions should be held with the faculty or university where the project will be carried out since the material produced must be taught to students.

PROCESS OF TEXTBOOK WRITING 2: INTEGRATED COURSE OUTLINES

• The discipline groups should discuss existing course outlines/descriptions and decide what is needed to be added as integration.
• Normally we add and do not subtract. Instead of subtraction we may modify or contextualise.
• The final integrated course outline should be acceptable to the university.
• A book proposal is prepared from the final integrated course outline and is submitted for peer review, approval, and funding.

PROCESS OF TEXTBOOK WRITING 3: REFERENCE MATERIAL

• Available references and resource material for each course should be collected.
• It is difficult to find specialized references on Islamic aspects of the various disciplines. We have therefore designated two libraries one in Virginia (English references) and one in Amman (Arabic references) to help writers get the references that they need.
• In some cases, small workshops will need to be held to discuss integration for items that are not covered in the existing literature.

PROCESS OF TEXTBOOK WRITING 4: STRUCTURE OF THE BOOK

• Then a book should be designed and structured for each course (title, units, sections, and chapters). Learning objectives and learning outcomes reflecting IOK should be added to each unit or chapter.
• Each chapter should be structured as learning objectives, detailed outlines (headings and sub-headings), keywords, the main text, Islamic input, glossary, index, case studies, texts from Islamic sources (Qur’an, sunnat, other books), illustrations (pictures and drawings), chapter summary, review (questions, tests, exercises), and assignments.
• A special style sheet has been prepared to guide authors, reviewers, and editors.
• It is envisaged that the book will be 150-300 pages and will be published as an e-book.

PROCESS OF TEXTBOOK WRITING 5: WRITING A UNIT OR A CHAPTER

• Identify the discipline and the specific course (an officially approved course outline/description).
• Collect source material (books and journal articles) from online academic data sources (general and Islamic).
• Plan each unit or chapter to be one class period. Identify learning objectives and learning outcomes. unit outline, keywords, epistemological overview, and paradigmatic concepts.

PROCESS OF TEXTBOOK WRITING 5: WRITING A UNIT OR A CHAPTER, con’t.

• The contents must fulfill all the items in the approved course outline/description with the addition of i.epistemology as is required or as is relevant. The epistemological input can be an overview at the start or end of the unit as an epistemological introduction (muqaddimat) or can be related directly to relevant sections of the unit.
• Prepare your PowerPoint for teaching as usual. Then transform that into a unit or chapter.
• Different professors or lecturers under the guidance of one of them as editor to ensure uniformity can agree to share the work with each writing assigned unit.

PROCESS OF WRITING A TEXTBOOK: PEER REVIEW

• Each unit can be shared with other professors/lecturers teaching the same or similar course outline for peer review. The peer review can also be postponed until all the units are written.
• The reviewers shall use a uniform review checklist.
• The reviews shall be anonymous and will be coordinated directly by the project director.
• Where feasible some small incentive shall be provided to peer reviewers.
• The author(s) shall use their own classroom experience of teaching the units + the comments from peer reviewers to improve/enhance the draft of the unit.
• Since this is a new endeavor, we will need 3-4 cycles of writing and review before reaching the stage of publication either electronic or paper.

PROCESS OF TEXTBOOK WRITING 6: STRUCTURE OF THE BOOK

• 1-3 books can be written for the same course to capture all the diversity available.
• The aim should be a book of 150-300 pages with attractive educational features typesetting and colored illustrations.
• The main publication shall be an e-book that is easy to update and distribute. Printed copies can also be produced afterward recommended as soft-cover (80%) and hard-cover (20%).
• The recommended cover price is USD5-15.
• Where possible the book should be accompanied by a CD/DVD as well as web-based educational resources.

PROCESS OF TEXTBOOK WRITING 7: AUTHORS OF THE BOOK

• An editorial board should be set up for each book consisting of a chief editor and 1-2 co-editors in addition to chapter authors, advisors, and consultants.
• The board will allocate 1-2 chapters to each writer.
• Regular workshops must be held for chapter writers and editors to review the written material preferably once every 1-2 months.
• The chapters written must be tested by being used as classroom notes for university students and getting feedback and will meet regularly to monitor progress.

PROCESS OF TEXTBOOK WRITING 8: QUALITY CONTROL

• External discipline experts should review the manuscripts. Reviewer reports shall be sent to the authors for their response. The Quality Control Committee shall then review the reviewer reports and author responses before approving the book.
• The final versions should undergo serious editing and proofreading.

PROCESS OF TEXTBOOK WRITING 9: FINANCIAL ASPECTS

• The copyright will be held by the funding agency.
• The funding agency will pay all the costs of producing the book including author royalty.
• Editing, reviewing, typesetting, printing, and distribution costs.
• A royalty will be paid for each book to be divided among the authors.
• New editions every 2-3 years.