Adding a LibreTexts to Your Sandbox - The OER Remixer

Adding a LibreTexts to Your Sandbox - The OER Remixer

Using the OER Remixer

If you are new to LibreTexts and want to customize an existing OER now or in the future, you'll want to begin by creating your own "copy" of that OER in your sandbox. While the LibreTexts OER Remixer is designed to facilitate creating your own OER by combining and adding to existing resources, it is also used to create your own copy of an OER that is available in either Campus Bookshelves or Bookshelves. While the focus of this module is on making minor modifications to an existing resource, the OER Remixer simplifies making more extensive changes by automatically renumbering chapters and pages as needed. Access Remixing Existing Content to learn more about the OER Remixer. Links to an external site.

Accessing the OER Remixer

As it is a tool for editing content, the OER Remixer is only available to you when you are logged into a faculty account with editing abilities. As discussed earlier, the presence of a black bar at the top of the page with your name displayed on the right side of the bar confirms that you have the necessary access.

The black bar towards the top of the LibreTexts page confirms that you have instructor access. On the left end of the bar there is a search icon and the words "How can we help you?." On the right end, there should be "Site Tools" and your name, each with an accompanying logo. If the black bar is not visible, you do not have editing permissions.

If you are logged in with the necessary permissions, you can find the OER Remixer by clicking on "Tools" in the menu on the left side of the page.

  1. Select “Tools” from the left menu.
  2. Select “OER Remixer” from the menu that appears.

screenshot of the OER Remixer within the Tools menu

 

The OER Remixer

Once you enter the OER Remixer, text at the top part of the page reminds you to use either Chrome or Firefox to ensure all features of the OER Remixer are functional. In addition, there is an overview of what the OER Remixer can do with links to helpful resources. "New Remix Mode", "Copy-Transclude", and "Enable Autonumber" have been selected by default. These default settings should generally be used. In this part of the page you will name your Remix in the box where you see the words "Remix name." While you are not presently creating a Remix, you are using the Remixer to create your copy of a resource.

Screenshot of the top of the page that is seen when you enter the OER Remixer. The user is presented with the following warning: "The OER Remixer works best on Chrome or Firefox browsers. If using another browser, please change to Chrome or Firefox to ensure all features are functional." And an overview of what the Remixer is: The OER Remixer tool allows the rapid assembly of customized Remixes from existing sources on our comprehensive and ever-growing libraries. See the Remixer Tutorial in Chapter 7 of the Construction Guide for an explanation of the OER Remixer's interface and videos that explain how to do basic tasks with the OER Remixer. Your Remixing Map is stored automatically on your computer as you build, so you do not have to complete your Remix in one sitting. If you switch to a different computer, you will want to save the Map." A blue bar allows the user to select between "New Remix Mode" and "Edit Remix Mode", with "New Remix Mode" pre-selected. There is a bar to enter "Remix name" and the Default Copy Mode "Copy-Transclude" is selected.

The bottom of the page is where the moving of resources and remixing occurs. In order to create your copy of an existing OER, you will select it from the Library Panel on the left and move it to the Remix Panel on the right.

Screen Shot of the bottom half of the OER Remixer. On the left, there is a "Library Panel" which allows access to Campus Bookshelves, Bookshelves, Learning Objects, Under Construction, Sandboxes, and Adapt Nodes. Each is preceded by a plus sign that opens each option. On the right there is the "Remix Panel" which is prepopulated Front and Back Matter sections and untitled chapters.

Using the Remix Panel

After naming your "Remix", in the Library Panel you will click on the plus sign associated with where the OER you are copying can be found. If you select Bookshelves, you will see the LibreTexts libraries. After selecting your library, you can then select the discipline you are interested in and the sub-discipline, if available. In the example below, the Social Sciences library was selected, then the Psychology discipline, and finally, "Introductory Psychology 2e (OpenStax)". In the image, the selected text is "open", showing the titles of the individual chapters. As the goal is to copy the whole book, the minus sign next to book's title will be clicked on to close it before moving it to the Remix Panel.

The Library Panel in the OER Remixer. The Social Sciences Library was 1st selected, then the Psychology discipline, and then Introductory Psychology 2e (OpenStax). The titles of individual chapters in the selected text are visible.

 

In order to "move" something from the Library Panel to the Remix Panel, you simply select it by clicking on it and then move it from one panel to the other. Once you've moved it, you can make any necessary adjustments. As a whole book was being moved in this example, it was moved and placed at the top in the Remix Panel. This resulted in a pop-up that asked "Merge with Coverpage? Since you are bringing over a Book/Unit, you can choose to use it as the LibreText coverpage." "Merge with coverpage" was selected.

Merge with Coverpage screenshot. Explained in text.

The Remix Panel now shows the title of the book that was moved, followed by the book elements that the panel was pre-populated with, and then the chapters of the book - beginning with Chapter 1 renumbered as Chapter 6 due to the 5 chapters that were in the panel prior to the move.

Remix Panel after moving Introductory Psychology 2e (OpenStax) from the Library Panel.

Cleaning Up Your Text

Removing the pre-populated elements of the text is simple. Just select each element by clicking on it and then click the delete page icon (a garbage can) from the menu.

Remix Panel showing "Back Matter" highlighted (selected) and the Delete Page icon selected to remove the item.

After removing all of the unwanted elements, the copied text is complete. Because auto-numbering was enabled, Chapter 1 is, again, Chapter 1. The final step is to save the resulting product.

  1. Click on "Save to Server" in the upper right.
  2. A "Publish Summary" will appear on the left side of the page.
  3. Click on "Save to Server" at the bottom left of the page.
  4. You will then see the progress of your remix as it is finalized.
  5. Your new text will be available at the bottom of the right side of the page ("Your new Text will be available here"). When your text is done, you will see "Remix Operations Complete!" in the green bar at the top of the right side of the page.
  6. When you click on "Your new Text will be available here", you will be able to see your text and should be able to confirm that it is in your Sandbox.

Screen Short showing "Publish Summary" left side of the page and "Results" on the right.

After clicking on "Save to Server" in the upper right, a "Publish Summary" appears on the left side of the page.

Screen shot of remixing in progress. Time Elapsed and Remaining is indicated. At the bottom page the the words "Your new Text will be available here" indicates where the complete text can be found.

After clicking on "Save to Server" at the bottom left of the page, you will then see the progress of your remix as it is finalized on the right side of the page.

When you click on "Your new Text will be available here", you will be able to see your text and should be able to confirm that it is in your Sandbox. In the screen shot provided here, the top of the page shows that the book in question is Introductory Psychology 2e (OpenStax) in the Sandbox associated with the account mpilati@asccc.org.

When you click on "Your new Text will be available here", you will be able to see your text and should be able to confirm that it is in your Sandbox.