US makes available Arabic educational materials for free

Arabic language educational materials with a focus on science and technology will be available for free online without cost, according to Mofid Deak, the US Embassy Press Attaché and spokesman.
The Open Book Project (OBP) provided the materials. It was developed by the US Department of State in cooperation with the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO).
Deak said that the State Department will host the first formal meeting of the OBP partners in March. At this meeting, participating organizations will make commitments and begin implementing the material over the next 12 to 18 months.
Deak said that the Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Ambassador Mohammed Al-Hussaini Al-Sharif of the League of Arab States announced the launch of the Open Book Project at the State Department on Jan. 28 in Washington.
“Our hope is to lower geographic, economic and even gender-based barriers to learning,” said Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton at a press briefing to announce the initiative.
“Anyone with access to the Internet will be able to read, download and print the open materials for free or adapt a copy that meets the local needs of their classrooms or education systems.”
The project will support the creation of Arabic-language open educational resources (OERs), which include materials released under an open license that allows for free and legal use, sharing and adaptation. Releasing materials under an open license is the choice made by the owner of the copyright and is consistent with US and international property regimes, according to information provided by the State Department.
“We live in a time when technology is expanding access to information and learning materials like never before,” Clinton said at the briefing.
Some universities put textbooks online for free, the secretary noted, and science-education websites go viral. Instances such as these, she said, demonstrate technological progress but also a commitment to make more learning materials open and free.
According to the secretary, working with ALECSO and others to create free access to quality educational materials demonstrates to Arabic-speakers America’s interest in helping them realize their economic aspirations.
“We see educational diplomacy as the means for fulfilling the obligations to try to match reality and actions with the aspirations and hopes of the men and women across the Arab world,” Clinton said.
“Since the early days of the Arab revolutions, the United States and the Arab League have worked more closely together than ever before.”
Last year in New York, she noted, the first US-Arab League Dialogue was held and an agreement to cooperate signed. “At a time when extremists everywhere work to deepen divides across cultures, we see partnerships like this one as a chance to bridge them,” Clinton said at the news briefing.
ALECSO, based in Tunis, is an institution of the 22-member Arab League, a forum to promote political, economic, cultural, scientific and social programs of interest in the Arab world.
The US partners in the Open Book Project include the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Rice University — both known for their strong programs in technology research — and Creative Commons, a nonprofit organization that specializes in the sharing and use of creative work through free, legal tools.
An initiative of the US Department of State, the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization and leading education innovators to expand access to free, high-quality education materials in Arabic, with a focus on science and technology. These resources will be released under open licenses that allow free use, sharing, and adaptation to local context. Offering access to these resources will help to create educational opportunity, further scientific learning, and foster economic growth.
The initiative will support the creation of Arabic-language Open Educational Resources (OERs) and the translation of existing OERs into Arabic. Disseminate the resources free of charge through our partners and their platforms. Offer training and support to governments, educators, and students to put existing resources to use and develop their own. Raise awareness of the potential of open educational resources and promote uptake of online learning materials.
The first regional conference about Arabic digital content was held in Amman Jordan in November 2012. This conference aimed to bring experts from all Arab countries to innovate and shed light on successful stories that would help bring progress in Arabic content production and its quality in order to spread knowledge in the wider Arab world.