OPOSSEM

Back in 2007 (or was it 2008?), I joined a group working to develop an online portal or community for folks teaching research methods. At the two APSA TLC meetings I attended, the folks in the teaching research methods track always wanted a place to post information and questions about teaching methods. Then, in 2007, Phil Schrodt, Jan Box-Steffensmeier, and Dean Lacy gave a workshop at the TLC about their efforts to develop a wiki-based, open-source textbook. It seemed logical to combine the textbook idea with the type of online community the APSA TLC attendees wanted. Bill Anderson and I were invited to join Phil and Jan’s efforts to get funding, and we picked up Bill Jacoby along the way, too. A few meetings and many, many emails later, we have funding and the beginning of a site, with the help of folks at ICPSR. I have been busy corresponding with the site developer at ICPSR to build the site and with the other members of project to put together our first workshops to get the project moving. Here’s the Call for Participants.