educational publishing: an alternate b.ed. career path

Educational Publishing: an Alternate B.Ed.

Career Path

Patrick Crewdson

2

Overview• Benefits

• My Background

• Educational Publishing

• Create a Great Question Activity

• Working as an independent contractor tax/financial implications

3

Benefits of Being an Educational Writer• Great way to stay active in the teaching profession while trying to

get on to supply lists

• Money: you won’t become a millionaire but it does pay some bills

• It looks great on your resume

• Access to Resources

4

My Background• Sept 2012 – Contacted to check on-line material for new Canadian

textbook (Chemistry – The Molecular Nature of Matter and Change)

• Oct 2012 – Contract expanded to include authoring new content

• Feb 2013 – New Contract for the development of on-line content

• June 2013 – New Contract to maintain on-line student portal

5

On-line Content• Changing This

Into……

6

The Background That Publishers Want• Content is key to becoming a SME

• SME = Subject Matter Expert

• Minimum requirement is BA/BSc in subject area

• BEd is an asset• Knowing the psychology of education• Practical experience

• Strong English or French language skills

7

Publishers to Contact in Canada• Oxford University Press Canada

• McGraw-Hill Ryerson

• Pearson

• Scholastic Canada

• Nelson

• Wiley

8

Who to Contact

• At Publishers: “Senior Product Manager” or “Senior Editor”

• Department Chairs

• Professors from your undergraduate degree

9

Writing Good Multiple Choice Questions

• Try to predict the most common errors (ie. inversion of a formula or incorrect decimal position) and give it as an option• This type of mistake leads to better student learning than just a random

incorrect answer

• Avoid the use of “b and d, but no c” type answers

10

Writing Great Questions is Hard

The above reaction was found to proceed in 68% yield to produce 38.0 g of Compound C which was analyzed and found to have a % composition of 30.1% C, 3.16% H, and 66.7% Cl and a molecular formula which was twice the mass of the empirical formula. If compound B contains no chlorine and has a Molar Mass of 106.2 g/mol, how many grams of B were present before the reaction commenced? BONUS: What is the identity of A? (Show all your work and include proper units) [15 marks].

3 A + B C

11

12

Answer Key(6 marks) Mole Ratio Whole Ratiomc = 30.1 % x 100 g = 30.1 g nc = 30.1 g /12.01 g/mol = 2.51 mol C 2.51/1.88 = 1.34 x3 = 4mH = 3.16 % x 100 g = 3.16 g nH = 3.16/1.01 g/mol = 3.13 mol H 3.13/1.88 = 1.66 x3 = 5nCl = 66.7 % x 100 g = 66.7 g nCl = 66.7/35.45 g/mol = 1.88 1.88/1.88 = 1 x3 = 3

The empirical formula is C4H5Cl3. If the molecular formula is twice the empirical then the molecular formula must be C8H10Cl6. (2 marks)MM C8H10Cl6 = 318.9 g/mol nC8H10Cl6 = 38.0 g / 318.9 g/mol = 0.119 mol C8H10Cl6 (2 marks)

% yield = (actual yield/theoretical yield) x 100%theoretical yield = actual yield / (% yield / 100%) = 0.119 mol / (68% / 100%) = 0.175 mol (2 marks)

OR

% yield = (actual yield/theoretical yield) x 100%theoretical yield = actual yield / (% yield / 100%) 38.0 g / (68% / 100%) = 55.9 g

n C8H10Cl6 = 55.9 g / 318.9 g/mol = 0.175 molnA = 3 mol A/ 2 mol C x 0.175 mol C = 0.263 mol A (2 marks)MMA = 70.91 g/mol mB = n x MM = 0.263 mol x 70.91 g/mol = 18.6 g A (1 mark)

BONUS: Since we know that compound B doesn’t contain any chlorine, compound A must, by inspection we can see that the molar mass for A corresponds to Cl2. With this value we can see that our chemical equation would be:3 Cl2 + B -> C8H10Cl6 In order to balance this equation B must be C8H10 (2 marks)

13

Group Activity – Write 1 Great Question

• Take a moment and think about a unit you taught or are thinking of teaching

• Think of all the content involved in the unit

• Write a question which will challenge a student to use everything they’ve learned in the unit to solve it

14

Group Activity – Write 1 Great Question• Form into groups of 3-4

• Review each others questions and discuss what makes each question great

• Optional: Nominate 1 or more to present their great question to the class

15

Questions?• Next part of presentation is optional for people who want to know

more about running their own business

16

Working as an Independent Contractor

• Negotiate your own pay

• Set your own hours

• Tax Deductions

• Must track everything yourself

• No guaranteed hours

• Must pay employer portion of CPP

• Not EI eligible unless you pay both portions

Benefits Drawbacks

17

Tax Write-offs to Consider• Home office space• Heating• Electricity• Mortgage interest• Property Tax• Insurance

• Asset Depreciation• Computers• Office Furniture

• Supplies

• Software

• Textbooks

• Conferences

• Professional fees

• Use of Vehicle

18

Tax Write-offs• Document EVERYTHING

• Keep all documents well-organized

• Keep them for 7 years after date of filing

19

Questions?

20

Enjoy your Weekend!