--- title: 'Open Education Essentials' url: 'https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/' markdown: 'https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/index.md' date: '2026-10-09' description: "This site is built with Grav Open Publishing Space, made possible by the free Quark 2 Open Publishing theme (Quark Open Publishing on Grav 1.7) and powered by Grav CMS, the open-source platform it's built on. Here's an example guide to explore and build on: Open Education Essentials – a short, practical guide to understanding and applying open education principles in your teaching practice. About This Guide This guide covers the foundational ideas, practical tools, and real-world examples you need to get started with open educational resources (OER) and open course design. Note This guide is an example of a Section List page, for open guides and readers. It shows a card for each section, grouped into parts, and its pages include section labels, Learning Objectives, reading progress, Previous/Next navigation and OER attribution – all set in page settings. The same guide i" taxonomy: archives_month: - oct_2026 archives_year: - '2026' --- # Open Education Essentials ![Open Education Essentials cover](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/user/pages/01.open-education-essentials/viktor-forgacs-click-LNwIJHUtED4-unsplash.jpg)# Open Education Essentials A Practical Guide for Educators Your Name First Edition, 2026,Updated Oct 4, 2026 CC BY 4.0 [Start Reading ](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/what-is-open-education) This site is built with **Grav Open Publishing Space**, made possible by the free [Quark 2 Open Publishing](https://github.com/hibbitts-design/grav-theme-quark2-open-publishing) theme ([Quark Open Publishing](https://github.com/hibbitts-design/grav-theme-quark-open-publishing) on Grav 1.7) and powered by [Grav CMS](https://getgrav.org), the open-source platform it's built on. Here's an example guide to explore and build on: **Open Education Essentials** – a short, practical guide to understanding and applying open education principles in your teaching practice. ## Open Education - ![](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/images/2/5/e/3/4/25e34b724591f91f10cb235c44ba84f71bd92313-kevin-grieve-b8cijlfvabq-unsplash.jpg) Section 1 ### [What is Open Education?](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/what-is-open-education) An introduction to open education principles, the 5Rs framework, and why content ownership matters. - ![](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/images/7/8/2/1/7/782178e645a7f00297c2852f23c145c9be6c426d-vitaly-gariev-tniknzcsqjk-unsplash.jpg) Section 2 ### [Tools for Open Course Design](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/tools-for-open-course-design) Practical tools for creating Git-backed, LMS-embeddable open course content – from Grav to Docsify-This. - ![](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/images/0/4/a/e/9/04ae98fa4ae95aa71bb7a5a344877bf005858cc9-natalia-y-yqes71-42c4-unsplash.jpg) Section 3 ### [Getting Started with Open Authoring](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/getting-started-with-open-authoring) How to invite readers to suggest edits, view source, and contribute to your open course content via GitHub or Codeberg. ## Publishing with This Site - ![](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/images/5/0/5/7/5/50575d9a1aaadb355889065fca854708981bf117-unsplash-sidney-perry.jpg) Section 4 ### [Growing Your Guide](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/growing-your-guide) Blogging alongside your guide, and knowing when to move to Helios Open Reader. [Start Reading ](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/what-is-open-education) ## About This Guide This guide covers the foundational ideas, practical tools, and real-world examples you need to get started with open educational resources (OER) and open course design. Note This guide is an example of a **Section List** page, for open guides and readers. It shows a card for each section, grouped into parts, and its pages include section labels, Learning Objectives, reading progress, Previous/Next navigation and OER attribution – all set in page settings. The same guide is the example in [Grav Helios Open Reader](https://github.com/hibbitts-design/grav-skeleton-helios-open-reader), showing how content can move between the two. Want to learn more? Read the full [Read Me](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/readme) for setup instructions, features, and more. This work by [Your Name](#) is licensed under [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). --- ## Navigation - Next: [Blog](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/blog.md) - Children: - [What is Open Education?](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/what-is-open-education.md) - [Tools for Open Course Design](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/tools-for-open-course-design.md) - [Getting Started with Open Authoring](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/getting-started-with-open-authoring.md) - [Growing Your Guide](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/growing-your-guide.md) --- title: 'What is Open Education?' url: 'https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/what-is-open-education' markdown: 'https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/what-is-open-education.md' date: '2026-10-05' description: 'Open education is built on a simple idea: learning materials should be as accessible and adaptable as the knowledge they contain. The 5Rs Framework The most widely used framework for open educational resources describes five essential permissions – the 5Rs: Retain – keep a copy of the resource Reu…' taxonomy: archives_month: - oct_2026 archives_year: - '2026' --- Section 1 # What is Open Education? Learning Objectives - Define open education and explain its core principles - Identify the 5Rs of open educational resources - Describe the benefits of educator-owned course content Open education is built on a simple idea: learning materials should be as accessible and adaptable as the knowledge they contain. ## The 5Rs Framework The most widely used framework for open educational resources describes five essential permissions – the **5Rs**: 1. **Retain** – keep a copy of the resource 2. **Reuse** – use it in your own context, unchanged 3. **Revise** – adapt, adjust, modify, or translate it 4. **Remix** – combine it with other open resources to create something new 5. **Redistribute** – share copies of the original, revised, or remixed version When a resource carries a Creative Commons license, it grants some or all of these permissions explicitly. ## Why Content Ownership Matters Most LMS platforms store course content in proprietary formats tied to an institutional account. When you leave the institution – or when the platform changes – your content can become difficult or impossible to recover in a usable form. Open course design addresses this by keeping content in portable, human-readable formats (like Markdown) backed up in version-controlled repositories. The content belongs to you, not the platform. Tip Markdown files stored in a GitHub or Codeberg repository are readable in any text editor and will outlast any platform or vendor. ## A Spectrum of Openness Open education isn't all-or-nothing. You can start by making one module of your course openly accessible, or by publishing your syllabus as a public Markdown file. Every step toward openness makes your content more durable and more useful to others. This work by [Your Name](#) is licensed under [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). - Open Education - [What is Open Education?](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/what-is-open-education) - [Tools for Open Course Design](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/tools-for-open-course-design) - [Getting Started with Open Authoring](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/getting-started-with-open-authoring) - Publishing with This Site - [Growing Your Guide](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/growing-your-guide) --- ## Navigation - Parent: [Open Education Essentials](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/index.md) - Next: [Tools for Open Course Design](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/tools-for-open-course-design.md) - Children: - [A Spectrum of Openness](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/what-is-open-education/a-spectrum-of-openness.md) - [Creative Commons Licenses](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/what-is-open-education/creative-commons-licenses.md) - [Getting Started with OER](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/what-is-open-education/getting-started-with-oer.md) --- title: 'A Spectrum of Openness' url: 'https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/what-is-open-education/a-spectrum-of-openness' markdown: 'https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/what-is-open-education/a-spectrum-of-openness.md' date: '2026-10-05' description: "Open education isn't all-or-nothing. You can start by making one module of your course openly accessible, or by publishing your syllabus as a public Markdown file. Every step toward openness makes your content more durable and more useful to others. Open Educational Resource (OER) Any teaching, le…" taxonomy: archives_month: - oct_2026 archives_year: - '2026' --- Section 1 # A Spectrum of Openness Open education isn't all-or-nothing. You can start by making one module of your course openly accessible, or by publishing your syllabus as a public Markdown file. Every step toward openness makes your content more durable and more useful to others. Open Educational Resource (OER) Any teaching, learning, or research material that is released under an open license permitting free use, adaptation, and redistribution. OER can be a single image, a lesson plan, a full textbook, or an entire course – what makes it open is the license, not the format or scope. ## Starting Small The most common barrier to open education is the belief that going "open" means publishing everything at once. In practice, most educators begin with a single resource: - A reading list made publicly accessible - A lab manual published under a CC license - A course outline shared as a GitHub repository Each of these is a complete act of openness – no further steps required unless you choose to take them. ## The 5Rs in Practice The [5Rs framework](https://opencontent.org/definition/) provides a useful checklist. For any resource you create, ask: | Permission | Question | |---|---| | Retain | Can others keep a permanent copy? | | Reuse | Can others use it in their own context? | | Revise | Can others adapt or translate it? | | Remix | Can others combine it with other materials? | | Redistribute | Can others share copies freely? | A CC BY license grants all five. A CC BY-NC license grants all five with a non-commercial restriction. This work by [Your Name](#) is licensed under [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). - Open Education - [What is Open Education?](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/what-is-open-education) - [A Spectrum of Openness](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/what-is-open-education/a-spectrum-of-openness) - [Creative Commons Licenses](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/what-is-open-education/creative-commons-licenses) - [Getting Started with OER](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/what-is-open-education/getting-started-with-oer) - [Tools for Open Course Design](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/tools-for-open-course-design) - [Getting Started with Open Authoring](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/getting-started-with-open-authoring) - Publishing with This Site - [Growing Your Guide](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/growing-your-guide) --- ## Navigation - Parent: [What is Open Education?](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/what-is-open-education.md) - Next: [Creative Commons Licenses](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/what-is-open-education/creative-commons-licenses.md) --- title: 'Creative Commons Licenses' url: 'https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/what-is-open-education/creative-commons-licenses' markdown: 'https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/what-is-open-education/creative-commons-licenses.md' date: '2026-10-05' description: "Creative Commons licenses are the practical mechanism behind most open educational resources. They let you specify exactly which permissions you're granting – without requiring individual negotiations with each user. The Six Licenses All CC licenses require attribution. The other conditions – NonCo…" taxonomy: archives_month: - oct_2026 archives_year: - '2026' --- Section 1 # Creative Commons Licenses Creative Commons licenses are the practical mechanism behind most open educational resources. They let you specify exactly which permissions you're granting – without requiring individual negotiations with each user. ## The Six Licenses All CC licenses require attribution. The other conditions – NonCommercial, NoDerivatives, ShareAlike – combine to form six licenses: | License | Free to share | Free to adapt | Commercial use | |---|---|---|---| | CC BY | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | | CC BY-SA | ✓ | ✓ (same license) | ✓ | | CC BY-NC | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | | CC BY-NC-SA | ✓ | ✓ (same license) | ✗ | | CC BY-ND | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ | | CC BY-NC-ND | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ## Which License to Choose For educational materials intended to be remixed and adapted by other educators, **CC BY** or **CC BY-SA** are the most open choices. CC BY places the fewest restrictions and is compatible with the widest range of other OER. If you want to ensure that adaptations are always shared under the same terms, **CC BY-SA** (ShareAlike) creates that expectation – similar to how open-source copyleft licenses work. Note The NonCommercial condition is often misunderstood. "Commercial use" covers a wide range of activities, and its meaning is context-dependent. When in doubt, CC BY is simpler and more reusable. ## Applying a License To apply a license to your reader, add the license name and URL to the reader home page frontmatter: ```yaml license: CC BY 4.0 license_url: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ attribution_text: 'This work by Jane Smith is licensed under CC BY 4.0.' ``` Turn on **Show OER Attribution Block** in the reader home page's **Attribution** tab to display this at the bottom of every page. This work by [Your Name](#) is licensed under [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). - Open Education - [What is Open Education?](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/what-is-open-education) - [A Spectrum of Openness](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/what-is-open-education/a-spectrum-of-openness) - [Creative Commons Licenses](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/what-is-open-education/creative-commons-licenses) - [Getting Started with OER](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/what-is-open-education/getting-started-with-oer) - [Tools for Open Course Design](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/tools-for-open-course-design) - [Getting Started with Open Authoring](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/getting-started-with-open-authoring) - Publishing with This Site - [Growing Your Guide](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/growing-your-guide) --- ## Navigation - Parent: [What is Open Education?](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/what-is-open-education.md) - Previous: [A Spectrum of Openness](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/what-is-open-education/a-spectrum-of-openness.md) - Next: [Getting Started with OER](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/what-is-open-education/getting-started-with-oer.md) --- title: 'Getting Started with OER' url: 'https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/what-is-open-education/getting-started-with-oer' markdown: 'https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/what-is-open-education/getting-started-with-oer.md' date: '2026-10-05' description: "You don't need to build a complete open textbook to get started with OER. The most sustainable approach is to start small, build habits, and expand from there. Three Entry Points 1. Adopt existing OER. Before creating anything, check whether something already exists. Repositories like OER Commons, …" taxonomy: archives_month: - oct_2026 archives_year: - '2026' --- Section 1 # Getting Started with OER You don't need to build a complete open textbook to get started with OER. The most sustainable approach is to start small, build habits, and expand from there. ## Three Entry Points **1. Adopt existing OER.** Before creating anything, check whether something already exists. Repositories like [OER Commons](https://www.oercommons.org), [MERLOT](https://www.merlot.org), and [OpenStax](https://openstax.org) contain peer-reviewed open materials across most disciplines. **2. Adapt existing OER.** Find an open resource that's close to what you need, then revise it for your context. This is often faster than creating from scratch and models good open practice – attributing the source and publishing your adaptation openly. **3. Create and publish.** If nothing suitable exists, create it. Even a single openly licensed syllabus or lab guide is a contribution to the OER ecosystem. Adapting an OpenStax Textbook An instructor teaching introductory biology finds that [OpenStax Biology 2e](https://openstax.org/details/books/biology-2e) covers most of their course but includes two chapters irrelevant to their program. They download the source files, remove those chapters, add a locally written lab guide under CC BY, and publish the combined resource on a Grav-based reader synced to a public GitHub repository. The result is a customised OER that attributes the original, carries a compatible license, and is itself freely adaptable by others. ## The Minimal Viable Open Resource A minimal OER is: - Written in a portable format (Markdown, plain text, HTML) - Published at a stable public URL - Carrying a CC license statement - Attributing any sources it draws from A Grav-based reader with Git Sync satisfies all four criteria by default. ## Building the Habit The most effective habit is to write course materials in a format you own from the start – Markdown files in a Git repository – rather than migrating from a proprietary format later. Every piece of content you create in that format is one less conversion to make. This work by [Your Name](#) is licensed under [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). - Open Education - [What is Open Education?](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/what-is-open-education) - [A Spectrum of Openness](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/what-is-open-education/a-spectrum-of-openness) - [Creative Commons Licenses](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/what-is-open-education/creative-commons-licenses) - [Getting Started with OER](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/what-is-open-education/getting-started-with-oer) - [Tools for Open Course Design](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/tools-for-open-course-design) - [Getting Started with Open Authoring](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/getting-started-with-open-authoring) - Publishing with This Site - [Growing Your Guide](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/growing-your-guide) --- ## Navigation - Parent: [What is Open Education?](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/what-is-open-education.md) - Previous: [Creative Commons Licenses](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/what-is-open-education/creative-commons-licenses.md) --- title: 'Tools for Open Course Design' url: 'https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/tools-for-open-course-design' markdown: 'https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/tools-for-open-course-design.md' date: '2026-10-05' description: "By the end of this section you will be able to Compare Grav and Docsify-based approaches for open course content Explain how Git Sync enables version-controlled course content Embed a Grav or Docsify page into an LMS using a URL parameter Building open course content doesn't require learning a n…" taxonomy: archives_month: - oct_2026 archives_year: - '2026' --- Section 2 # Tools for Open Course Design By the end of this section you will be able to - Compare Grav and Docsify-based approaches for open course content - Explain how Git Sync enables version-controlled course content - Embed a Grav or Docsify page into an LMS using a URL parameter Building open course content doesn't require learning a new authoring system from scratch. The tools covered here are designed to layer on top of workflows you likely already use. ## Grav CMS [Grav](https://getgrav.org) is a flat-file CMS – all content is stored as Markdown files, with no database required. Pair it with the Git Sync plugin and every save is automatically committed to a GitHub or Codeberg repository. **Best for:** Educators who want a full-featured course or reader site with an Admin Panel, multi-contributor support, and rich theming. ## Docsify-This [Docsify-This](https://docsify-this.net) takes a different approach – paste the URL of any public Markdown file and get back a styled, shareable web page instantly. No account, no configuration, nothing to install. **Best for:** Sharing a single page or section instantly, or publishing a reading without setting up a full site. ## LMS Embedding Both Grav and Docsify support clean content-only views via a URL parameter: ``` https://yoursite.com/open-education-essentials/what-is-open-education?chromeless=true ``` Adding `?chromeless=true` removes the header, sidebar, and footer – leaving only the content for embedding in an iFrame inside Canvas, Moodle, or Brightspace. Tip for Canvas Users Use the **External Tool** option (not iFrame embed) for the best accessibility and mobile experience when embedding open content in Canvas. This work by [Your Name](#) is licensed under [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). - Open Education - [What is Open Education?](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/what-is-open-education) - [Tools for Open Course Design](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/tools-for-open-course-design) - [Getting Started with Open Authoring](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/getting-started-with-open-authoring) - Publishing with This Site - [Growing Your Guide](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/growing-your-guide) --- ## Navigation - Parent: [Open Education Essentials](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/index.md) - Previous: [What is Open Education?](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/what-is-open-education.md) - Next: [Getting Started with Open Authoring](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/getting-started-with-open-authoring.md) - Children: - [LMS Embedding](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/tools-for-open-course-design/lms-embedding.md) - [Git Sync – Version-Controlled Content](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/tools-for-open-course-design/git-sync.md) - [Docsify-This for Instant Publishing](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/tools-for-open-course-design/docsify-this.md) --- title: 'LMS Embedding' url: 'https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/tools-for-open-course-design/lms-embedding' markdown: 'https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/tools-for-open-course-design/lms-embedding.md' date: '2026-10-05' description: 'One of the practical advantages of web-first course content is the ability to embed it directly inside your LMS – without giving up ownership of the content or the URL. The Chromeless Parameter Both Grav and Docsify support a URL parameter that strips the page down to content only, removing the hea…' taxonomy: archives_month: - oct_2026 archives_year: - '2026' --- Section 2 # LMS Embedding One of the practical advantages of web-first course content is the ability to embed it directly inside your LMS – without giving up ownership of the content or the URL. ## The Chromeless Parameter Both Grav and Docsify support a URL parameter that strips the page down to content only, removing the header, sidebar, and footer: ``` https://yoursite.com/open-education-essentials/what-is-open-education?chromeless=true ``` The result is a clean content view suitable for embedding in an iFrame inside Canvas, Moodle, or Brightspace. ## iFrame Embedding in Canvas In Canvas, use the **External Tool** option rather than a raw iFrame embed for the best accessibility and mobile experience. If your institution hasn't enabled external tool embedding, a standard iFrame in a Page editor still works for most use cases. ## Keeping the URL The key advantage of this approach over uploading a PDF or pasting content into the LMS directly: the content lives at a stable, citable URL. Students can bookmark it. You can update it without touching the LMS. And when you move institutions, the content moves with you. This work by [Your Name](#) is licensed under [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). - Open Education - [What is Open Education?](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/what-is-open-education) - [Tools for Open Course Design](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/tools-for-open-course-design) - [LMS Embedding](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/tools-for-open-course-design/lms-embedding) - [Git Sync – Version-Controlled Content](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/tools-for-open-course-design/git-sync) - [Docsify-This for Instant Publishing](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/tools-for-open-course-design/docsify-this) - [Getting Started with Open Authoring](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/getting-started-with-open-authoring) - Publishing with This Site - [Growing Your Guide](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/growing-your-guide) --- ## Navigation - Parent: [Tools for Open Course Design](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/tools-for-open-course-design.md) - Next: [Git Sync – Version-Controlled Content](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/tools-for-open-course-design/git-sync.md) --- title: 'Git Sync – Version-Controlled Content' url: 'https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/tools-for-open-course-design/git-sync' markdown: 'https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/tools-for-open-course-design/git-sync.md' date: '2026-10-05' description: 'Git Sync turns your Grav pages folder into a version-controlled repository. Every save in the Admin Panel becomes a commit. Every commit in your repository becomes a page update. How It Works The Git Sync plugin connects Grav to a remote Git repository via a webhook. When you save a page, Grav comm…' taxonomy: archives_month: - oct_2026 archives_year: - '2026' --- Section 2 # Git Sync – Version-Controlled Content Git Sync turns your Grav pages folder into a version-controlled repository. Every save in the Admin Panel becomes a commit. Every commit in your repository becomes a page update. ## How It Works The [Git Sync plugin](https://github.com/trilbymedia/grav-plugin-git-sync) connects Grav to a remote Git repository via a webhook. When you save a page, Grav commits and pushes the change. When you push to the repository directly, a webhook triggers a pull. The result: your content lives simultaneously on your web server and in your Git repository, kept in sync automatically. ## Setting Up Git Sync 1. Create a repository on GitHub or Codeberg 2. Install and enable the Git Sync plugin 3. Run the Git Sync wizard – it generates the webhook URL and walks through the authentication setup 4. Set the sync folder to `pages` (the default) Once configured, any page you save in the Admin Panel appears in your repository within seconds. ## Why This Matters for OER A Git-backed reader is: - **Portable** – clone the repository to move to a new host - **Recoverable** – every version is preserved in history - **Collaborative** – contributors can fork and propose changes - **Citable** – specific versions can be tagged and linked permanently The repository becomes the authoritative source. The Grav site is one way to render it. This work by [Your Name](#) is licensed under [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). - Open Education - [What is Open Education?](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/what-is-open-education) - [Tools for Open Course Design](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/tools-for-open-course-design) - [LMS Embedding](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/tools-for-open-course-design/lms-embedding) - [Git Sync – Version-Controlled Content](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/tools-for-open-course-design/git-sync) - [Docsify-This for Instant Publishing](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/tools-for-open-course-design/docsify-this) - [Getting Started with Open Authoring](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/getting-started-with-open-authoring) - Publishing with This Site - [Growing Your Guide](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/growing-your-guide) --- ## Navigation - Parent: [Tools for Open Course Design](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/tools-for-open-course-design.md) - Previous: [LMS Embedding](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/tools-for-open-course-design/lms-embedding.md) - Next: [Docsify-This for Instant Publishing](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/tools-for-open-course-design/docsify-this.md) --- title: 'Docsify-This for Instant Publishing' url: 'https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/tools-for-open-course-design/docsify-this' markdown: 'https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/tools-for-open-course-design/docsify-this.md' date: '2026-10-05' description: 'Docsify-This solves a specific problem: you have a Markdown file in a public repository and you want to share it as a readable, styled web page – right now. How It Works Paste any public Markdown file URL into Docsify-This and it returns a styled page at a shareable URL: https://docsify-this.net/?b…' taxonomy: archives_month: - oct_2026 archives_year: - '2026' --- Section 2 # Docsify-This for Instant Publishing [Docsify-This](https://docsify-this.net) solves a specific problem: you have a Markdown file in a public repository and you want to share it as a readable, styled web page – right now. ## How It Works Paste any public Markdown file URL into Docsify-This and it returns a styled page at a shareable URL: ``` https://docsify-this.net/?basePath=https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ user/repo/main&homepage=README.md ``` No account. No configuration. No deployment. The Markdown file is the source – Docsify-This renders it on the fly. ## Use Cases alongside Grav Docsify-This and a Grav reader complement each other: | Use case | Better fit | |---|---| | Full structured reader with sidebar nav | Grav (this site) | | Quick share of a single page or handout | Docsify-This | | Embedding one page into an LMS | Either (both support `?chromeless=true`) | | Multi-author, Admin Panel editing | Grav | | Zero-infrastructure publishing | Docsify-This | ## Combining the Two A practical workflow: maintain all content as Markdown files in a GitHub repository (synced to Grav via Git Sync). Any individual file can be shared instantly via Docsify-This, while the full reader experience lives on the Grav site. This means your content is accessible in multiple forms from the same source – without duplicating or converting anything. This work by [Your Name](#) is licensed under [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). - Open Education - [What is Open Education?](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/what-is-open-education) - [Tools for Open Course Design](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/tools-for-open-course-design) - [LMS Embedding](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/tools-for-open-course-design/lms-embedding) - [Git Sync – Version-Controlled Content](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/tools-for-open-course-design/git-sync) - [Docsify-This for Instant Publishing](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/tools-for-open-course-design/docsify-this) - [Getting Started with Open Authoring](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/getting-started-with-open-authoring) - Publishing with This Site - [Growing Your Guide](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/growing-your-guide) --- ## Navigation - Parent: [Tools for Open Course Design](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/tools-for-open-course-design.md) - Previous: [Git Sync – Version-Controlled Content](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/tools-for-open-course-design/git-sync.md) --- title: 'Getting Started with Open Authoring' url: 'https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/getting-started-with-open-authoring' markdown: 'https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/getting-started-with-open-authoring.md' date: '2026-10-05' description: "Open authoring closes the loop between publishing content openly and actively inviting others to improve it. The goal isn't just making content readable – it's making it editable. The Git Sync Link This site's theme can add a link to each page that connects visitors directly to its source Markdown …" taxonomy: archives_month: - oct_2026 archives_year: - '2026' --- Section 3 # Getting Started with Open Authoring Learning Objectives - Set up the Git Sync link to invite reader contributions - Compare how GitHub, Codeberg and GitLab handle proposed changes - Describe the fork-and-propose workflow for GitHub visitors Open authoring closes the loop between publishing content openly and actively inviting others to improve it. The goal isn't just making content readable – it's making it editable. ## The Git Sync Link This site's theme can add a link to each page that connects visitors directly to its source Markdown file in your Git repository. In the Admin Panel, go to **Themes → My Theme → Git Sync Link** (or the settings of the theme your site uses), set the type to **View/Edit Page in Git Repository**, and choose where the link appears (the menu, the footer or the page). A single link serves two audiences: - **Contributors with repository access** can edit the file directly - **Everyone else** sees the file in the repository viewer, where they can fork it and propose changes ## Proposing Changes on Different Platforms | Platform | Visitors without repository access | |---|---| | GitHub | Sign in, then select the edit (pencil) button – GitHub forks the repository and guides them through opening a pull request | | Codeberg | Sign in, fork the repository, then open a pull request | | GitLab | Sign in, fork the repository, then open a merge request | GitHub handles visitors without repository access most smoothly, making it well suited for open authoring workflows. ## Inviting Contributions The simplest invitation is a single sentence at the top of your reader home page: > Found an error or want to suggest an improvement? Use the link on any page to view the source and propose a change. Readers who are comfortable with GitHub can open a pull request. Those who aren't can email you the suggested change. Either way, the source file is visible and accessible. This work by [Your Name](#) is licensed under [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). - Open Education - [What is Open Education?](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/what-is-open-education) - [Tools for Open Course Design](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/tools-for-open-course-design) - [Getting Started with Open Authoring](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/getting-started-with-open-authoring) - Publishing with This Site - [Growing Your Guide](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/growing-your-guide) --- ## Navigation - Parent: [Open Education Essentials](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/index.md) - Previous: [Tools for Open Course Design](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/tools-for-open-course-design.md) - Next: [Growing Your Guide](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/growing-your-guide.md) - Children: - [Inviting Contributions](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/getting-started-with-open-authoring/inviting-contributions.md) - [Choosing a Git Platform](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/getting-started-with-open-authoring/choosing-a-git-platform.md) - [Maintaining an Open Reader](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/getting-started-with-open-authoring/maintaining-an-open-reader.md) --- title: 'Inviting Contributions' url: 'https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/getting-started-with-open-authoring/inviting-contributions' markdown: 'https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/getting-started-with-open-authoring/inviting-contributions.md' date: '2026-10-05' description: 'Publishing content openly is the first step. Actively inviting others to improve it closes the loop. A Simple Invitation The simplest way to invite contributions is a single sentence at the top of your reader home page: Found an error or want to suggest an improvement? Use the link on any page to …' taxonomy: archives_month: - oct_2026 archives_year: - '2026' --- Section 3 # Inviting Contributions Publishing content openly is the first step. Actively inviting others to improve it closes the loop. ## A Simple Invitation The simplest way to invite contributions is a single sentence at the top of your reader home page: > Found an error or want to suggest an improvement? Use the link on any page to view the source and propose a change. This works for all readers – GitHub-savvy or not. ## The Fork-and-Propose Workflow When a visitor follows the Git Sync link on a GitHub-hosted reader, unauthenticated users land on a fork-and-propose flow automatically. They don't need a repository invite – GitHub handles the mechanics of creating a fork and opening a pull request. The result: a low-friction contribution path that scales from individual educators to open textbook communities. ## Acknowledging Contributors If your reader accumulates contributions, consider adding a contributors section to the reader home page. Even a brief acknowledgement – "Thanks to Jane Smith for correcting the example in Section 2" – encourages future contributions and models the norms of open collaboration. Draft Your Contribution Invitation Write a two- or three-sentence invitation to place at the top of your reader home page. It should: 1. Tell readers what to do if they spot an error or want to suggest an improvement 2. Lower the barrier – assume they may not know what a pull request is 3. Make it clear their contribution is welcome Share your draft with a colleague and ask whether they would feel confident acting on it. This work by [Your Name](#) is licensed under [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). - Open Education - [What is Open Education?](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/what-is-open-education) - [Tools for Open Course Design](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/tools-for-open-course-design) - [Getting Started with Open Authoring](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/getting-started-with-open-authoring) - [Inviting Contributions](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/getting-started-with-open-authoring/inviting-contributions) - [Choosing a Git Platform](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/getting-started-with-open-authoring/choosing-a-git-platform) - [Maintaining an Open Reader](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/getting-started-with-open-authoring/maintaining-an-open-reader) - Publishing with This Site - [Growing Your Guide](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/growing-your-guide) --- ## Navigation - Parent: [Getting Started with Open Authoring](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/getting-started-with-open-authoring.md) - Next: [Choosing a Git Platform](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/getting-started-with-open-authoring/choosing-a-git-platform.md) --- title: 'Choosing a Git Platform' url: 'https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/getting-started-with-open-authoring/choosing-a-git-platform' markdown: 'https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/getting-started-with-open-authoring/choosing-a-git-platform.md' date: '2026-10-05' description: 'The Git platform you choose affects how contributors interact with your reader and how your content is discovered. All three major platforms support the fork-and-propose workflow, but with meaningful differences. Platform Comparison Feature GitHub Codeberg GitLab Fork-and-propose for unauthe…' taxonomy: archives_month: - oct_2026 archives_year: - '2026' --- Section 3 # Choosing a Git Platform The Git platform you choose affects how contributors interact with your reader and how your content is discovered. All three major platforms support the fork-and-propose workflow, but with meaningful differences. ## Platform Comparison | Feature | GitHub | Codeberg | GitLab | |---|---|---|---| | Fork-and-propose for unauthenticated users | ✓ (edit mode) | Login required | Login required | | Open source platform | ✗ (Microsoft) | ✓ (Gitea-based) | Partial (CE edition) | | Discoverability | Highest | Growing | Moderate | | Free private repositories | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | | Built-in CI/CD | ✓ (Actions) | ✓ (Forgejo Actions) | ✓ (Pipelines) | ## For Open Authoring: GitHub GitHub's edit mode redirects unauthenticated visitors to a fork-and-propose flow automatically – no account required on your repository, just a GitHub account for the contributor. This makes GitHub the lowest-friction choice for open authoring with a public audience. ## For Values Alignment: Codeberg [Codeberg](https://codeberg.org) is a non-profit, open-source Git hosting platform based on Forgejo. It's a strong choice for educators who want their entire toolchain – not just their content – to reflect open values. The Helios Open Reader plugin supports Codeberg natively via the Repository Host setting. ## Recommendation For most educators starting out: use GitHub for its discoverability and contributor-friendly edit mode. If open-source infrastructure matters to your practice, Codeberg is a principled alternative with full plugin support. Choosing Your Platform Consider your own teaching context before deciding. Ask yourself: - How likely are your readers to already have a GitHub account? - Does it matter to you that your entire workflow – not just your content – is built on open-source tools? - Would you want contributors to be able to propose changes without contacting you first? There is no universally correct answer. The right platform is the one that fits your readers, your values, and your willingness to maintain it. This work by [Your Name](#) is licensed under [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). - Open Education - [What is Open Education?](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/what-is-open-education) - [Tools for Open Course Design](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/tools-for-open-course-design) - [Getting Started with Open Authoring](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/getting-started-with-open-authoring) - [Inviting Contributions](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/getting-started-with-open-authoring/inviting-contributions) - [Choosing a Git Platform](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/getting-started-with-open-authoring/choosing-a-git-platform) - [Maintaining an Open Reader](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/getting-started-with-open-authoring/maintaining-an-open-reader) - Publishing with This Site - [Growing Your Guide](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/growing-your-guide) --- ## Navigation - Parent: [Getting Started with Open Authoring](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/getting-started-with-open-authoring.md) - Previous: [Inviting Contributions](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/getting-started-with-open-authoring/inviting-contributions.md) - Next: [Maintaining an Open Reader](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/getting-started-with-open-authoring/maintaining-an-open-reader.md) --- title: 'Maintaining an Open Reader' url: 'https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/getting-started-with-open-authoring/maintaining-an-open-reader' markdown: 'https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/getting-started-with-open-authoring/maintaining-an-open-reader.md' date: '2026-10-05' description: 'Publishing a reader is a beginning, not an end. The durability of open content comes from treating it as a living document – updated regularly, improved by its readers, and versioned transparently. A Lightweight Update Workflow Because your reader content lives in Markdown files in a Git repository…' taxonomy: archives_month: - oct_2026 archives_year: - '2026' --- Section 3 # Maintaining an Open Reader Publishing a reader is a beginning, not an end. The durability of open content comes from treating it as a living document – updated regularly, improved by its readers, and versioned transparently. ## A Lightweight Update Workflow Because your reader content lives in Markdown files in a Git repository, updates follow a simple pattern: 1. Edit the Markdown file – in the Grav Admin Panel, in your text editor, or directly on GitHub 2. Commit the change (happens automatically with Git Sync, or manually via the repository) 3. The update is live immediately – no rebuild, no deployment step BCcampus Open Textbook Project BCcampus has maintained a collection of openly licensed textbooks for BC post-secondary institutions since 2012. Each textbook lives in a public GitHub repository, is built from Pressbooks source files exported as Markdown, and receives ongoing contributions from faculty across multiple institutions. Semester-based review cycles are tracked as GitHub milestones. Minor corrections are merged within days; major revisions are tagged as new editions. After more than a decade of active maintenance, several titles have accumulated hundreds of community-contributed improvements – none of which required the original author to remain involved. ## Handling Contributed Changes When a reader submits a pull request with a correction or suggestion: 1. Review the diff in the GitHub pull request interface 2. If the change is good, merge it – Grav picks up the update via the Git Sync webhook 3. Credit the contributor in the page's revision history or a dedicated acknowledgements section ## Versioning Major Revisions For significant updates – a new edition, a substantial restructure – consider tagging a release in the repository before making changes. This preserves the previous version at a stable URL (via the tag) while the live site moves forward. ```bash git tag v1.0 -m "First edition" git push origin v1.0 ``` ## Keeping Dependencies Current Periodically update the Grav core, theme, and plugins via the Admin Panel → Updates. The Quark Open Publishing theme and its plugins follow semantic versioning – minor updates are safe to apply; check release notes before major version upgrades. This work by [Your Name](#) is licensed under [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). - Open Education - [What is Open Education?](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/what-is-open-education) - [Tools for Open Course Design](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/tools-for-open-course-design) - [Getting Started with Open Authoring](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/getting-started-with-open-authoring) - [Inviting Contributions](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/getting-started-with-open-authoring/inviting-contributions) - [Choosing a Git Platform](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/getting-started-with-open-authoring/choosing-a-git-platform) - [Maintaining an Open Reader](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/getting-started-with-open-authoring/maintaining-an-open-reader) - Publishing with This Site - [Growing Your Guide](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/growing-your-guide) --- ## Navigation - Parent: [Getting Started with Open Authoring](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/getting-started-with-open-authoring.md) - Previous: [Choosing a Git Platform](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/getting-started-with-open-authoring/choosing-a-git-platform.md) --- title: 'Growing Your Guide' url: 'https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/growing-your-guide' markdown: 'https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/growing-your-guide.md' date: '2026-10-05' description: 'Once your guide is written, it can grow with your readers – alongside a blog, and if needed, into a larger publication.' taxonomy: archives_month: - oct_2026 archives_year: - '2026' --- Section 4 # Growing Your Guide Once your guide is written, it can grow with your readers – alongside a blog, and if needed, into a larger publication. This work by [Your Name](#) is licensed under [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). - Open Education - [What is Open Education?](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/what-is-open-education) - [Tools for Open Course Design](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/tools-for-open-course-design) - [Getting Started with Open Authoring](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/getting-started-with-open-authoring) - Publishing with This Site - [Growing Your Guide](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/growing-your-guide) --- ## Navigation - Parent: [Open Education Essentials](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/index.md) - Previous: [Getting Started with Open Authoring](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/getting-started-with-open-authoring.md) - Children: - [Blogging Alongside Your Guide](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/growing-your-guide/blogging-alongside-your-guide.md) - [When to Move to Helios Open Reader](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/growing-your-guide/when-to-move-to-helios-open-reader.md) --- title: 'Blogging Alongside Your Guide' url: 'https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/growing-your-guide/blogging-alongside-your-guide' markdown: 'https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/growing-your-guide/blogging-alongside-your-guide.md' date: '2026-10-05' description: 'This site pairs a guide like this one with a blog. Use the guide for content that stays put, and the blog for news, reflections and updates that build up over time.' taxonomy: archives_month: - oct_2026 archives_year: - '2026' --- Section 4 # Blogging Alongside Your Guide This site pairs a guide like this one with a blog. Use the guide for content that stays put, and the blog for news, reflections and updates that build up over time. This work by [Your Name](#) is licensed under [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). - Open Education - [What is Open Education?](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/what-is-open-education) - [Tools for Open Course Design](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/tools-for-open-course-design) - [Getting Started with Open Authoring](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/getting-started-with-open-authoring) - Publishing with This Site - [Growing Your Guide](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/growing-your-guide) - [Blogging Alongside Your Guide](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/growing-your-guide/blogging-alongside-your-guide) - [When to Move to Helios Open Reader](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/growing-your-guide/when-to-move-to-helios-open-reader) --- ## Navigation - Parent: [Growing Your Guide](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/growing-your-guide.md) - Next: [When to Move to Helios Open Reader](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/growing-your-guide/when-to-move-to-helios-open-reader.md) --- title: 'When to Move to Helios Open Reader' url: 'https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/growing-your-guide/when-to-move-to-helios-open-reader' markdown: 'https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/growing-your-guide/when-to-move-to-helios-open-reader.md' date: '2026-10-05' description: 'The two projects differ in what the site is for: Open Publishing Space is a site built around a blog and one or more guides – even long ones, grouped into parts. It is free and open source. Helios Open Reader is a site built for reading, such as open textbooks and course readers. It runs on Helios…' taxonomy: archives_month: - oct_2026 archives_year: - '2026' --- Section 4 # When to Move to Helios Open Reader The two projects differ in what the site is for: - **Open Publishing Space** is a site built around a blog and one or more guides – even long ones, grouped into parts. It is free and open source. - **[Helios Open Reader](https://github.com/hibbitts-design/grav-skeleton-helios-open-reader)** is a site built for reading, such as open textbooks and course readers. It runs on Helios, a premium Grav theme. If your site becomes mainly about reading, Helios Open Reader adds: - **A table of contents on every page**, highlighting where you are as you read - **Several publications on one site**, each with its own home page, gathered on a readers list - **A plain-text version of each publication**, for ebook tools, search and other uses This guide uses the same page settings as Helios Open Reader (subtitle, authors, edition, last updated date, license, section labels, learning objectives and section card details), and the same shortcodes and callouts, so your content can move across with little rework. This work by [Your Name](#) is licensed under [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). - Open Education - [What is Open Education?](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/what-is-open-education) - [Tools for Open Course Design](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/tools-for-open-course-design) - [Getting Started with Open Authoring](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/getting-started-with-open-authoring) - Publishing with This Site - [Growing Your Guide](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/growing-your-guide) - [Blogging Alongside Your Guide](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/growing-your-guide/blogging-alongside-your-guide) - [When to Move to Helios Open Reader](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/growing-your-guide/when-to-move-to-helios-open-reader) --- ## Navigation - Parent: [Growing Your Guide](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/growing-your-guide.md) - Previous: [Blogging Alongside Your Guide](https://demo.hibbittsdesign.org/grav-open-publishing-quark2/open-education-essentials/growing-your-guide/blogging-alongside-your-guide.md)