Or, take a random idea generator (examples are explored below in Part 3, the step commencing with ‘Immerse yourself’). Think whether your activity could be inspired by something in that resource. Alternatively, look around you and find a random item, e. g. a spoon, and apply it to the learning activity you have in mind, e. g. cultural analysis and comparison through the use of a culture’s cutlery - or - poetry about common objects, displayed in their shape to make interesting art works.
You do not need to always make a new website: you could develop and upload a text-based document; create a bank of new images in an existing space; edit an existing space, like a wiki; create a closed resource but share how you made it openly through social media; or you could develop a new webpage. These are just a few examples.
Often you will find yourself stumbling upon something new and unexpected through your development journey. In turn, this may inspire you to decide to completely change what you initially had in mind. No worries, just run with it! The time you had spent up to then was not wasted, it helped you achieve your new and exciting plan.
Blogs Mailing lists Stumble Upon websites MOOCs OER and CC content banks and search engines Online articles Social media … etc. (often the first jump is the hardest, then it’s a lot of fun!)
If forming part of the core activity, open access content can be pulled out and reused directly, partially or simply be inspiring; There is also the opportunity to use or sign-post to other non-CC content, providing you have obtained the author’s direct permission to use it in this context (and there is no harm in asking); However, should the content be supplementary to the core activity (for example, you might also like to look at this link) the sign-posted content is not necessarily required to hold a CC license too (however, should high-volumes of traffic be expected, such as for use in a MOOC, it is polite and thoughtful to give the author a heads-up, as it could be sitting on a personally-hosted server. )
Start from a position of open. Using creative commons search engines to source images where you do not hold the license personally makes the development of open content easier (although do double-check the licenses just to be sure!). Keep an eye on the particular license of the content, for example, share-alike, which stipulates you must use the exact same license for the final work the resource is incorporated into (more information available in the video)
