Portland State Magazine Fall 2008

Applied linguistics professor Steve Reder hopes communi– ties around the nation will copy his Web site that helps students drop back into school. and community-based resources such as classes and tutors. Last fall, the Institute of Muse– um and Library Services awarded Reder a granr to conducr a rhree– year demonstration project with seven partners nationwide-from the Boston Public Library to the New Jersey Scace Employmenr and Training Consortium. Each parmer will develop learner plans to meer the needs of their community and links to local resources. This fall, Reder will develop a learner plan for Portland Scace applied linguistics majors and freshmen and transfer students in the University Studies program. As the idea spreads, Reder hopes chat communities will adopr and adapt the idea-creating a site for their local scudenr needs with appropriate resources. To chat end, he's working with IIA to develop licenses to first, preserve the standard of quality of a learner plan, so chat anyone who puts up a learner plan sire meets tl1e quality of che original. Secondly, he wants to protect the open source sofrware so ochers can use ic to develop sires. And thirdly, he wanes to protect che content submitted to che sire. Reder hopes the protections will make it easier to gee ochers on board. "We're trying to give chis away," says Reder, "so when the grant goes away, the program keeps going." ■ Melissa Steineger, a Portlandfreelance writer, wrote the article "Women Leaders in the Making"far the spring 2008 Portland Scace Magazine. Oregon-basedphotographer Kelly James is a frequent contributor to Portland Scace Magazine. FALL 2008 PORTLAND STATE MAGAZINE 13