4 III A. Adopting Guide

Adopt an open textbook

If you are an instructor looking for an open textbook to assign to your class, here are some suggested ways to go about using a textbook from an open repository.

Open textbooks are not geographically limited. Anyone from the United States or any other country in the world can use these resources.

Using an open textbook for your class

  1. Finding OER Resources and Materials chapter of this guide.
  2. Evaluating Open Resources to see if it matches your criteria and based on content, presentation, online accessibility, production options, platform compatibility, delivery options, interactivity, consistency between online and printed versions, and available ancillary material (test banks, PowerPoints, etc.)
  3. Decide if you want to use as is or modify it. One of the benefits of open textbooks is flexibility to modify and customize them for specific course designs as much or as little as you desire. If you want to make edits or append content, make sure the Creative Commons license allows for that (every CC license except the non-derivative license allows for modifications).
  4. Distribute to your students. There are a number of ways in which you can do this.
    • If you’re using a textbook from the BCcampus site, provide the link to the textbook to your students. They will have the option to select which file type they would like to download, or they can purchase a low cost printed version from the BCcampus print on demand service.
    • Alternatively, you can download copies of the book and put them on another site. Some examples of where you could put your own copies of the book files are:
      • Your institutional LMS (Learning Management System). Load the book files into your Moodle, Desire2Learn, Blackboard or Canvas site and make the books available to your students via the LMS.
      • Use an online file sharing service like Dropbox or Google Docs. Upload a copy of the book files to Dropbox or Google Docs and send your student the link to that copy.
    • Approach your local institutional bookstore or print shop to see if they can make printed copies of the books available for your students. Many institutional print shops can create low cost printed versions of textbooks and make them available to students. Keep in mind that textbooks that have a specific non-commercial clause (CC-BY-NC) cannot be sold with a markup or at a profit. However, charging a modest cost-recovery fee for physical textbooks is considered reasonable.

OER Adopting Guide for Instructors

  • Search:
    1. Try many different sites and many different keywords and strategies
    2. Keep track of sites you’ve searched and keywords you’ve used
    3. Ask other OER adopters in your discipline what materials they use
 For repository lists see (update these):

http://www.kirkwood.edu/oer

http://www.cccoer.org
  • Identify & Evaluate:
    1. This stage is perhaps the most different from the process for selecting a traditional textbook. Use these criteria in your selection process:
 Quality
  • Peer review available
  • Reputation of author and/or institution
  • Pedagogy
  • Clear visuals, high production value

Appropriateness

  • Accuracy of content
  • Alignment with course objective or learning outcome
  • Appropriate reading level (see https://readable.io/text/)
  • Licensing is appropriate for use (Creative Commons, Public Domain, or Fair Use determination)
  • Adoption:
    1. Who might you consult for help, or inform of your choice to change materials?
 Possible stakeholders or local experts:
  • Dean or Department head
  • LMS (Talon) expert; instructional designer
  • Learning Services or ADA Officer, to ensure the content you’ve selected will be accessible by those with vision, hearing or other disability
  • Use:
  • How will students access this resource?
  • Will you post materials to your own site (LMS or other)
  • Do you want students to have an option to print sections or order a printed & bound copy?

License and Attribution

 

License

Icon for the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License

Faculty OER Guide Copyright © 2024 by Jennifer Jordan is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

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