AL$ Showcase

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Name: Dr. John Brevik
Course(s): MATH 444 
OER: Abstract Algebra Theory and Applications by Thomas Judson (MATH 444)

How has OER benefited your teaching? 
At the moment, not directly, except that now all of the students have the text from the first day, which is nice! The text that I use (Abstract Algebra Theory and Applications by Thomas Judson) is very easy to customize, but I haven’t felt the need to do any tinkering at that level. 

How has OER benefited your students? What do your students say about OER course materials?
The affordability is great. Although the text I use is available for free as a PDF, lots of students still like a hard copy, and those can be had for around $20 from the common online booksellers. This availability takes away one potential drawback. To me, the big thing is that the material is fairly standard and I’m going to make my own insertions, deletions, and modifications with any textbook. So it’s just as easy for me to use a text like this rather than one that might run $100 or more.

Would you go back to using a traditional textbook? 
At this point I don’t see why. 

Do you have anything else to note about using OER? 
I can only speak to my discipline, mathematics, but there is a lot of material out there! I think it’s worthwhile for anyone to look into the possibility of using OER materials.

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Name: Dr. Kate Flach
Course(s): HIST 173

How has OER benefited your teaching? 
I have used multiple online teaching resources that are really helpful with instruction at CSULB. One that I use is American Yawp, a free online textbook for my US history survey (Hist 173). Students seem to like the book (of course, it’s free), but as an educator I find the open resource really helpful. I like that the book can be accessed online and downloaded, so I am able to start instruction right away without worrying about whether students have been able to acquire the main text for the course. 

How has OER benefited your students? What do your students say about OER course materials? 
The textbook has a variety of primary sources such as pictures, advertisements, videos, and political cartoons related to each chapter that I incorporate in the class. This, of course, is not unique to most textbooks. But it is worth noting that those features are not left out just because it is free. Students have expressed how the primary sources have helped them learn how the study of history is based on interpretation, which many claimed made them more critical of the content they read online. 

Would you go back to using a traditional textbook? 
As long as open-source textbooks like The American Yawp are available to students, I don’t see why I would.

Do you have anything else to note about using OER? 
So many OER materials are available now. I have used open-source textbooks, timeline programs, web-based polling apps, and annotation programs. I focus on learning one new thing at a time but, so far, I have found these sources useful and fun additions to my teaching. 

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Name: Dr. Ryan Giffen
Course(s): HM 372, HM 376, HM 479
D1DA:

• Foundations of Lodging Management, 2nd Ed by Hayes (HM 372)
• Marketing for Hospitality & Tourism, 7th Ed by Kotler (HM 376)
• MYLAB for Strategic Management, 17th ed by David (HM 479)

How has D1DA benefited your teaching? 
D1DA has allowed me to jump right into the material from day one.  Students have free access to the textbook up until the drop date.  As such, all students can access chapters 1-3 and begin the reading and group activities with no delay.  Additionally, in Beachboard, faculty are able to monitor and track students reading behavior and engagement time with the reading.  These statistics are an invaluable resource to assist with my teaching.

How has D1DA benefited your students? What do your students say about D1DA course materials?
Students save a ton of money throughout their academic careers.  Today, students are savvier with technology and don’t seem to resist adopting an electronic textbook.  I recommend showing students how to utilize the electronic textbook (e.g. the highlight feature, note-taking, and audible playback).   

Would you go back to using a traditional textbook?
I’ll admit, I was a skeptic at first, and it took a couple of semesters for me to ‘get the hang of it.’  However, once I was able to build a new habit, the change was worth it.  And let’s be honest, who likes to lug heavy textbooks from their office, car, home, and across campus classrooms?  By having the books on my iPad and laptop, it’s a no brainer!

Do you have anything else to note about using D1DA? 
The adoption of D1DA is simple!  The bookstore staff is available to coordinate the logistics and make a seamless transition for faculty and students. 

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Name: Dr. Stacy A. Griffin
Course(s): EDEL 100, EDEL 442, EDEL 472, EDEL 551, EDRG 551, EDRG 551B, EDRG 559
D1DA:

• Teaching ELLs to Read: Strategies to Meet the Common Core (K-5), by Boyd-Batstone
• Best Practices in Writing Instruction, 3rd Ed by Graham
• Teaching and Learning History/Social Science: An Anthology, by Griffin
• Teaching and Learning Language Arts from a Diverse Perspective: An Anthology, by Griffin
• Introduction to Education: Establishing Equitable Learning Opportunities for All Students, by Griffin
• Classroom Assessment: What Teachers Need to Know, 9th Ed by Popham

How has D1DA benefited your teaching? 
The most significant benefit of using Day 1 Digital Access (D1DA) in my courses is the immediate access. I no longer need to wait for all students to have the materials so that we can begin the teaching and learning journey on the first day of class. I use the analytics tool to monitor student engagement and reflect on my own practice. 

How has D1DA benefited your students? What do your students say about D1DA course materials?
D1DA has benefited my students in numerous ways. First, they know exactly where to go on BeachBoard and how to access the materials easily. That eliminates the need to go to a store, wait in a line, or wait for a delivery. My students appreciate the highlighting, annotation, and audio features. In addition, they genuinely value the discounted prices. 

Would you go back to using a traditional textbook?
Now more than ever, we are living in a digital world. I would not return to using a traditional textbook for two reasons. The first is that the students that I work with are on a path for their Multiple Subject Teaching Credential. I believe that they need to be technologically savvy and prepared to be an educator in a contemporary classroom. The next reason is related to the environment. Researchers have determined that millions of trees are saved each year when hard copies are replaced with E-Books. 

Do you have anything else to note about using D1DA?
All you need to do to offer D1DA in your courses is write, "Enroll my class in D1DA" in the note section when you submit your textbook adoptions to the university bookstore. You can also request access via email at D1DA@csulb.edu. I am confident that you and your students will see and appreciate the benefits! 

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Name: Sheree Low
Course(s): ART 223 
D1DA: Designing with Type, 5th Ed by Craig

How has D1DA benefited your teaching? 
Having the textbook available from Day 1 allows me to get a jump on the material. In the past, I had to wait 1-2 weeks before everyone had the book in hand. In my Intro to Typography course, the reading is a foundation for the rest of the semester, so with D1DA I can assign half a chapter right away and administer a quiz on Day 2. We continue that pace for about a month, then students spend the rest of the semester applying principles from the reading to design their projects.

Being able to track who is reading, and for how long, has helped me determine how much follow-up is necessary. Sometimes a simple reminder will do; other times I make the quiz a little tougher.
 
Seeing the module automatically appear in my BeachBoard course is like magic! Even though we have the option of changing the verbiage, I keep it intact for consistency with other D1DA courses.

How has D1DA benefited your students? What do your students say about D1DA course materials? 
A couple of students had this to say:

“I found the D1DA program helpful. I didn’t end up using it on BeachBoard, but it was nice to have the option to pay for it and have immediate access. Also, it was less stressful, as we didn’t have to go hunting trying to find it for the lowest price. For me, the program gave me the option to search for a copy. You should keep using the D1DA program since it is directly connected to the class on BeachBoard. This way students won’t misplace their physical book or have it take too much space on their computer. If they are unable to find it in time or lose it, they can simply pay and access it for a low price.” (Jasmine R.)
 
“I didn't end up using the D1DA access, as I decided I wanted a physical copy that I would annotate and keep with me for years to come. Although I opted to get the physical book, I did initially sign up for the D1DA, and I found it SUPER straightforward to use. I would say it would be a definite time saver and is a great way to take something from the long list of supplies we need each semester and make it simpler to obtain. All the instructions were very easy to follow. When I did briefly use it, the features were very easy to use and reminiscent of other online textbooks that I've used in the past. I did not experience any issues at all, and it was well explained how to opt out, and the directions were great. I did not find it cheaper elsewhere and chose to pay more for the physical book (I really like to collect the artbooks my professors recommend). Overall, I thought the book was a fabulous pairing with your typography curriculum, and I think the D1DA was a great program; I would keep using it!” (Sarah G.)

Would you go back to using a traditional textbook? 
Based on general consensus among students, I'll continue to offer both options!

Do you have anything else to note about using D1DA? 

For anyone who prefers listening over reading, the Text to Speech is a great option (although some voices sound too computerized—A Space Odyssey and HAL come to mind). The last time I sampled the various voices, Google UK English seemed the most natural in rhythm and tone.
 
Thanks to our University Bookstore for providing this helpful teaching aid. As we instructors get to enjoy one less thing on our end, I realize it's one more thing that they have to handle. Their hard work is very much appreciated and doesn’t go unnoticed!

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Name: Dr. Leilani Madrigal
Course(s): KIN 572, KIN 576 
D1DA:

• Choosing Among Five Approaches, 4th Ed by Creswell (KIN 576)
• Theories of Psychotherapy and Counseling, by Sharf (KIN 572)
• Applied Sport Psychology, Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics, by Williams (KIN 572)

How has D1DA benefited your teaching? 
At the graduate level, it has been great to be able to start getting into material week 1 with students and the D1DA program allows students access to the material so they can come prepared to class ready to discuss the readings for the start of the semester.

How has D1DA benefited your students? What do your students say about D1DA course materials?
D1DA has greatly benefited my students by giving them affordable options to directly access resources for the course. This has allowed us to jump right into material during that first week of the semester and students do not have to deal with the anxiety of books that are unavailable, out of stock, or waiting to be delivered causing them to get behind on coursework. For students that prefer a hard copy textbook this also gives them the autonomy to make the decision of renting an e-book for the semester or purchasing their own hard copy version by giving them free access to the material up until the drop date.

Would you go back to using a traditional textbook?
I will always use D1DA available textbooks and the only time I use traditional textbooks is if they are not available through the D1DA system.

Do you have anything else to note about using D1DA? 
This is a great resource and I strongly encourage any faculty member that has not already used D1DA to opt into this for the benefit of students. It’s very easy, when adopting your textbooks for the semester, just include “Enroll my class in D1DA” into the notes section at the end of each class adoption and you’re done!

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Name: Dr. Mary Marshall 
Course(s): GERN 400
D1DA: Aging Matters: An Introduction to Social Gerontology, by Hooyman (GERN 400)

How has D1DA benefited your teaching? 
I like using D1DA because it’s just EASY. I know all my students are looking at the same version, so I don’t have to field any questions about page numbers or accurate content when they are using older versions of the textbook. I am able to start asking students to read immediately the first week of class and really get going with our content right away.

How has D1DA benefited your students? What do your students say about D1DA course materials?
Students like that they can access the content immediately without having to put any money into the textbook before they decide if their class schedule will change. This levels the playing field for students on a tight budget (waiting for funds to come in), or students that join my class at the last minute. Also, the cost of the book is lower saving them money. Many students appreciate the e-book option, making it easy to access anywhere! 

Would you go back to using a traditional textbook?
Only if we needed to get a different book and it was not available for D1DA.

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Name: Dr. Bernadette O'Leary
Course(s): PSY 361, PSY 370
D1DA:

• REVEL for Dynamic Child, 2nd ed by Manis (PSY 361)
• REVEL for Abnormal Psychology, 10th ed by Nevid (PSY 370)

How has D1DA benefited your teaching? 
As of Fall 2019, most of my courses at CSULB now use D1DA access.  I love that D1DA access has eliminated my need to manually transfer points earned on the textbook companion website into my BB grade book.  In previous semesters, online homework assignments that generated course points would require that I download the companion site grade book into Excel, make an adjustment to the scores, and then manually input those scores into my BB grade book.  This was very time consuming, particularly with my large lecture hall courses. Now, after making an adjustment to my course grade calculations (points across different modules, i.e. homework, exams, papers) in my syllabus, I am now able to just "sync" the two grade books, which requires no manual inputs and less of a chance of inputting an incorrect point value. Integration with BB also helps to create a seamless, launchpad for both myself and students; there is no need to jump back-&-forth between different internet sites.  I am also able to track student course progress & individual analytics about student engagement.  Most importantly, it eliminates concerns about some students not being able to have access to the textbook on the first day of the semester.  Additionally, with the start of the Spring 2020 semester, I was able to set-up/transfer my course materials much quicker between a previous & upcoming semester.

How has D1DA benefited your students? What do your students say about D1DA course materials? 
About 95-98% of my students LOVE the D1DA access and integration with BB.  It is seamless, easy to use, and the COST for materials is considerably less.  Most of my psychology textbooks for upper-division courses ranged from $150-200+.  Now, the cost for the eText and valuable other resources is $70, plus the students have access to the materials for 4 years.  The students report loving the layout of the companion site and the ease of access via BB.  The resources are GREAT in REVEL. 

Would you go back to using a traditional textbook? 
The one textbook that I use that does NOT have a rich companion site DOES have a RedShelf version available and I will be switching to that format, Fall 2020.  That book will now cost only $20  I have no plans to return to a traditional textbook.  Let's be honest: students are looking for the most inexpensive ways to obtain their education & degree.  This is my small way of helping them towards this goal.  Full-time status at CSULB now does not cost the same as when I was a student at CSULB ($300 for 12 units).  We need to assist our students with being financially savvy. 

Do you have anything else to note about using D1DA? 
What are you waiting for?

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Name: Elizabeth Sanchez
Course(s): JOUR 311 
D1DA: News Reporting & Writing, The Missouri Group 13th Ed

How has D1DA benefited your teaching? 
Students are able to have access to the textbook on the first day of class. There are no excuses as to why a student can’t get his/her homework done easing the frustration for the instructor. When I say let’s discuss “The Freedom of Information Act,” I don’t have to fumble through my textbook to find the page number. I can just search the phrase and the page comes up automatically in the digital textbook.

How has D1DA benefited your students? What do your students say about D1DA course materials?
The material is there for each student from the beginning of the semester. They tell me they enjoy not having to carry a big textbook around. It’s much easier for them to access when I refer them to a specific page, rather than students taking time to get a book out of their bag and then find a specific page. My students also seem to prefer D1DA over traditional textbooks because of the cost difference.

Would you go back to using a traditional textbook?
I realize there are some students who prefer a physical textbook so I like to offer both. But to not have the option of a digital textbook is a hindrance. One textbook I use does not offer a digital option, so I am considering another textbook. It wastes a lot of class time when students say their book is on backorder or they are waiting for its delivery. It delays the student from learning.

Do you have anything else to note about using D1DA?
I enjoy the convenience and ease of use of a digital textbook in my course. It’s also easy for students to click on a supplemental material through links in the textbook.

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Name: Hollie Schillig
Course(s): LST 250
D1DA: CONNECT for Traditions & Encounters: A Global Perspective on the Past, 7th Ed by Ziegler (LST 250)

How has D1DA benefited your teaching? 
The most significant benefit to D1DA access is that it guarantees textbook access for day one and across the first few weeks of the course. In the past, many students delayed getting texts and missed coursework as a result. Facilitating makeups and keeping track of who has texts can be problematic at best. This ensures work can begin in week one for all. As an instructor of online learning in hybrid models for over five years, I can say going to D1DA makes using online tools seamless. In the past I had to have student work on two separate systems, both the online course and beachboard. With a D1DA integration, the sites are linked, As an instructor it is great to have my grades and student data all accessible on BeachBoard. Having online grades input directly into my Beachboard gradebook is fantastic.

How has D1DA benefited your students? What do your students say about D1DA course materials?
The students like the immediate access to the textbook. They also appreciate the free trial period that gives them access but time to prepare for the charges to their account. They also greatly appreciate the reduced cost which saves them an average of seventy dollars on their text. Students also experience a seamless connection of materials and no longer have to navigate between multiple platforms. They can also better calculate their grades across the semester as their online learning grades are in their CSULB gradebook as the semester progresses.

Would you go back to using a traditional textbook?
I will always use the D1DA access if possible. However, I will now also have a printed version of the text optional for students that also want the bound version. Some students have indicated they would like to be able to use the text while working online in our course modules. I will make the printed version optional but will continue to have D1DA access for my courses overall.

Do you have anything else to note about using D1DA?
D1DA is an excellent integration of technology through the combination of online learning content and university platforms. I highly encourage instructors to consider D1DA access as the course integration is beneficial to both teachers and students alike.

Coming soon after December 13, 2024!

Coming soon after December 13, 2024!