Recently, Instructional Technology Services (ITS) received grant funding to promote the adoption of cheaper or free textbooks and other instructional materials. Under the auspices of these two programs, CSU Affordable Learning $olutions and AB798 Textbook Affordability Act of 2015, we have hosted a variety of activities including departmental meeting presentations, awareness lunches, and outreach.
Our latest activity challenged faculty and lecturers to review and rate a resource in MERLOT.org. MERLOT is a CSU curated collection of free and open online teaching, learning, and faculty development services contributed and used by an international education community.
In addition to reviewing a resource, we offered an extra incentive – $100 on top of the $250 stipend if the review was posted and the reviewer attended our April 13 Center for Teaching and Learning lunch.
We are pleased to acknowledge the efforts of the reviewers who met the criteria:
- Dan Bacon (Child & Family Development, Special Education)
- Mark Freeman (Television, Film, and New Media)
- Cheryll Garrett (American Language Institute)
- Minjeong Kim (Nursing)
- Eve Kornfield (History)
- Jessica Robinson (Assistant Dean, Student Affairs; Health & Human Services)
- Kimberly Twist (Political Science)
- Isabelle Sacramento Grilo (Geology)
- Stephen Goggin (Political Science)
We are also please to announce that based on his review, Stephen Goggin, has decided to adopt a free textbook from OpenStax this Fall2017! In addition, Theresa Carlson (Chemistry) completed a review and has adopted an OpenStax textbook; but was unable to attend the lunch.
With this in mind, we would like to heartily thank those who have completed these tasks and are now receiving their stipends. We hope you will continue to support the goals of these grants by participating in future activities and adopting cheaper or free instructional materials. If you are interested in participating in the review process and are current, teaching faculty, please contact us by using the ITS Affordable Learning $olutions interest form.