New book: Introduction to Women’s & Gender Studies

Posted on by Hannah Glatt
Rainbow lights with slogans such as “Love Wins” in the background

The Pennsylvania Alliance for Design of Open Textbooks (PA-ADOPT) is pleased to announce the immediate availability of our fourth free and open eTextbook: Introduction to Women’s & Gender Studies by Dr. Colleen Lutz Clemens, Professor of Non-Western Literatures and Director of Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at Kutztown University.

“Introduction to Women’s and Gender Studies (2023) is an eTextbook designed to provide an introduction to the fields of Women’s Studies and Gender Studies for students taking introductory courses. The textbook touches on a variety of subjects including gender theories, feminisms, intersectionality, equity, and activism. Chapters contain questions to consider and list of suggested readings by theorists and activists. This multimedia eTextbook incorporates videos and podcasts to create a rich introductory experience for students.”

Please help us spread the word about our books and web site to further our work to reduce costs for students, bring equity to higher education classrooms, and give faculty the flexibility to design their own learning experiences. All of our books are available to download in both ePub and PDF formats from our Bookshelf.

New book: Chemistry Techniques and Explorations: An Introductory Chemistry Laboratory Manual

Posted on by Hannah Glatt
cropped view of three glass beakers

The Pennsylvania Alliance for Design of Open Textbooks (PA-ADOPT) is pleased to announce the immediate availability of our third free and open eTextbook: Chemistry Techniques and Explorations: An Introductory Chemistry Laboratory Manual by Dr. Daniel R. Albert, Associate Professor of Chemistry at Millersville University.

“Chemistry Techniques and Explorations (2023) by Dr. Daniel R. Albert is an eTextbook laboratory manual for first semester introductory chemistry courses. The manual includes two different types of experiments (Technique and Exploration) designed to engage students in chemistry laboratory practices. Technique laboratories are designed for students to learn and practice chemistry laboratory skills that are utilized in a wide variety of disciplines. Exploration laboratories provide freedom and time for students to use previously acquired skills toward answering a new application focused question. Exploration laboratories help build the scientific thinking skills necessary to approach novel problems. The goal of this lab manual is to build both fundamental techniques and problem-solving skills that aid students in becoming practicing scientists.”

Please help us spread the word about our books and web site to further our work to reduce costs for students, bring equity to higher education classrooms, and give faculty the flexibility to design their own learning experiences. All of our books are available to download in both ePub and PDF formats from our Bookshelf.

New book: Web Writing

Posted on by Hannah Glatt
three scrabble tiles spelling "Web"

The Pennsylvania Alliance for Design of Open Textbooks (PA-ADOPT) is pleased to announce the immediate availability of our second free and open eTextbook: Web Writing, by Dr. A. Nicole Pfannenstiel, Associate Professor of Digital Media at Millersville University.

“Web Writing (2023) by Dr. A Nicole Pfannenstiel is designed to provide a practical, rhetorical approach to web writing and content strategy analysis for students completing advanced writing courses. The eTextbook uses the rhetorical situation and key concepts to help readers/students understand how to write within specific web spaces for specific audiences drawing on appropriate discourse community conventions. It includes a chapter devoted to the rhetorical situation and key concepts to help students analyze and build their understanding of existing communication. It also includes a chapter outlining approaches to content strategy analysis, using the rhetorical situation and key concepts to understand the rich public data provided through social media accounts to support learners understanding effective web writing. The content analysis overview helps students build skills for analyzing writing, for collecting and analyzing qualitative and quantitative social media data, and for drawing conclusions about content strategy best practices.”

Please help us spread the word about our books and web site to further our work to reduce costs for students, bring equity to higher education classrooms, and give faculty the flexibility to design their own learning experiences. All of our books are available to download in both ePub and PDF formats from our Bookshelf.

New book: Laboratory Manual: General Chemistry I Honors

Posted on by Hannah Glatt
zoomed in on tops of test tubes

First eTextbook now available!

The Pennsylvania Alliance for Design of Open Textbooks (PA-ADOPT) is pleased to announce the immediate availability of our first free and open eTextbook: Laboratory Manual: General Chemistry I Honors by by Adedoyin M. Adeyiga, Ph.D., Chair of Natural and Applied Sciences & Professor of Chemistry, Department of Natural & Applied Sciences at Cheyney University.

“General Chemistry I Honors Laboratory Manual (2023) is an eTextbook designed to provide a practical, hands-on approach to learning chemistry for students taking General Chemistry I Honors courses. The manual covers fundamental principles of chemistry, including atomic structure, chemical bonding, stoichiometry, gas laws, and thermodynamics. The book is divided into chapters, each focusing on a specific topic. Each experiment in the manual is accompanied by step-by-step instructions, pre-lab questions, and post-lab questions, helping students to develop their analytical and problem-solving skills.”

Please help us spread the word about our books and web site to further our work to reduce costs for students, bring equity to higher education classrooms, and give faculty the flexibility to design their own learning experiences. All of our books are available to download in both ePub and PDF formats from our Bookshelf.

PA-ADOPT Discussed in ODLI on Air Podcast

Posted on by Hannah Glatt
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PA-ADOPT’s Marc Drumm, Hannah Glatt, and Dr. Jordan Schugar had to opportunity to discuss the WCU eTextbook Initiative and PA-ADOPT in the April 5th, 2023 episode of ODLI on Air from West Chester University.

Episode Description: Marc Drumm and Hannah Glatt from the Office of Digital Learning and Innovation share what goes into designing and creating a digital textbook for both the eTextbook Initiative and PA ADOPT Grant at West Chester University. Dr. Jordan Schugar weighs in on what motivated him to participate in both of these and how students can benefit from faculty creating their own textbooks.

Take a listen to ODLI on Air: Apple | Spotify. Closed Captioning available via the Spotify link.

PA-ADOPT Featured in PASSHE Connectivity Bulletin

Posted on by Hannah Glatt
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Check out the PASSHE Connectivity Bulletin Article by Loretta MacAlpine “PA-ADOPT: Four System Schools Collaborate to Close Equity Gap” The article discusses that the State System has maintained frozen tuition for four years but faces a challenge with expensive textbooks, especially for Pell-eligible students. To address this, a consortium of four universities in Pennsylvania established the PA-ADOPT program. With funding from the U.S. Department of Education, this initiative aims to create Open Educational Resources (OER) and open electronic textbooks. The program focuses on STEM-H and high-enrollment writing courses. Led by Marc Drumm from West Chester University, faculty members are trained to develop quality eTextbooks, aiming to save students an estimated $400 annually. These eTextbooks will be openly licensed for wider use and modification. The project, targeting more than the initially proposed 24 eTextbooks, is set to conclude in August 2024, funded by a $918,000 grant from the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE).