Inspiration:
Many of us who teach SOCIO 1 (Introduction to Sociology) and SOCIO 2 (Modern Social Problems) have adopted OER texts. Carlos Ramos and Janét Hund had searched for acceptable SOCIO 11 OER texts, to no avail. We found some chapters in some OER texts useful, but we could not find one text to cover all of the course content. We decided that working together with Shaheen Johnson, we could search the existing OER material and other online material and piece together an OER CANVAS shell, with chapters, articles, websites, lecture notes, quiz questions, and videos. Shaheen is using the OER site for her SOCIO 11 course this semester, receiving from her students positive feedback and appreciation for free course content. We will encourage other faculty who teach SOCIO 11 to use this OER course material.
Cost Savings
The OER course site replaces the Racial and Ethnic Groups, 15th ed. (Schaefer), a rented $50 digital textbook. Calculations are based upon a maximum class size of 40 and 1 section per full-time faculty member.
What We Wish We Had Known When We Started:
Uniform style for each module as we each selected different modules to create but we had not agreed upon a specific way to present the articles, links, lecture notes, etc.
Adding an interactive ASK YOURSELF link for students to creatively engage with the course material
|
Semester 1 (Fall 2019) |
Semester 2 (Winter 2020) |
Semester 3 (Spring 2020) |
|
Instructors Utilizing: 1 |
Instructors Utilizing: 1 |
Instructors Utilizing: 3 |
|
Course Sections: 1 |
Course Sections: 1 |
Course Sections: 2 |
|
Cost Savings: $2000 |
Cost Savings: $2000 |
Cost Savings: $6000 |
About Our Faculty Authors:
Carlos Ramos is a tenured full-time professor of sociology at LBCC who began teaching sociology at the college level in 2001. Last year, he completed the OER transition of his Sociology 1 courses and they are now zero-cost textbook courses, without having to sacrifice academic rigor. He recently worked closely with colleagues to create a zero-cost textbook and course materials for Sociology 11: Race and Ethnic Relations and plans to create and adopt OER materials for Sociology 13: Sociology of Latinos in Summer 2020.
Shaheen Johnson is a tenure-track full-time professor in Sociology; she began her full-time position at LBCC in 2019. She is currently using the OER site for her SOCIO 11 Race & Ethnic Relations in the U.S. course this semester, receiving appreciation and positive feedback from her students for providing free course content. She is grateful for the opportunity to serve on a project designed to help students save money.
Janét Hund is a tenured full-time professor in Sociology; she began her full-time tenure at LBCC in 1997. After incorporating OER texts for years in her Introduction to Sociology and Modern Social Problems courses, she desired to adopt OER material for her Race & Ethnic Relations in the U.S. course. She is appreciative of a former student trustee who called her attention to the OER movement several years ago. She is committed to her personal and professional growth to better serve our diverse student body.
