Digital library
Textbooks, references and open learning resources.
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The Art and Science of Teaching Agriculture: Four Keys to Dynamic Learning
M. Susie Whittington; Rick Rudd; Jack Elliot · Virginia Tech Publishing · 2023
The Art and Science of Teaching Agriculture: Four Keys to Dynamic Learning is a methods of teaching book. Specifically, it is a collection of thoughts, best practices, strategies, and techniques for planning, delivering, and assessing teaching and learning. This resource is assembled from among the best teaching professors in agricultural communication, education, and leadership in America. They have narrated their favorite class sessions … sessions chosen with the goal of making us all better teachers. You will quickly grasp the four fundamental keys of solid, basic, time-tested formal and nonformal teaching: Laying the Foundation, Connecting with Students, Designing Instruction, and Applying Learning. These keys are shared with you through the unique voices of the authors to provide a multiperspective approach to teaching. The authors offer both secondary and postsecondary educators in both formal and nonformal educational environments the opportunity to build confidence in planning, delivering, and assessing the depths of the variables inherent in learning. You will acquire the foundation to teach so your learners can learn dynamically. Are you reviewing or adopting this book for a course? Please help us understand your use by filling out this form: https://bit.ly/teachagriculture_interest
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Introduction to Library and Information Science
Reed Hepler; David Horalek · College of Southern Idaho Pressbooks Network (CSI) · 2023
This book explores the history, present, and future of library science, both in theory and in practice. It examines the place of the librarian as arbiter of information access in a constantly-changing and modernizing global community.
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How To Do Science
Louise Lexis; Brianna Julien · University of Southern Queensland · 2022
'How To Do Science' has been written for students of the life sciences who are actively engaged in the scientific process. This guide introduces you to what it means to be a scientist. You will learn about the scientific method and how to carry out many tasks of a scientist, including: designing experiments, visualising data, accessing scientific literature, communicating science, and writing literature reviews.
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Humanizing Science through STEAM Challenges
EunJin Bahng; John Hauptman · Iowa State University · 2021
In a science methods course during the Covid19 pandemic, 51 future elementary teachers authored children's books and then read them aloud as part of a giving-back, service-learning activity as Open Educational Resources (OER). The 51 children's stories and their accompanying audiobooks aim to integrate STEM and the Arts to humanize science and scientific inquiry with history and philosophy of science in mind.
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Knowing Home: Braiding Indigenous Science with Western Science
Gloria Snively ; Wanosts’a7 Williams · University of Victoria · 2016
Knowing Home attempts to capture the creative vision of Indigenous scientific knowledge and technology that is derived from an ecology of a home place. The traditional wisdom component of Indigenous Science—the values and ways of decision-making—assists humans in their relationship with each other, the land and water, and all of creation. Indigenous perspectives have the potential to give insight and guidance to the kind of environmental ethics and deep understanding that we must gain as we attempt to solve the increasingly complex problems of the 21st century. Braiding Indigenous Science and Western Science is a metaphor used to establish a particular relationship. Linked by braiding, there is a certain reciprocity. Each strand remains a separate entity, but all strands come together to form the whole. When we braid Indigenous Science with Western Science we acknowledge that both ways of knowing are legitimate forms of knowledge. The book provides a window into the vast storehouse of innovations and technologies of the Indigenous peoples who live in Northwestern North America. It is our hope that the Indigenous Science examples, research and curriculum models will inspire deep reflection regarding the under-representation of Aboriginal students in the sciences. It is intended that the rich examples and cases, combined with the resources listed in the appendices, will enable teachers and students to explore Indigenous Science examples in the classroom, and in addition, support the development of curriculum projects in home places.
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Elementary Earth and Space Science Methods
Ted Neal · University of Iowa · 2019
We created this book to help you as both a college student and a future teacher. Dr. Ted Neal asked us to help him create this resource from the perspective of students who have taken Science Methods II–what would we want in a textbook for this course? With this in mind, we have gathered and created resources to help you better understand science and feel confident in your abilities as a future teacher. This book is divided into five parts which align with the Science Methods II course: Physics Space Science Earth Science Climate Science Course Materials and Pedagogy Within each part, the material is broken down into smaller chapters. Here you will find written explanations, video links, glossary terms, key takeaways, and practice quizzes to help you understand the material. This book is designed to be a flexible resource; use it as much or as little as you need throughout the course.
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Introduction to Political Science
Mark Carl Rom; Masaki Hidaka; Rachel Bzostek Walker; Emilia B. Carvalho · OpenStax, Rice University
Designed to meet the scope and sequence of your course, OpenStax Introduction to Political Science provides a strong foundation in global political systems, exploring how and why political realities unfold. Rich with examples of individual and national social action, this text emphasizes students’ role in the political sphere and equips them to be active and informed participants in civil society. Learn more about what this free, openly-licensed textbook has to offer you and your students.
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Introduction to Behavioral Neuroscience
Elizabeth D. Kirby; Melissa J. Glenn; Noah J. Sandstrom; Christina L. Williams · OpenStax, Rice University
Introduction to Behavioral Neuroscience aligns to the topics and objectives of introductory behavioral neuroscience courses taught in psychology, biology, neuroscience, and similar departments. This offering is intended for undergraduates with no presumed college-level science coursework, and presents the foundational principles of brain-behavior-environment interactions. In Introduction to Behavioral Neuroscience, students will begin to understand how the physiology of the nervous system and the environment dictate our movements, thoughts and feelings. Students will be challenged to think about real neuroscience experiments, appreciate how neuroscience knowledge evolves over time, and consider open questions in the field. They will also be invited to learn about the people behind the science, such as through interview videos and researcher profiles. The development of this material was supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation under IOS-2035041 to Elizabeth Kirby. The opinions, descriptions, recommendations, and findings are those of the contributors, and do not necessarily reflect the views of NSF. An Affordable Learning Exchange grant to Elizabeth Kirby from the Ohio State University also supported development of this material.
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Open Science: Wie sich die Wissenschaft öffnet
Lukas Röseler · Zenodo · 2025
During the last years, many scientific disciplines have changed. There have been new journals, methods, initiatives, societies, structures, and many more. Researchers are calling these changes a crisis, revolution, a renaissance, or a reform. Together, these changes have led to a greater degree of openness and transparency and have changed the academic system. In this German textbook, I discuss the concept of openness, the origins of change, and the many facets of openness with an emphasis on the academic system, scientific methods, theories, and epistemological arguments. Examples and developments are primarily from the social sciences, particularly psychology.
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Speaking of Culture
Nolan Weil · Utah State University
This text is a collection of instructor-authored background readings intended to accompany other activities, discussions, experiences, projects, and readings for courses in Cross-Cultural Perspectives. Its main purpose is to define culture and other concepts often associated with it.
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Wellbeing, Freedom and Social Justice: The Capability Approach Re-Examined (Robeyns)
Ingrid Robeyns · Utrecht University
Wellbeing, Freedom and Social Justice: The Capability Approach Re-Examined is both an introduction to the capability approach and a thorough evaluation of the challenges and disputes that have engrossed the scholars who have developed it.
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ECED21203 Curriculum Development in Early Childhood Education
LueCrecy Ragan & Emily Harris · Arkansas State University-Beebe
In the contents: 1.1.01: How Young Children Learn - What Science Reveals · 11: Science Curriculum · 11.01: Science Sections
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Communication in the Real World
Staff · Northeast Wisconsin Technical College
Communication in the Real World: An Introduction to Communication Studies overviews the time-tested conceptual foundations of the field, while incorporating the latest research and cutting-edge applications of these basics. Each chapter will include timely, concrete, and real-life examples of communication concepts in action.
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Scientific Computing
Jeffrey R. Chasnov · Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
These notes for Scientific Computing is primarily for Math majors and supposes no previous knowledge of numerical analysis or methods. This course consists of both numerical methods and computational physics. The numerical methods content includes standard topics such as IEEE arithmetic, root finding, linear algebra, interpolation and least-squares, integration, differentiation, and differential equations.
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Intercultural Communication
Talita Pruett · Bakersfield College
Introduction to intercultural communication in domestic and/or global contexts. Influence of cultures, languages, and social patterns on how members of groups relate among themselves and with members of different ethnic and cultural groups. Theory and knowledge of effective communication within and between cultures. Appreciation and comparison of communication among diverse groups within the larger context of American culture. Practical application of skills will be highlighted.
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Biol 101: General Biology l - Laboratory Manual
Brad Basehore, Michelle A. Bucks, & Christine M. Mummert · Harrisburg Area Community College
This course provides a foundation in life science. Topics include characteristics of living organisms, basic chemistry, organic chemistry, cellular structure, energetics, inheritance, and molecular biology. In the laboratory, students will learn basic techniques and learn the use of instruments in biology from basic microscopy to DNA fingerprinting.
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Observation and Assessment in Inclusive Early Childhood Education
Michelle Sands · Northern Illinois University
This text provides a holistic treatment of the observation and assessment of young children. It addresses the skills and knowledge for teachers in early childhood general education, special education and/or blended classrooms.
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Introduction to Anthropology: A Four Field Approach
Matthew Pawlowicz, Christopher A Brooks, Nancy Phaup, and Amy Rector · Virginia Commonwealth University
This textbook seeks to highlight the diverse voices of contemporary anthropology, emphasizing that anthropology works best amidst diversity. We hope that all students will feel more engaged when they see themselves reflected in the people, examples, and stories of contemporary anthropology, which has been profoundly improved by the inclusion of diverse, global perspectives over the past several decades.
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Physical Geology
Steven Earle · Vancover Island University
Physical Geology is a comprehensive introductory text on the physical aspects of geology, including rocks and minerals, plate tectonics, earthquakes, volcanoes, glaciation, groundwater, streams, coasts, mass wasting, climate change, planetary geology and much more. It has a strong emphasis on examples from western Canada, especially British Columbia, and also includes a chapter devoted to the geological history of western Canada.
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Introductory Sociology 3e
OpenStax · LibreTexts
This text aligns to the topics and objectives of many introductory sociology courses. It is arranged in a manner that provides foundational sociological theories and contexts, then progresses through various aspects of human and societal interactions. The new edition is focused on driving meaningful and memorable learning experiences related to critical thinking about society and culture and includes coverage of core concepts, discussions and data relevant to a diverse audience.