Digital library
Textbooks, references and open learning resources.
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Semillas: Elementary Spanish I
Gabriela Olivares; eden jones; Rachel Klevar; Giovanni Zimotti · University of Iowa · 2024
Semillas: Elementary Spanish I is a comprehensive introductory Spanish open-access textbook with reading, listening, speaking, and writing practice. This Open Educational Resource (OER) aims to help students begin learning Spanish in a comprehensive manner. This textbook was created in Pressbooks, a versatile platform that allows us to integrate interactive activities (h5p) and present authentic material such as video interviews with Spanish speakers and other resources. Grammar is not presented just as a standalone topic, but rather is seamlessly integrated into all parts of this book. To ensure that our textbook is diverse and inclusive we have built a team of writers who cross gender, age, and nationality. We have consulted with people whose voices represent diverse demographic segments of the Spanish-speaking world to include a plurality of pronunciations and appearances. We have elected to use the feminine as the base form in our vocabulary lists and have introduced students to non-binary endings. This textbook underwent a rigorous review process that included professionals from more than ten higher education organizations in the United States.
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The European Experience: A Multi-Perspective History of Modern Europe, 1500–2000
Jan Hansen; Jochen Hung; Jaroslav Ira · Open Book Publishers
The European Experience brings together the expertise of nearly a hundred historians from eight European universities to internationalise and diversify the study of modern European history, exploring a grand sweep of time from 1500 to 2000. Offering a valuable corrective to the Anglocentric narratives of previous English-language textbooks, scholars from all over Europe have pooled their knowledge on comparative themes such as identities, cultural encounters, power and citizenship, and economic development to reflect the complexity and heterogeneous nature of the European experience. Rather than another grand narrative, the international author teams offer a multifaceted and rich perspective on the history of the continent of the past 500 years. Each major theme is dissected through three chronological sub-chapters, revealing how major social, political and historical trends manifested themselves in different European settings during the early modern (1500–1800), modern (1800–1900) and contemporary period (1900–2000). This resource is of utmost relevance to today’s history students in the light of ongoing internationalisation strategies for higher education curricula, as it delivers one of the first multi-perspective and truly ‘European’ analyses of the continent’s past. Beyond the provision of historical content, this textbook equips students with the intellectual tools to interrogate prevailing accounts of European history, and enables them to seek out additional perspectives in a bid to further enrich the discipline
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Writing in Knowledge Societies
Doreen Starke-Meyerring; Anthony Paré; Natasha Artemeva; Miriam Horne · WAC Clearinghouse · 2011
The editors of Writing in Knowledge Societies provide a thoughtful, carefully constructed collection that addresses the vital roles rhetoric and writing play as knowledge-making practices in diverse knowledge-intensive settings. The essays in this book examine the multiple, subtle, yet consequential ways in which writing is epistemic, articulating the central role of writing in creating, shaping, sharing, and contesting knowledge in a range of human activities in workplaces, civic settings, and higher education. Writing in Knowledge Societies helps us conceptualize the ways in which rhetoric and writing work to organize, (re-)produce, undermine, dominate, marginalize, or contest knowledge-making practices in diverse settings, showing the many ways in which rhetoric and writing operate in knowledge-intensive organizations and societies.
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Building Cost Planning: Best Practices and Insights
Thilini Jayawickrama; Ruchini Jayasinghe; Ravindu Kahandawa; Rameez Rameezdeen · Council of Australian University Librarians · 2023
This book focuses on the cost planning of building construction projects with special reference to the Australian and New Zealand context. Design development and cost planning with elemental analysis are emphasised in the pre-construction cost management process in the region. This book translates the well-established practice of pre-construction cost management process in the construction industry into a published academic and professional resource which can be used for teaching higher education students and for professional training programs. Building cost planning is considered from the client and the design team’s perspective and focuses on the functions of a cost manager. From the overview of the construction industry and the client’s team, to the detailed cost planning process and cost planning techniques at progressive stages in the pre-construction phase, this book is ideal as a guide to cost plan building construction projects. It follows an interactive style by featuring learning outcomes, self-review questions and learning activities for each chapter. It also extends theory into applications with case studies incorporated from the Australian and New Zealand construction industries. These approaches make this book useful for both students and practitioners in construction management.
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Research and the Information Landscape
Libby Wheeles; Helena Marvin · University of Missouri - St. Louis · 2025
This open textbook accompanies the University of Missouri-St. Louis class INTDSC 1010: Research and the Information Landscape. Intended for undergraduates new to academic research, the course covers practical search and evaluation skills as well as a basic introduction to the world of scholarly communication.
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Writing Spaces at Oklahoma State University
Dane Howard; Courtney O'Neil; Dana Driscoll; Joshua Daniel · Oklahoma State University · 2023
This resource focuses on the various processes involved in researching answers to various inquiry questions and building effective arguments within and outside academic contexts. The curriculum takes students through the processes of listening/summarizing, asking questions, characterizing scholarly debates, and entering those debates in order to meaningfully contribute to ongoing conversations.
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Who Teaches Writing
Tyler Branson; Ron Brooks; Dana Cadman; Heidi Cephus · Oklahoma State University · 2021
Who Teaches Writing is an open teaching and learning resource being used in English Composition classes at Oklahoma State University. It was authored by contributors from Oklahoma State University and also includes invited chapters from faculty and staff at institutions both inside and outside of Oklahoma. Contributors include faculty from various departments, contingent faculty and staff, and graduate instructors. One purpose of the resource is to provide short, relatively jargon-free chapters geared toward undergraduate students taking First-Year Composition. Support for this project was provided in part by OpenOKState and Oklahoma State University Libraries.
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Teaching in the University: Learning from Graduate Students and Early Career Faculty
Donna Westfall-Rudd; Courtney Vengrin; Jeremy Elliott-Engel · Virginia Tech Publishing · 2022
The primary objective of this book is to provide a resource for graduate teaching assistants who are looking for practical strategies and guidance as they begin their careers as postsecondary STEM educators. The text is designed to address a comprehensive list of topics to support the professional development of new faculty, recognizing that those holding academic faculty positions within a college or university are expected to be active in teaching, discovery, and outreach. Traditional doctoral education programs have historically emphasized preparation for research and scholarly publications, and for outreach. However, to some extent, many candidates who complete doctoral programs have minimal preparation and training in formal teaching. Contributors to this text have had a unique experience as part of a three-year, college-wide program designed to prepare interested doctoral students for a rewarding academic career. The program is designed to support the professional development of new faculty, recognizing that those holding academic faculty positions within a college or university are expected to be active in teaching, discovery, and outreach. The alumni and scholars of the program have worked collectively to gather resources and implement educational practices in the diverse set of courses they taught in during their three years in the program. Now as new faculty at a variety of postsecondary institutions across the United States, these early-career educators bring their insights and real-world teaching experiences, embedded in contemporary teaching and learning theory to their contributions to this text. What is this resource? This text is a collection of chapters and vignettes intended to provide practical insight into the challenges and opportunities of teaching at the postsecondary level. It is anticipated that the vignettes provide examples of contexts in which the principles of the topic chapters are applied. Goals for this book Support future STEM facult
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Learning in the Digital Age
Tutaleni Asino; Rebecca Bayeck; Wilmon Brown; Raymond Francis · Oklahoma State University · 2020
This book is designed to serve as a textbook for classes exploring the nature of learning in the digital age. The genesis of this book is a desire to use OERs in all my teachings, coupled with the realization that the resources that I was looking for were not available and as such I needed to contribute in creating them. It is thus a small attempt to contribute to the vast repository of Open Educational Resources. When discussing learning in the digital age, most focus on the technology first. However, the emphasis made in this book is that it’s about the learner not just the technology. One of the things that is easy to lose track of when talking about learning in the digital age is the learner. Technology is important and it has significant impact but it is still about the person who is using the technology. Many people conflate learning in the digital age with technology in today’s age. This important misconception is common and results from our failure to examine our understanding of what “learning” really is. Of course, Most of this depends on a person’s epistemology. There are numerous definitions of what learning is and often they come to how a person sees the world. Some argue that learning is about a change in behavior due to experiences, others state simply that learning is being able to do something new that you were not able to do before. Regardless of what side you choose, to understand what learning in the digital age is, one has to understand what learning itself is. I am immensely thankful to the authors for sharing their ideas freely and for the reviewers who volunteered their time to give feedback.
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Foundations of Educational Technology
Penny Thompson · Oklahoma State University · 2017
This text provides a a graduate level introduction to the field of educational technology.
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Hybrid-Flexible Course Design
Brian Beatty · EdTech Books · 2019
This volume provides readers with methods, case stories, and strategies related to Hybrid-Flexible (HyFlex) course design so that they may make decisions about using it themselves and even begin their own HyFlex course (re)design. More specifically, based on the needs identified for their course(s), readers will be able to a) determine if and how HyFlex course design could help them solve critical needs, b) take advantage of emerging opportunities to improve their education practice, enabling them to better serve more students, c) gain an awareness of the HyFlex design, d) find their own innovative HyFlex solution to their specific challenges, and e) begin the HyFlex implementation process using strategies similar to those used by instructors described in this book. The volume describes the fundamental principles of HyFlex design, explains a process for design and development, and discusses implementation factors that instructors have experienced in various higher education institutions. These factors include the drivers, the variations in implementation approaches and constraints, and the results (e.g., student scores, student satisfaction). A series of worksheets provides specific guidance that can be used by individuals or teams engaging in HyFlex design projects at their own institution. Case reports from institutions and faculty who have successfully implemented HyFlex-style courses provide a rich set of real-world stories to draw insights for a reader’s own design setting.
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From Lab to Laptop: Case studies in teaching practical courses online
Tab Betts; Paolo Oprandi · University of Sussex Library · 2024
The ability to teach online makes learning content accessible to all with internet access. However, in the process of moving our courses online it is crucial that educators continue to provide students practical experiences to learn from. Hands-on learning in courses such as nursing, dance, and chemistry is challenging to adapt for online learning and significant ingenuity is needed to make them suitable for an online setting. That is why it is crucial that, as a broader community, we share ideas on how to overcome the challenges faced. This book aims to address this need by providing a range of case studies from higher education students and staff on how practical learning can be redesigned for online teaching.
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Critical Appraisal Practice: Systematic Reviews
Juliano Magro; Andrea Thompson; Caitlin Plovnick · Zenodo · 2025
This concise workbook, aimed for librarians and other educators who teach Evidence-Based Practice, introduces key principles for critically appraising systematic reviews and meta-analyses. It guides readers through evaluating the quality, reliability, and relevance of these studies. The book covers different types of reviews, the steps involved in conducting a systematic review, common biases encountered, and how to interpret forest plots. It also includes practical exercises and resources for educators.
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The Learn-It-All Educator - A Guidebook for Training Brains, Not Replacing Them
Szymon Machajewski · Zenodo · 2026
A practical guidebook helping higher education faculty integrate AI thoughtfully into teaching while protecting student cognitive development. Introduces four frameworks: FLUFF/SPARK for cognitive triage, the Intelligent Gearbox for advanced prompting, the Cognitive Gym for AI-resistant assessment design (including the AI Audit verification protocol), and the VINE Framework for developing evaluative judgment. Based on neuroscience research and designed for immediate classroom application. First edition, January 2026.
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Designing Learning Experiences for Inclusivity and Diversity: Advice for Learning Designers
Keith Heggart; Mais Fatayer; Camille Dickson-Deane; Puvaneswari Arumugam · UTS ePRESS · 2024
Designing Learning Experiences for Inclusivity and Diversity stands out as a crucial guide for educators and learning designers committed to creating equitable learning environments. Grounded in the Australasian higher education experience, this book delves into the principles of universal design for learning (UDL), offering practical strategies to ensure that every student, regardless of their background or abilities, has the opportunity to succeed. This unique edited text offers a blend of theoretical insights and real-world examples. You can select from a wide range of topics including socially just pedagogy, open educational practices, the role of third-space academics and professionals, Indigenous-led learning design, designing for equity and cultural responsiveness, lived experience of disability, and working with students and staff in inclusive learning design. The book also explores the potential of digital tools and platforms to transform the learning experience. Readers will learn how to leverage technology to create interactive and engaging content that enhances learning outcomes for all students. The authors provide practical advice on integrating these technologies into the curriculum, making learning more accessible and enjoyable. Designing Learning Experiences for Inclusivity and Diversity addresses the critical role of assessment in the learning process. The book offers a comprehensive overview of various assessment methods, from formative assessments that provide ongoing feedback to summative assessments that measure overall achievement. By aligning assessment strategies with learning objectives, educators can create a more coherent and effective learning experience. Readers will find a wealth of resources, including case studies, practical tips, and reflective exercises. Whether you are a seasoned learning designer or a newcomer to the field, Designing Learning Experiences for Inclusivity and Diversity provides the knowledge and inspiration needed
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Microlearning: Engaging learning experiences made easy
Chris Kossen · University of Southern Queensland · 2025
This book is a practical ‘how to’ guidebook on how microlearning design and delivery principles and techniques can be applied to your learning materials and teaching based on my application and development of microlearning. In keeping with the practical focus of this book, theory and research literature are kept to a minimum and included where they aid practical understanding.
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Open Education Down UndOER: Australasian Case Studies
Ash Barber; Mais Fatayer; Rani McLennan; Alice Luetchford · Council of Australian University Librarians · 2024
Open Education Down UndOER: Australasian Case Studies is a curated, peer-reviewed, openly-licensed anthology comprising scholarly contributions from esteemed professionals including librarians, researchers, learning and teaching teams, and engaged open education practitioners across Australia. Future editions will seek to extend this coverage to Aotearoa New Zealand, and the broader Asia-Pacific region. The primary aim of this initiative is to illuminate the pivotal role of open educational practices (OEP) in the advancement of learning and teaching methodologies in the region. By showcasing diverse case studies, our goal is to foster greater awareness and appreciation for open practices, champion inclusivity and equity within educational spheres, and provide practical examples of open educational practices which can be adapted by readers for use in their own contexts.
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Leading Assessment for Inclusion
Joanna Tai; Johanna Funk; Lois Harris; Joanne Dargusch · Deakin University · 2024
Assessment should benefit all students’ learning and retention. However, current systems do not take into account the diverse characteristics, backgrounds, and situations of students. Instead, universities rely on accommodations – which are only available to specific groups – to make case-by-case adjustments, rather than proactively improving assessment designs in ways that are socio- culturally, and research informed, for the purposes of inclusion. This resource is an outcome of a project which explored assessment policy and practice across the university sector. It introduces assessment for inclusion concepts, drawing on curated resources and case study examples, to offer introductory considerations for anyone in higher education interested in being a leader in assessment for inclusion, at all levels from the classroom through to institutional decision makers. This focus on the distributed leadership of assessment for inclusion aligns with the idea that more than what individuals can achieve alone, it is also how people can lead, promote, inspire, and support others to do the same. This resource has been created with the intention to raise questions for sharing with colleagues, to facilitate the discussion of problems with inclusion in assessment, and to support the development of context-appropriate strategies around assessment design and implementation. This resource was designed to support students in the Graduate Certificate of Higher Education Learning and Teaching at Deakin University, specifically in the assessment unit, EEE741 “Designing and Implementing Assessment for Learning in Higher Education”.
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The Digital Storytelling Handbook
Jordan Schugar; Chris Penny; Hannah Glatt · The Pennsylvania Alliance for Design of Open Textbooks (PA-ADOPT) · 2024
The Digital Storytelling Handbook is designed to provide an introduction to digital storytelling and its multifaceted applications in the higher education classroom space. This eTextbook gives storytellers practical tools to help them think about different reasons for making digital stories and different ways to think about using and incorporating digital stories into teaching, learning, and living. In this eTextbook, readers will also learn how experiencing digital stories — as either the author or the audience — builds cultural competence and teaches us about humanity and the human experience. Co-authored with students, this eTextbook was written in the spirit of OER with the expectation that future readers and students have an opportunity to contribute a chapter, idea, approach, or methodology of the eTextbook’s basic content.
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Advanced-Level Writing in the University Classroom and Beyond: Mindful Practices for Technical, Business, and Scientific Communication
Dawn Atkinson; Stacey Corbitt · Montana Technological University · 2026
Welcome to the 2026 edition of Advanced-Level Writing in the University Classroom and Beyond: Mindful Practices for Technical, Business, and Scientific Communication. To encourage this open textbook’s use in various undergraduate classes, it has been developed as an all-in-one resource that concentrates on technical writing, business writing, scientific writing, and technical editing. It offers a no-cost alternative to commercial products, combining practical guidance with interactive exercises and thoughtfully designed writing opportunities. If you would like to access a Word Document version of this text please email Author, Stacey Corbitt, scorbitt@mtech.edu.