Digital library
Textbooks, references and open learning resources.
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Operational Amplifiers & Linear Integrated Circuits: Theory and Application
James Fiore · dissidents · 2018
The goal of this text, as its name implies, is to allow the reader to become proficient in the analysis and design of circuits utilizing modern linear ICs. It progresses from the fundamental circuit building blocks through to analog/digital conversion systems. The text is intended for use in a second year Operational Amplifiers course at the Associate level, or for a junior level course at the Baccalaureate level. In order to make effective use of this text, students should have already taken a course in basic discrete transistor circuits, and have a solid background in algebra and trigonometry, along with exposure to phasors. Calculus is used in certain sections of the text, but for the most part, its use is kept to a minimum. For students without a calculus background, these sections may be skipped without a loss of continuity. (The sole exception to this being Chapter Ten, Integrators and Differentiators, which hinges upon knowledge of calculus.) There is also a lab manual for this textbook.
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Semiconductor Devices: Theory and Application
James Fiore · dissidents · 2018
The goal of this text, as its name implies, is to allow the reader to become proficient in the analysis and design of circuits utilizing discrete semiconductor devices. It progresses from basic diodes through bipolar and field effect transistors. The text is intended for use in a first or second year course on semiconductors at the Associate or Baccalaureate level. In order to make effective use of this text, students should have already taken coursework in basic DC and AC circuits, and have a solid background in algebra and trigonometry along with exposure to phasors. Calculus is used in certain sections of the text but for the most part it is used for equation derivations and proofs, and is kept to a minimum. For students without a calculus background these sections may be skipped without a loss of continuity. There is also a lab manual for this textbook.
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Notes on Diffy Qs: Differential Equations for Engineers
Jirí Lebl · Jirí Lebl · 2014
A one semester first course on differential equations, aimed at engineering students. Prerequisite for the course is the basic calculus sequence. This free online book (e-book in webspeak) should be usable as a stand-alone textbook or as a companion to a course using another book such as Edwards and Penney, Differential Equations and Boundary Value Problems: Computing and Modeling or Boyce and DiPrima, Elementary Differential Equations and Boundary Value Problems (section correspondence to these two is given). I developed and used these notes to teach Math 286/285 at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Sample Dirichlet problem solution (one is a 4-day-a-week, the other a 3-day-a-week semester-long course). I have also taught Math 20D at University of California, San Diego with these notes (a 3-day-a-week quarter-long course). There is enough material to run a 2-quarter course, and even perhaps a two semester course depending on lecturer speed.
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Elementary Differential Equations with Boundary Value Problems
William Trench · A.T. Still University · 2013
Elementary Differential Equations with Boundary Value Problems is written for students in science, engineering, and mathematics who have completed calculus through partial differentiation. An elementary text should be written so the student can read it with comprehension without too much pain. I have tried to put myself in the student's place, and have chosen to err on the side of too much detail rather than not enough. An elementary text can't be better than its exercises. This text includes 1695 numbered exercises, many with several parts. They range in difficulty from routine to very challenging. An elementary text should be written in an informal but mathematically accurate way, illustrated by appropriate graphics. I have tried to formulate mathematical concepts succinctly in language that students can understand. I have minimized the number of explicitly stated theorems and definitions, preferring to deal with concepts in a more conversational way, copiously illustrated by 250 completely worked out examples. Where appropriate, concepts and results are depicted in 144 figures. Although I believe that the computer is an immensely valuable tool for learning, doing, and writing mathematics, the selection and treatment of topics in this text reflects my pedagogical orientation along traditional lines. However, I have incorporated what I believe to be the best use of modern technology, so you can select the level of technology that you want to include in your course. The text includes 336 exercises – identified by the symbols C and C/G – that call for graphics or computation and graphics. There are also 73 laboratory exercises – identified by L – that require extensive use of technology. In addition, several sections include informal advice on the use of technology. If you prefer not to emphasize technology, simply ignore these exercises and the advice.
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Sustainability: A Comprehensive Foundation
Tom Theis; Jonathan Tomkin · OpenStax CNX · 2015
With “Sustainability: A Comprehensive Foundation”, first and second-year college students are introduced to this expanding new field, comprehensively exploring the essential concepts from every branch of knowledge – including engineering and the applied arts, natural and social sciences, and the humanities. As sustainability is a multi-disciplinary area of study, the text is the product of multiple authors drawn from the diverse faculty of the University of Illinois: each chapter is written by a recognized expert in the field. This text is designed to introduce the reader to the essential concepts of sustainability. This subject is of vital importance seeking as it does to uncover the principles of the long-term welfare of all the peoples of the planet but is only peripherally served by existing college textbooks. The content is intended to be useful for both a broad-based introductory class on sustainability and as a useful supplement to specialist courses which wish to review the sustainability dimensions of their areas of study. By covering a wide range of topics with a uniformity of style, and by including glossaries, review questions, case studies, and links to further resources, the text has sufficient range to perform as the core resource for a semester course. Students who cover the material in the book will be conversant in the language and concepts of sustainability, and will be equipped for further study in sustainable planning, policy, economics, climate, ecology, infrastructure, and more. Furthermore, the modular design allows individual chapters and sections to be easily appropriated without the purchase of a whole new text. This allows educators to easily bring sustainability concepts, references, and case studies into their area of study. This appropriation works particularly well as the text is free downloadable to anyone who wishes to use it. Furthermore, readers are encouraged to work with the text. Provided there is attribution to the source, use
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The ELC: An Early Childhood Learning Community at Work
Heather Bridge; Lorraine Melita; Patricia Roiger · Open SUNY · 2020
The ELC professional development model was designed to improve the quality of teacher candidates’ Practicum field placements and align teaching in field placements with Learning Standards used in the teacher education program. Teams of four educators from varied settings worked in a Practicum placement setting for one semester to improve their teaching and align it with Learning Standards. An action research approach improved teaching challenges teams faced. Research articles were read to improve teams’ teaching challenges by implementing one agreed strategy. Teams video-recorded, assessed, and reflected on the impact of the strategy on their teaching, on teacher candidates’ learning and on children’s learning. This text compiles six case studies from this model to illustrate how teaching challenges were improved. Appropriate for practiced educators as well as educators in training, this text provides a real world look into applying Learning Standards in early childhood classrooms.
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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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Methods of Teaching Agriculture
L. H. Newcomb; J. David McCracken; J. Robert Warmbrod (1929-2022); M. Susie Whittington · Virginia Tech Libraries · 2025
Providing a clear and concise framework for teaching and problem solving in agricultural education, Methods of Teaching Agriculture, third edition is a necessary text for any teaching methods course. It includes a comprehensive examination of theory and research in guiding principles for how students learn best. Numerous illustrations and graphs clarify all concepts discussed within the text. Methods of Teaching Agriculture, third edition is a republished work. This text was originally published by Pearson Prentice Hall in 2004 (ISBN 0131134183). Rights to the book have been reverted to the authors. The book was reformatted and republished in its entirety in 2025. A desire to update this 2004 book resulted in the 2024 publication of the open textbook, The Art and Science of Teaching Agriculture: Four Keys to Dynamic Learning, freely available at https://doi.org/10.21061/teachagriculture.
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Making Open Educational Resources with and for PreK12: A Collaboration Toolkit for Higher Education
Anita Walz; Julee Farley · Virginia Tech Libraries · 2023
Higher education and PreK12 are vastly different domains. As such, well-intended, collaborative efforts between higher education and PreK12 do not always result in creation of useful and reusable learning materials for PreK12 classrooms or effective, productive partnerships. Making Open Educational Resources with and for PreK12: A Collaboration Toolkit for Higher Education is a toolkit of instructional resources designed to support higher education personnel who wish to improve or build strong and generative collaborations between higher education and PreK12 educators. The toolkit aims to expand use and re-usability of PreK12-centric learning resources through informed practices regarding copyright, open-licensing, and accessibility and includes a variety of resources: videos, presentations, transcripts, activities, guides, assignments, and assessment tools.
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Opening Eyes onto Inclusion and Diversity
Susan Carter; Lindy Abawi; Jill Lawrence · University of Southern Queensland · 2019
Susan Carter; Professor Lindy-Anne Abawi; Professor Jill Lawrence; Associate Professor Charlotte Brownlow; Renee Desmarchelier; Melissa Fanshawe; Kathryn Gilbey; Michelle Turner; and Jillian Guy
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The Academic Language of Mathematics
Costas Loizou; Deak Kirkham; Shuwei Chen · University of Leeds Open Books · 2026
The Academic Language of Mathematics is an eight-chapter, open-access textbook that helps any student studying mathematics as part of their degree to understand mathematical terminology and communicate mathematical topics clearly in English. Developed through collaboration between a mathematics lecturer at the University of Leeds, an English for Academic Purposes lecturer at the University of Leeds and a mathematics lecturer at Southwest Jiaotong University, it integrates core mathematical content with systematic work on vocabulary, structures and text types, with particular support for students in English‑medium instruction and international STEM programmes.
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EDUC5272M Module Companion
Chrissi Nerantzi · University of Leeds Open Books · 2025
This module invites people to engage critically with the intersection of digital technologies, learning theories and societal change. Through four thematic units - covering the digital learner and educator, learning frameworks in a digital age, inclusion and accessibility in digital environments, and datafication & generative AI in education - the course fosters reflection, dialogue and creative experimentation in one’s own context. Participants will explore how digital tools shape and are shaped by education, society and development; situate their practice within key debates and theories; and apply these insights to enhance inclusive, thoughtful digital pedagogy. Ultimately, this module supports learners in interrogating, innovating and adapting their digital-educational practices in a rapidly evolving world.
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Meraki: Towards transformative learning in higher education
Chrissi Nerantzi · University of Leeds Open Books · 2025
Meraki is a vibrant addition to the world of open educational resources. Created with creativity, openness, and collaboration at its core, this living book reveals the impact education can have when it’s approached with heart, curiosity, and innovation.Across 13 engaging articles, it offers a personal yet widely relatable exploration of critical and creative teaching. It encourages readers to think differently about learning—both inside and outside the classroom—and how these experiences can be meaningfully connected.What makes Meraki stand out is its blend of reflective writing, practical ideas, and interdisciplinary thinking. Contributions from a wide range of voices—students, educators, and scholars—transform the book into an ongoing conversation about learning, growth, and change.Because it’s openly licensed, anyone can contribute. That means the book continues to grow and evolve as a collaborative project shaped by its readers.Meraki isn’t just a collection of articles—it’s an invitation to reimagine what education can be when we embrace creativity, inclusion, and shared ownership.
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The Role of Equity and Diversity in Early Childhood Education
Krischa Esquivel; Emily Elam; Jennifer Paris; Maricela Tafoya · College of the Canyons · 2020
Guided by cultural beliefs and principles, families select experiences, convey attitudes, and impart knowledge to their children to prepare them for adulthood. Accordingly, it is important for program staff to learn to collaborate effectively with families. To develop a partnership and to tap into the family as a primary resource, early childhood educators must reach out to, learn about, and develop strong partnerships with families. This process requires openness to learning and an effort to understand the individuality of each family and the diversity of the families from which the children come.
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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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Strategies for Conducting Literary Research
Barry Mauer; John Venecek · University of Central Florida · 2022
This book, built in PressBooks with financial support from the UCF Digital Learning Course Redesign Initiative, contains 14 chapters, each of which contains two to six pages about the process of literary research. Pages contain learning objectives, infographics, videos, examples, key takeaways, and exercises. The course contains numerous discussion areas and quizzes. It also contains a “Foundational Materials” assignment that provides a platform for student success with whatever research project their instructor assigns. The book is highly flexible and instructors may use all or any part of the book within their own webcourse.
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Experimental Design and Technical Writing for Engineers
Susan Ely · University of Southern Indiana · 2024
This text is intended for undergraduate engineering students completing a technical writing course. As engineers complete technical writing in conjunction with research activities, this work also includes a basic overview of experimental design and the implications of robust quantitative methodologies. Hallmarks of quantitative research, best practices in presentation of data and a brief description of the use of descriptive statistics in data analysis are also provided. Technical communications for engineers often include industry related documents like memos, executive summaries, case studies, quality and process documents, standard operating procedures and requests for proposals. These documents are discussed, in addition to formal technical reports. The text also includes best practices in engineering oral presentations and the impact of Artificial Intelligence on technical communications. Ethical implications of engineering communications are also discussed from a framework of professional integrity as defined by the National Society of Professional Engineers Code of Ethics. Students using this text should be capable of communicating, in both verbal and written formats, in a way that clearly, concisely and correctly conveys engineering principles, projects and concepts to both technical and nontechnical audiences.
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A Guide to Writing in Law School
Steven Tudor; Stephanie Falconer · Council of Australian University Librarians · 2024
A Guide to Writing in Law School is intended to help law students to develop their writing skills. Writing clearly and effectively is a vital legal skill. Lawyers use this skill daily. Law graduates need, therefore, to have a solid competency in clear and effective writing. This book aims to help students improve their writing by presenting various pieces of advice, tips, warnings and encouragement. It contains general chapters on planning, clear writing, and acknowledging your sources, as well as dedicated chapters on some of the specific writing tasks that law students undertake: case briefs, legal problem-solving, essays, and law reform submissions. With effort and practice, virtually everyone can improve their writing. A Guide to Writing in Law School is not only for students having particular difficulties. Those who already write well will find ideas here that will help them become even better writers.
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The Alchemy of Assessment and Evaluation
Jessica Kahlow · Mavs Open Press · 2024
This comprehensive guide illuminates the art and science of educational assessment, blending ancient alchemical wisdom with modern AI innovations. Part one lays the foundation, exploring essential principles of assessment and evaluation and its pivotal role in shaping learning outcomes. Part two delves into diverse assessment types, from formative assessments driving real-time adjustments to summative evaluations measuring overall achievement. Part three offers expert guidance on crafting effective assessment designs, ensuring authenticity and inclusivity. Part four examines the alchemy of feedback and grading, empowering educators with strategies for constructive engagement and growth. Part five focuses on evaluations, showcasing methods to assess program effectiveness and student progress over time. Whether you’re an educator refining assessment practices or an instructional designer harnessing AI’s potential, this book equips you to turn every educational challenge into a golden opportunity.