Final OER Seminar Reflection

  1. Textbooks are challenging for students because they are expensive and heavy to carry around all day in school. Also, throughout the semester the book is barely being used.
  2. One way OER addresses these challenges is cutting back on the prices of textbooks. One way they failed is that we still have to carry heavy textbooks around in school.
  3. Yes we should give evaluation on textbooks for the same reason we evaluate professors at the end of the semester. To give feedbacks and to understand what is working and what is not working. To help us with our competency and to prepare the next students who are planning on using the textbook.
  4. If I was a professor I will think about the price of the textbook, the edition of the textbook and lots of practice tests and quizzes within the textbook.
  5. One important thing I learned about this seminar is that we have a voice to change the way textbooks are being used and sold, and it starts with the people in this seminar.

Final Thoughts on OER

 

  1. Reflecting back on our work this semester, in what ways are textbooks a challenge for students? 

Textbooks are obviously first and foremost a financial challenge for students. Additionally, nothing is more painful than spending more than $200 on a required textbook than a professor that never references it, requires reading or homework from it, and teaches differently than the way the material is being presented in the textbook. Also, realistically many students who struggle financially are on some form of financial aid, requiring students to be full–time. Full-time students have many classes and when each of these classes have a required textbook we literally can’t carry them all back and forth everyday let alone afford them. Textbooks are a challenge for students in classes where professors don’t work with the textbook material.

  1. What is one way OER addresses these challenges? What is one way OER fails to address them?

OER addresses these challenges by increasing awareness of open resource texts which can be obtained by students for little to no cost. OER fails to address the issues through its complete and utter lack of any marketing on campus at all. Never before this seminar did I even know this school participated in OER. As a thoroughly involved honors student, vice president of PTK, friend of HSAC students, friend to SGA, student who has a strong rapport with her professors and advisor, never did I hear of anyone mentioning OER or “zero cost textbook course”. If a student this involved in campus activities has no idea about it, who does? Get the word out there!! This is a very valuable resource, students are looking for this!

  1. Should students evaluate textbooks as part of their regular classwork/education? Why or why not?

Yes, because in doing so I look at textbooks differently and I pick out the material and texts which aid me in learning the subject matter the most. However, the downside is in evaluating a textbook you deem challenging to clarify the material yet it’s still a requirement for your class.

  1. Imagine your are a professor choosing a textbook for your class. What are three important ideas to consider when selecting a textbook for students?

I would want the textbook to be relevant to the course and my teaching style as well as to the level of understanding of my students. Beginner students shouldn’t be operating from an advanced level textbook without good reason. Clarity, I want the students to be able to understand the material thoroughly. If the information is simplified it can be understood by more diverse audiences (ex: students from all majors and levels). I would want the material to be current, and compiled from valid information in a well thought out and structured format. It should be a text that is inclusive of the diversity represented at CUNY.  Its authors, publishers, and in-text examples should represent that diversity as well.

  1. What is the most important thing you learned from this seminar?

The most important thing I learned from this seminar is to look at textbooks critically. Also, that CUNY has zero-cost textbook courses options (limited amount), which myself and all of my class friends were entirely unaware of. I also learned the different ways I learn from textbooks and the pedagogical aids that I look for and learn from. I was surprised at how much I really appreciated the chapter objectives, summaries, and the charts and figures supporting the explanations.

 

Final Reflection

  1. Reflecting back on our work this semester, in what ways are textbooks a challenge for students? It might be helpful to review The Textbook Manifesto and your initial discussion board post about it.

Without a doubt, the biggest challenge for students is the astronomical cost of textbooks. One has just finished paying a hefty tuition when, surprise, it’s immediately time to part with another small fortune for textbooks. It can be more aggravating if professors require the latest edition of a textbook, when the difference between one edition and the next is minute; they are virtually indistinguishable from one another. It’s just another evil of capitalism. I imagine the publishers/marketers are offering generous kickbacks to professors/departments for meeting certain sales quotas of their books.

  1. What is one way OER addresses these challenges? What is one way OER fails to address them?

OER makes the textbooks equitable and accessible to all, not just to those who have. Thanks to OER, textbooks the average student will not have to agonize over whether they should try to survive the course on Powerpoints alone or buy books they really can’t afford.

  1. Should students evaluate textbooks as part of their regular classwork/education? Why or why not?

Although it appears that that last thing on university administrators’ minds is students’ opinions, regular textbook evaluations should be implemented. Undoubtedly, some professors do care how students feel about their textbooks and why some students may not be performing as well as others (because they can’t afford the exorbitantly-priced textbook). Regular textbook evaluations just may help to reduce educational disparities to some degree.

  1. Imagine you are a professor choosing a textbook for your class. What are three important ideas to consider when selecting a textbook for students?

As a professor choosing a textbook for my class, I would consider the price firstly. After carefully pondering many different textbooks, I would certainly choose one of the more economical options. I also would choose a book that does not overburden the student with endless details. I have a book like that right now and I would love to tell the faculty how I feel about. Along the same line, I would choose a book that is not too large or heavy because they can also seem overwhelming to students. I would NOT constantly change the edition required for the class!

  1. What is the most important thing you learned from this seminar?

Learning about the OER initiative and getting a chance to evaluate textbooks has given me hope that people are actually advocating for students and want to improve their college experience by providing more relevant effective and affordable textbooks.

Final Reflection

1) Reflecting back on our work this semester, in what ways are textbooks a challenge for students? It might be helpful to review The Textbook Manifesto and your initial discussion board post about it.

Textbooks could be a challenge for students in two aspects. The first challenge is that the textbook may be too hard for a student to understand. It may not provide enough explanation or the way the author presents the concept is confusing. The second challenge is the price of the textbook. Even when a book is required or is so well written, the students may not want to buy a book that costs them so much.

2) What is one way OER addresses these challenges? What is one way OER fails to address them?

OER tries to make a textbook that has both quality and easy access for the students. Students can get a textbook that is interesting and easy to read and they don’t have to worry about paying for something that costs them too much.

I don’t think there is something that OER fails to address. There is just one limitation is that OER may not be popular to college yet. There are many textbooks that OER could provide. The question is are those textbooks really as good as the one that is currently used for class and could it be really effective in helping the students actually learn and be successful in the course?

3) Should students evaluate textbooks as part of their regular classwork/education? Why or why not?

Yes. Students should evaluate textbooks as part of their regular classwork/education. Because textbooks serve as a good tool to help students learn and be successful in the course. Selecting a good textbook to learn could benefit them a lot as compared to just keep reading a chosen or requied textbook that may be hard to read.

4) Imagine your are a professor choosing a textbook for your class. What are three important ideas to consider when selecting a textbook for students?

First, I want to make sure that the textbook is affordable to the students. As I know many students don’t buy the textbook because of the price.

Second, I want to make sure that the textbook is easy to read. As I have seen many students who read a concept of the book for several days but still could not understand and they need to search for extra help. That could waste so much of their time and they have a lot of things to do besides just studying.

Third, I want to make sure that the textbook has the most important concepts that need to be addressed. Students should get a textbook that is easy to read and affordable. But they should also need to actually learn about the course.

5) What is the most important thing you learned from this seminar?

I never actually question a book that is required. When the syllabus tells me to buy a book, I just try to get the book. Exams are mostly made based on the required textbook. If I do not get the required one, my grade may be suffered. And I just thought that the required textbook is the greatest among many choosen ones. When I get to the seminar, I realize my thinking could have been wrong. There are actually textbooks that could be written even better and they are much cheaper than the required textbook. I like the seminar as it listens to the students’ concern about textbook challenges and try to overcome it. The most important thing that I learn maybe that there could be textbooks that are better than the required one but are cheaper. Students should take an active role in choosing a textbook for their study. However, I think it may be hard at some points. Because I can only evaluate well if a textbook is good or not after I have finished the course. So it may be one limitation.