Brian Sweeney saw how much his physics book cost–just over $200–and he decided that that was too much for his students, most of whom would never take another physics class. Noticing how often his students turned to YouTube and the internet to get tutorials and watch supplementary videos, Brian decided that if his students were already using electronic resources, why not go all the way? So when Tina Ulrich offered to help faculty find OER resources if they would eliminate costly textbooks from their course, Brian took her up on the offer. He was able to put together his own textbook using OpenStax materials. The content is the same as what he’s always taught, so he is still able to use his old syllabus, tests, and study guides. But now it’s all free–free to NMC, to Brian, and, most importantly, to the students.

If you’d like more information on how to incorporate OER sources into your classes, contact Brian Sweeney or Tina Ulrich in the Osterlin Library or come to their session at the October Professional Development Day, October 20th.