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Faculty from Monroe Park and MCV campuses attend inaugural open textbooks workshops

May 5, 2017

VCU Libraries held four open textbook workshops in the 2016-17 academic year as a consortial member of the Open Textbook Network (OTN). Based on the OTN model, faculty who both attended a workshop and completed a review of an open textbook in the Open Textbook Library were eligible to receive a $200 stipend. Faculty were selected through an application process. 

  • 33 VCU faculty from 28 different academic units attended workshops.
  • 26 VCU faculty completed reviews and earned stipends.
  • 77% of faculty completing reviews plan to adopt or author an open textbook.
  • 23% of faculty completing reviews expressed continued interest. 

Faculty attendees represented these 28 different academic units:

  • College of Humanities and Sciences: English, Biology, Physics, History, Kinesiology and Health Sciences, Philosophy, Mathematics
  • Honors College
  • Life Sciences: Environmental Studies, Center for Environmental Science
  • College of Engineering: Electrical and Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Biomedical Engineering
  • School of Allied Health: Occupational Therapy
  • School of the Arts: Music, Theatre, Fashion, Communication Arts, Center for Creative Economy
  • School of Business: Marketing, Management
  • School of Education: Foundations of Education
  • School of Nursing
  • School of Pharmacy: Pharmacotherapy and Outcomes Science
  • School of World Studies: Foreign Languages
  • Robertson School of Media and Culture: Public Relations
  • University College: Focused Inquiry
  • Wilder School of Government: Criminal Justice
  • Workshops were also attended by guests from other institutions (who were not eligible for VCU stipends), including 11 librarians and faculty from other schools including Virginia State University, the Virginia Military Institute, University of Richmond, Marymount University and Washington & Lee University.

The Open Textbook Library model succeeded in building support for open textbooks in 100% of faculty who attended a workshop and completed a textbook review. VCU Libraries will hold two open textbook workshops in 2017-18.

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