Professor Botker has been teaching at MCC since 2007 and started using a mixture of OER, free and library resources about 10 years ago in a multitude of courses: GOV 120, HST 121, HST 122, HST 292, and IDS 101.
When asked what prompted her to use no cost course materials in her courses, Professor Botker responded that, “particularly for History 121 which covers through 1876, I did not see a need for students to have to spend money on updated editions for material that is not new. There is also much more interactive material from museums and other websites that give more diverse perspectives to history or government.”
She sees the benefits of using affordable course materials for her students as she shares, “I do not have to worry about students not being able to purchase their textbooks and other resources. They can have a hard copy of the textbook at a very low cost, they can rent the textbook at an even lower cost, they can print chapters at the library for free, and they can read the book online and even download it. Using library resources also makes the students more comfortable with the library as well which is good for when students need to do research in other classes.”
Professor Botker’s students have thanked her for providing access to no cost resources. She’s observed that they also like having less standard textbook resources and more videos and interactive sites. They also like some of the sources that are shorter in length. They find it less intimidating.
She also further elaborates on the positive benefits of these resources for her students and the connection to equity. “Because students can use all of their resources through Blackboard, they can seek help from me, the library, ACE and embedded tutors. Between the free resources and the diverse ways they can ask for help with them, it allows students to feel more comfortable with my class and MCC in general. They do not need to feel like they have to "fit" into the traditional model of college students. All are welcome and can see themselves in the materials I use.”
For any faculty thinking about adopting OER, free, or library resources, she advises: “Be willing to take the leap. There are lots of resources now available that were not available even five years ago. You can also bring a wide diversity of voices to the class which a textbook cannot always do.”
Professor Botker, we appreciate your commitment to OER and no cost resources!