Check out the 149 free and open etextbooks that have been reviewed by faculty colleagues in the California Community Colleges, the California State University, and the University of California. The California OER Council developed the evaluation rubric which was used by all faculty reviewers.
Arts
Survey of Western Art from Prehistory through the Middle Ages
eTextbook |
eTextbook Reviews |
Art and Contemporary Critical Practice: Reinventing Institutional Critique |
Beverly Grindstaff, CSU Faculty
Margaret Phelps, CCC Faculty
Alice Taylor, CCC Faculty |
Boundless: Art History |
Beverly Grindstaff, CSU Faculty
Margaret Phelps, CCC Faculty
Alice Taylor, CCC Faculty |
Khan Academy SmartHistory: Art History |
Beverly Grindstaff, CSU Faculty
Margaret Phelps, CCC Faculty
Alice Taylor, CCC Faculty |
WikiBooks: Art History |
Beverly Grindstaff, CSU Faculty
Margaret Phelps, CCC Faculty
Alice Taylor, CCC Faculty |
Survey of Western Art from Renaissance to Contemporary
eTextbook |
eTextbook Reviews |
smART History by Khan Academy |
Marla Burg, CCC Faculty
Johanna Movassat, CSU Faculty
Roland Betancourt, UC Faculty |
Art History by Boundless |
Marla Burg, CCC Faculty
Johanna Movassat, CSU Faculty
Roland Betancourt, UC Faculty |
Art History by Wikibooks |
Marla Burg, CCC Faculty
Johanna Movassat, CSU Faculty
Roland Betancourt, UC Faculty |
Art History Resources |
Marla Burg, CCC Faculty
Johanna Movassat, CSU Faculty
Roland Betancourt, UC Faculty |
A Text-Book of the History of Painting |
Marla Burg, CCC Faculty
Johanna Movassat, CSU Faculty
Roland Betancourt, UC Faculty |
Media Aesthetics and Cinematic Arts
Business
Financial Accounting
eTextbook |
eTextbook Reviews |
Accounting Principles: A Business Perspective |
Solveg Cooper, CCC Faculty
Sy Pearlman, CSU Faculty
Vincent Turner, CSU Faculty |
Boundless Accounting |
Solveg Cooper, CCC Faculty
Sy Pearlman, CSU Faculty
Vincent Turner, CSU Faculty |
Financial Accounting |
Solveg Cooper, CCC Faculty
Sy Pearlman, CSU Faculty
Vincent Turner, CSU Faculty |
Introduction to Financial Accounting |
Solveg Cooper, CCC Faculty
Sy Pearlman, CSU Faculty
Vincent Turner, CSU Faculty |
Principles of Accounting |
Solveg Cooper, CCC Faculty
Sy Pearlman, CSU Faculty
Vincent Turner, CSU Faculty |
Managerial Accounting
eTextbook |
eTextbook Reviews |
Managerial and Cost Accounting |
Terry McCaskill, CCC Faculty
Christine Bean, CSU Faculty
Sher Shah, a CSU Faculty |
Managerial Accounting |
Terry McCaskill, CCC Faculty
Christine Bean, CSU Faculty
Sher Shah, a CSU Faculty |
Management Accounting Concepts and Techniques |
Terry McCaskill, CCC Faculty
Christine Bean, CSU Faculty
Sher Shah, a CSU Faculty |
Accounting Principles: Managerial Accounting |
Terry McCaskill, CCC Faculty
Christine Bean, CSU Faculty |
Legal Environment of Business
eTextbook |
eTextbook Reviews |
Foundations of Business Law and Legal Environment |
Margaret White, a CCC Faculty
Allison Butler, a CSU Faculty
Sean Jasso, a UC Faculty |
Law for Business Students |
Margaret White, a CCC Faculty
Allison Butler, a CSU Faculty
Sean Jasso, a UC Faculty |
The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business 2.0 by Flatworld (no link yet) |
Margaret White, a CCC Faculty
Allison Butler, a CSU Faculty
Sean Jasso, a UC Faculty |
The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business (no link yet) |
Margaret White, a CCC Faculty
Allison Butler, a CSU Faculty
Sean Jasso, a UC Faculty |
Business Information Systems
Computer Science Programming Concepts and Methodology
Microeconomics
eTextbook |
eTextbook Reviews |
Microeconomics: Theory through Application from the Open Textbook Library,
University of Minnesota |
Matt Holian, CSU Faculty
Daniel MacDonald, CSU Faculty
Ratha Ramoo, CCC Faculty |
Modern Microeconomics from Bookboon |
Matt Holian, CSU Faculty
Daniel MacDonald, CSU Faculty
Ratha Ramoo, CCC Faculty |
Principles of Economics from Saylor.org |
Matt Holian, CSU Faculty |
Principles of Microeconomics from Flat World Education |
Daniel MacDonald, CSU Faculty
Ratha Ramoo, CCC Faculty |
Principles of Microeconomics From OpenStax College |
Matt Holian, CSU Faculty
Daniel MacDonald, CSU Faculty
Ratha Ramoo, CCC Faculty |
Education
Child Growth and Development
Humanities
Public Speaking
eTextbook |
eTextbook Reviews |
Building Business Success: Write, Speak, Think, and Get Along Well in the Professional World |
Leslie Collins, CCC Faculty
Jacqueline Irwin, CSU Faculty |
Communications From Boundless |
Leslie Collins, CCC Faculty
Jacqueline Irwin, CSU Faculty |
Public Speaking: The Virtual Text |
Leslie Collins, CCC Faculty
Jacqueline Irwin, CSU Faculty |
Stand Up, Speak – The Practice and Ethics of Public Speaking From Saylor |
Leslie Collins, CCC Faculty
Jacqueline Irwin, CSU Faculty |
Successful Public Speaking From Bookboon |
Leslie Collins, CCC Faculty
Jacqueline Irwin, CSU Faculty |
The ACA Open Knowledge Guide to Public Speaking From the American Communication Association |
Leslie Collins, CCC Faculty
Jacqueline Irwin, CSU Faculty |
Argumentative Writing and Critical Thinking
eTextbook |
eTextbook Reviews |
English Composition |
Michelle Baptists, UC Faculty
Tara Lockhart, CSU Faculty
Sabrina Nelson, CCC Faculty |
Rhetoric and Composition |
Michelle Baptists, UC Faculty
Tara Lockhart, CSU Faculty
Sabrina Nelson, CCC Faculty |
Writing Commons |
Michelle Baptists, UC Faculty
Tara Lockhart, CSU Faculty
Sabrina Nelson, CCC Faculty |
Writing for Success |
Michelle Baptists, UC Faculty
Tara Lockhart, CSU Faculty
Sabrina Nelson, CCC Faculty |
Introduction to Literature
United States History to 1877
eTextbook |
eTextbook Reviews |
Digital History |
Kevin Dawson, UC Faculty
Kevin Eoff, CCC Faculty
Anne Reid, CSU Faculty |
History in the Making: A History of the People of the United States of America to 1877
from Georgia Press |
Kevin Dawson, UC Faculty
Kevin Eoff, CCC Faculty
Anne Reid, CSU Faculty |
Sage American History: A Survey of America's Past |
Kevin Dawson, UC Faculty
Kevin Eoff, CCC Faculty
Anne Reid, CSU Faculty |
U.S. History 1 from Lumen |
Kevin Dawson, UC Faculty
Kevin Eoff, CCC Faculty
Anne Reid, CSU Faculty |
United States History from 1865
eTextbook |
eTextbook Reviews |
US History from OpenStax College |
Lisa Solomon, CCC Faculty
Gerald Shenk, CSU Faculty |
The American Yawp |
Lisa Solomon, CCC Faculty
Gerald Shenk, CSU Faculty |
American History: Pre-Columbian to the New Millenium |
Lisa Solomon, CCC Faculty
Gerald Shenk, CSU Faculty |
Sage American History |
Lisa Solomon, CCC Faculty
Gerald Shenk, CSU Faculty |
Still Casting Shadows: A Shared Mosaic of U.S. History |
Lisa Solomon, CCC Faculty
Gerald Shenk, CSU Faculty |
Digital History |
Lisa Solomon, CCC Faculty
Gerald Shenk, CSU Faculty |
Introduction to Mass Communications
eTextbook |
eTextbook Reviews |
Elements of Mass Communication |
Daryle Nagano, CCC Faculty
Jacqueline Irwin, CSU Faculty
Bradford Owen, CSU Faculty |
Introduction to Mass Media |
Daryle Nagano, CCC Faculty
Jacqueline Irwin, CSU Faculty
Bradford Owen, CSU Faculty |
Media and Cultural Theory |
Daryle Nagano, CCC Faculty
Jacqueline Irwin, CSU Faculty
Bradford Owen, CSU Faculty |
Media Studies 101 |
Daryle Nagano, CCC Faculty
Jacqueline Irwin, CSU Faculty
Bradford Owen, CSU Faculty |
Understanding Media and Culture: An Introduction to Mass Communication |
Daryle Nagano, CCC Faculty
Jacqueline Irwin, CSU Faculty
Bradford Owen, CSU Faculty |
Introduction to Reporting and Newswriting
Introduction to Philosophy
Introduction to Spanish
eTextbook |
eTextbook Reviews |
Aveteca |
Virginia Adan-Lifante, UC Faculty
Veronica Anevor, CSU Faculty
Sarah Harmon, CCC Faculty |
Destinos: An Introduction to Spanish |
Virginia Adan-Lifante, UC Faculty
Veronica Anevor, CSU Faculty
Sarah Harmon, CCC Faculty |
FSI - Spanish Programmatic Course - Texts |
Virginia Adan-Lifante, UC Faculty
Veronica Anevor, CSU Faculty
Sarah Harmon, CCC Faculty |
Mi Vida Loca |
Virginia Adan-Lifante, UC Faculty
Veronica Anevor, CSU Faculty
Sarah Harmon, CCC Faculty |
Mathematics & Statistics
Introduction to Statistics
Calculus
eTextbook |
eTextbook Reviews |
Active Calculus |
Alex May, CCC Faculty
Amy Vu, CCC Faculty
Chandrasekharan Vanajakshi, CCC Faculty |
Calculus – Early Transcendentals |
Alex May, CCC Faculty
Amy Vu, CCC Faculty
Chandrasekharan Vanajakshi, CCC Faculty |
Calculus |
Alex May, CCC Faculty
Amy Vu, CCC Faculty
Chandrasekharan Vanajakshi, CCC Faculty |
Mooculus Calculus |
Alex May, CCC Faculty
Amy Vu, CCC Faculty
Chandrasekharan Vanajakshi, CCC Faculty |
Single Variable Calculus I Early Transcendentals
eTextbook |
eTextbook Reviews |
Active Calculus |
Mark Eastman, a UC Faculty
Jeff Silverman, a CSU Faculty |
Calculus – Early Transcendentals |
Mark Eastman, a UC Faculty
Jeff Silverman, a CSU Faculty |
Calculus |
Mark Eastman, a UC Faculty
Jeff Silverman, a CSU Faculty |
Mooculus Calculus |
Alex May, CCC Faculty
Amy Vu, CCC Faculty
Chandrasekharan Vanajakshi, CCC Faculty
Mark Eastman, a UC Faculty
Jeff Silverman, a CSU Faculty |
Single Variable Calculus II
Introduction to Linear Algebra
Science & Technology
Human Anatomy and Physiology
Human Physiology with Lab
Organismal Biology, Ecology, Evolution
Cell and Molecular Biology
Introduction to Chemistry
General Chemistry for Science Majors Sequence A
eTextbook |
eTextbook Reviews |
Chemistry by Boundless |
Richard DiPietro, a CCC Faculty
Laurie LeBlanc, a CCC Faculty
Larry Mink, a CSU Faculty
|
Chemistry by Open Stax |
Richard DiPietro, a CCC Faculty
Laurie LeBlanc, a CCC Faculty
Larry Mink, a CSU Faculty
|
Concept Development Studies in Chemistry |
Richard DiPietro, a CCC Faculty
Laurie LeBlanc, a CCC Faculty
Larry Mink, a CSU Faculty
|
Fundamentals of Chemistry |
Richard DiPietro, a CCC Faculty
Laurie LeBlanc, a CCC Faculty
Larry Mink, a CSU Faculty
|
General Chemistry: Principles, Patterns, and Applications |
Richard DiPietro, a CCC Faculty
Laurie LeBlanc, a CCC Faculty
Larry Mink, a CSU Faculty
|
General Chemistry |
Richard DiPietro, a CCC Faculty
Laurie LeBlanc, a CCC Faculty
Larry Mink, a CSU Faculty
|
Quantitative Analysis (Chemistry)
Organic Chemistry for Science Majors Sequence A
Computer Science Programming Concepts and Methodology
Introduction to Physical Geography with Lab
Algebra/Trigonometry-Based Physics A
Social Science
Child Growth and Development
Introduction to International Relations
Introduction to Human Sexuality
Introduction to Psychology
eTextbook |
eTextbook Reviews |
BC Campus: Introduction to Psychology |
Ahn Fielding, CC Faculty
Megan Gliniecki, CSU Faculty |
Introduction to Psychology: The Full Noba Collection |
Ahn Fielding, CC Faculty
Megan Gliniecki, CSU Faculty |
Introduction to Psychology from OpenStax College |
Ahn Fielding, CC Faculty
Megan Gliniecki, CSU Faculty |
Introduction to Psychology from University of MN |
Ahn Fielding, CC Faculty
Megan Gliniecki, CSU Faculty |
Wikibooks: Introduction to Psychology |
Ahn Fielding, CC Faculty
Megan Gliniecki, CSU Faculty |
Introduction to Sociology
Reviewer, Textbook, and Course Selection
Preamble:
The CA-OER Council's survey of faculty across CCC, CSU, and UC demonstrated that faculty were concerned about the authority, reliability, and peer review of OER textbooks. The CA-OER Council created a system by which OER textbooks for 50 highly-enrolled courses across the three segments could be rigorously peer reviewed. All of the peer reviews are available, including the faculty's name and institutional affiliation. We anticipate completing reviews of at least 3 textbooks for each of the 50 courses by August 2015 with online access to the reviews by November 2015. Read below for information about course, textbook, and reviewer selection. Interested in becoming a reviewer (and you are a faculty member at a CSU, UC, or CCC), read on:
- Selection of the 50 courses: for the criteria to select the 50 courses, see Course Selection Criteria.
- Selection of OER Textbooks: OER textbooks to be reviewed in conjunction with each of the 50 courses were selected based on the following criteria: 1) Creative Commons license (CC-BY), if possible; 2) free or low cost ($30 or less); 3) able to be re-mixed, if possible (we haven't found many of these); 4) updated regularly; 5) offered in at least 2 different formats (e.g., online/pdf); and 6) maintained in an easily accessible and sustainable environment with a persistent URL.
- To Recommend an OER Textbook that fits the above criteria fill out this Google Form.
- See our list of Courses, Textbooks, and the Schedule for Review Phases.
- How to Become a Reviewer: Fill out the faculty survey and indicate that you'd like to review for this project (the last question in the survey). We will contact you with a request for more information. If selected for a panel (these can be competitive!), we will provide access to all of the textbooks, the review rubric, and a stipend for your reviews ($250/textbook with a minimum of 3 textbook reviews).
- Selecting Review Panelists: Panelists are drawn from faculty across CCC, CSU, & UC. These reviewers are self-identified based on response to the faculty survey. The selection of reviewers is competitive but is based on a balanced criteria: 1) 1 panelist from each of the 3 segments (CCC, CSU, UC); 2) balance of experience with OER materials; 3) balance of place in the career. The resulting reviews are public along with names & institutions of each faculty member. (See the other reviews on the COOL4Ed website.) The reasons for making the the reviewers' identities public is discussed in the Reviewer's Bootcamp video.
- What's Involved in Being a Reviewer? Watch this Reviewer's Bootcamp Video. Take a look at a sample Review Rubric.
- What if I'm the author of one of the OER Textbooks that has been reviewed? If you have any questions about the review or you have revised/updated your OER textbook since the published review, please contact the CA-OER Council with the update information. We will endeavor to have your textbook re-reviewed.
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