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OER & Affordable Learning Materials (ALM)

OER and OA Course Materials Reviewed by A&M-SA Faculty

Woman made to look like live Statue of Liberty with an American Flag

The American Yawp: A Massively Collaborative Open U.S. History Textbook

Includes two volumes to cover time periods and topics in American History both before and after 1877. Emphasis is on primary source materials. Originally published as OER and then later picked up by Stanford University Press. 

Book stack, blue grid, and fireworks-like design

American Government

Chapter topics include, but are not limited to, constitutional government, federalism, the media, politics, various types of policies, world affairs, and civil rights and liberties and links to primary source documents. This text is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 so it cannot be changed, but it is freely available in this form. 

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Concepts of Fitness and Wellness, 2nd Edition

Created in the form of a library research guide, this resource includes text, video, Powerpoint slides, and other materials useful in covering the content of a basic human wellness course. Topics covered include, but are not limited to healthy behaviors, flexibility, body composition, nutrition, weight management, cancer, substance abuse, and stress.

Title of book on mostly gray background

Comprehensive Individualized Curriculum and Instructional Design: Curriculum and Instruction for Students with Developmental Disabilities/Autism Spectrum Disorders

This text was developed to support a special education teacher preparation class at Portland State University. It is available as a pdf and includes text, links to related materials, tables, graphs, sample forms, diagrams, and references lists. 

Title on image of succulent plant in background

An Introduction to Philosophy

Using a mix of historically and topically organized chapters plus four chapters on ethics, the aim of the text is to "present philosophy to newcomers as a living discipline with historical roots." 

Edward Hicks' The Residence of David Twining folk art painting

The Open Anthology of Earlier American Literature: A PSU-Based Project

An ongoing project at Plymouth State University, this anthology has been created by students for students. A critical and contemplative approach that probes the question of what qualifies as important American literature and includes a diverse array of voices rather than just those of "old white men." It also strives to connect early texts and current culture.

Yellow and white SUNY Opentextbooks logo

Instruction in Functional Assessment

A SUNY Open Textbook, it "introduces learners to functional assessment (FA), which includes a variety of assessment approaches (indirect, observational, and experimental) for identifying the cause of an indviidual's challenging behavior for the purpose of designing effective treatments." 

Green and Gold Scholar Commons Logo, University of South Florida

Social Science Research: Principles, Methods, and Practices, 2nd Edition

Free to download in its current version plus "all future editions in perpetuity," this text is "designed to introduce doctoral and graduate students to the process of scientific research in the social sciences, business, education, public health, and related disciplines." 

OPENSUNY textbook cover in blue and yellow

Steps to Success: Crossing the Bridge Between Literacy Research and Practice

A SUNY Open Textbooks project licensed as CC BY-NC-SA, "it introduces the most current research-supported practices in the field of literacy." Chapters are included on topics such as early literacy development, literacy assessment, fostering literacy development in ELL students, teaching writing, technology's impact on children's literature, and more.

Winding staircase cover image

Database Design, 2nd Edition

A BC Open Education program text licensed under CC BY 4.0, this remixed second edition of an earlier text "covers database systems and database design concepts. New to this edition are SQL info, additional examples, key terms and review exercises at the end of each chapter."

Green book cover with word Psychology in white lettering

Psychology (OpenStax)

This OpenStax text provides seven ways for students to access the text. It has been "designed to meet the scope and sequence requirements for the single-semester introduction to psychology course" by covering "classic studies" as well as "current and emerging research." 

Book cover image showing top of bell tower amidst trees

Exploring Public Speaking, 4th Edition

This text is available through GALILEO Open Learning Materials (University System of Georgia) and is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0. It covers content typically addressed in introductory public speaking courses plus coverage of "PowerPoint, audience analysis and responsiveness, ethics in public speaking, persuasion, special occasion speeches, and structure of speeches."  

Two people walking on a running track

Health Education

This text made available through the Open Textbook Library was published in 2018 by the College of the Canyons and addresses "the nature of health, health education, health promotion, and related concepts" with the goal of helping users "understand the social, psychological, and physical components of health."

Read Faculty Reviews

OER Reviews Honorarium Recipients 2019

From May 6 - December 19, 2019, the Library accepted submissions of reviews of existing open and otherwise affordable educational resources (textbooks in this case) and awarded $250 individual and $375 group Honorariums for each review submitted (up to two). Honorarium Recipients:

  • Dr. Milly Daniel, College of Arts & Sciences: Science & Mathematics--Psychology
  • Dr. James Finley, College of Arts & Sciences: Language, Literature, & Arts--English
  • Dr. Theresa Garfield, College of Education & Human Development: Educator & Leadership Preparation--Special Education, 2 Submissions
  • Dr. Elizabeth Hasseler, College of Arts & Sciences: Communication, History, & Philosophy--History
  • Dr. William Kiser & Dr. Barragan Goetz, College of Arts & Sciences: Communication, History, & Philosophy--History (Collaborative Submission)
  • Dr. Elisabeth Krimbill, College of Education & Human Development: Educator & Leadership Preparation--Educational Administration
  • Dr. Eun Hye Kwon, College of Education & Human Development: Counseling, Health & Kinesiology--Kinesiology, 2 submissions
  • Dr. Carla Mendiola, College of Arts & Sciences: Communication, History, & Philosophy--History 
  • Dr. Rebekah Piper, College of Education & Human Development: Curriculum & Instruction--Reading
  • Megan Pope, College of Arts & Sciences: Communication, History, & Philosophy--Communication
  • Dr. Merritt Rehn-DeBraal, College of Arts & Sciences: Communication, History, & Philosophy--Philosophy
  • Dr. Robert Vinaja, College of Business: Computing & Cyber Security--Computing
  • Former A&M-San Antonio Faculty Member, Dr. Nicholas CreelCollege of Arts & Sciences: Communication, History, & Philosophy--Government
Access their review submissions below: