Planning Course Material over the Summer
The summer is often times when busy faculty have an opportunity to review and modify their courses. As you’re looking at your syllabus for the next academic year, consider reaching out to your subject librarian to plan what materials to include in your course syllabi and how best to access those materials. This will help reduce barriers to student access by reducing student costs/expenses associated with reliance on textbooks, as well as providing students with access wherever they are physically located. It can also increase your students’ exposure to a greater variety of resources, perspectives, and voices, beyond what’s included in textbooks.
Resources you can explore with support from your subject librarian include journal content, eBooks, videos, open educational resources, course reserves, and digital primary source material. Note that some resources, like textbooks and individual streaming services, are not always available for licensing by the Libraries. For more information on diversifying your course materials, check out this article from the May 10, 2023 issue of Inside Higher Ed.
Contact your subject librarian as you plan for your courses to discuss options for you and your students.
Note: The Mower Faculty Commons, located on the 5th floor of Bird Library, is available for faculty use year-round.