This year, the ACMI recognizes four OER & Affordable Champions! Nominated by a faculty, staff, or student, these faculty members all have committed to providing their students with the best educational experience without using expensive course materials. Let's celebrate each one of them.
Bio:
Rebecca Malatesta is a Special Instructor in the Department of Psychology, specializing in Industrial and Organizational Psychology. She has been at Oakland University for almost 26 years but recently became the Psychology Student Success Coordinator. Rebecca is very interested in finding ways to eliminate barriers to success and provide an equitable learning environment for all students. In 2022, she adopted an OER and low-cost supplemental learning tool that replaced the traditional course materials she used in her Introduction to Psychology class. This resulted in a cost savings for her class (of 125 students) of almost $13,000. In addition, her research demonstrating the positive impact of this textbook on her students contributed to a department-wide adoption of these materials for all Introduction to Psychology classes (a cost saving to students that was close to $43,000/semester)
What is your current role and the courses you teach?
I am a Special Instructor in Psychology and the Psychology Student Success Coordinator.
I teach:
PSY 1000 - Introduction to Psychology
PSY 2000 - Success in the Psychology Major
PSY 2350 - Introduction to Social Psychology*
PSY 2500 - Research Design in Psychology
PSY 3300 - Social Cognition*
PSY 3340 - Industrial and Organizational Psychology
PSY 4930 - Field Experience
PSY 4989 - History of Psychology
*I haven’t taught this course in a few years.
Please share which resources you use for your courses instead of expensive textbooks. If you created a book/resource, please share the title of what you produced (with a link if possible).
PSY 1000 Introduction to Psychology - OpenStax Psychology 2e and Waymaker by Lumen Learning
PSY 2000 Success in the Psychology Major - OpenStax College Success textbook
PSY 2500 Psyclearn: Research Methods. American Psychological Association - this is a lower-cost resource (but I am still looking for a less expensive alternative)
How has the material been received by students?
I administered a survey to my Introduction to Psychology students that assessed their perceptions of the OER/low-cost materials used in their class. An overwhelming majority of students indicated that the OER material was accurate, easy to use, engaging, relevant, and inclusive. Many students also said, in response to an open-ended question, that they often don’t buy textbooks because they are too expensive and really appreciate the free materials.
What are the biggest benefits for you to use OER/free//low-cost materials versus traditional textbooks?
The OER materials are equivalent to traditional textbooks in content, accuracy, inclusivity, relevance, etc. They are also free/low-cost and easy to adopt and integrate with our LMS. In addition, a comparison of students’ performance between an Introduction to Psychology class that used traditional course materials and one that used OER/low-cost materials did not reveal any differences (in final exam performance or overall grade).
Ultimately, adopting these free and low-cost resources reduces/eliminates access to important course materials as one barrier to student success.
How has OU supported you in the process of switching to affordable materials? What type of support would you like to see for faculty?
OU has been incredibly supportive! The ACMI stipend program demonstrates their commitment to the switch to affordable course materials. Also, Julia Rodriguez, Scholarly Communication and Open Knowledge Librarian, was instrumental in making our department aware of the existence of OER/low-cost materials (several years ago). She is a strong advocate for their use and helped me identify potential OER/low-cost materials and explained how to adopt and modify them to fit my course.
What is one piece of advice would you give other faculty about converting their courses to low or no-cost materials, or developing their own materials?
Start your search with the library’s ACMI representatives/experts. They will guide you through the process of finding, adopting, and adapting the materials to fit your needs. If you are hesitant because of the extra workload, let me assure you that they are easy to adopt and the tools integrate well with our LMS. Also, your students will appreciate your effort!
Bio: 
Ph.D, M.A. M.A University of Michigan Ann Arbor, MI
B.A. Oakland University Rochester, MI
What is your current role and the courses you teach?
Special Lecturer in International Programs
Please share which resources you use for your courses instead of expensive textbooks. If you created a book/resource, please share the title of what you produced (with a link if possible).
I have organized my lecture notes and chunked them into specific units in my Perspectives on Russia course. Each unit includes multiple graphics and hyperlinks designed to accentuate the content, as well as focus questions at the start of each unit. I developed my own internet assignments to complement the materials in each unit. I worked with the specialists in eLIS to organize and prepare my courses.
The materials in my course on Issues in Global Health course are based on links to websites designed for the layman, such as The World Health Organization, Doctors without Borders, etc. which provide an overview of the topic and discuss the challenges medical professionals have to address the issue under question. I developed my own internet assignments to complement the materials in each unit.
For the course on Contemporary Russian Politics I use Hypothes.is, which is a free social annotation software, for students to review and comment on journal articles that discuss the issue or period under focus. I supplement the units with internet assignments to complement the journal articles.
My Comparative Politics course I use an eBook from Pearson. This eBook follows a format similar to my other courses which are housed in Moodle. I supplement the materials of the eBook with internet activities I have developed along with Forum questions that require an audio response. I am constantly updating my links, graphics and content within my courses.
How has the material been received by students?
For the most part I would say that students appreciate the extra effort. I regularly solicit student input on how I might improve the design and delivery of the courses.
What are the biggest benefits for you to use OER/free//low-cost materials versus traditional textbooks?
The materials in my courses can all be retrieved electronically when a student has access to the internet.
How has OU supported you in the process of switching to affordable materials? What type of support would you like to see for faculty?
The support I cherish the most is working with the specialists in eLIS and employing ‘best practices’ in pedagogy. I have also benefited from attending numerous CETL workshops and professional conferences that focus on improving student learning.
What is one piece of advice would you give other faculty about converting their courses to low or no-cost materials, or developing their own materials?
Converting a course to employ more affordable materials, or developing one’s own materials is a process. I suggest trying out various approaches, strategies and options to present materials before plunging into a whole course revision.
Bio:
For my research, I am deeply involved in exploring the intersection of institutional logic, organizational attention, and corporate social responsibility. Beyond traditional academic research, I have a keen interest in sports analytics and have published books that use machine learning and statistics to analyze sports data and help managers make informed decisions. These unique interests influence my teaching philosophy, which emphasizes the importance of strategic thinking and data-driven decision-making. My goal is to equip students with the ability to not only conceive innovative strategic ideas but also to rigorously test them using data and communicate their findings to future audiences.
What is your current role and the courses you teach?
I’m an assistant professor of Management at the School of Business Administration and teaching Management Strategies & Policies (MGT4350), which is the capstone course of the business program, and Applied Data Analytics for Marketing & Business Strategy (MKT4900/5800).
Please share which resources you use for your courses instead of expensive textbooks. If you created a book/resource, please share the title of what you produced (with a link if possible).
I have been adopting a free textbook for my two undergraduate capstone course (MGT4350) sessions every semester.
https://open.umn.edu/opentextbooks/textbooks/mastering-strategic-management
For my undergraduate capstone course, Management Strategy and Policy (MGT 4350), I wanted to provide my students with experiential learning that a textbook could not provide, so I was looking for a high-quality, free textbook that would keep textbook costs down. After consulting with the business librarian, Mr. Shawn McCann, I found a quality online textbook published by Virginia Tech Press that not only met my criteria for reliability, but also comprehensively covered all the essential topics in the field of strategic management.
How has the material been received by students?
I have been actively utilizing a resource called “Book” on Moodle to complement the weaknesses of free textbooks: lack of up-to-date course content and publisher support. “Book” has been used for both MGT 4350 and MKT4900/5800. I have not received any complaints about outdated content because I provide up-to-date information and knowledge not covered in the free textbook through the resource.
What are the biggest benefits for you to use OER/free//low-cost materials versus traditional textbooks?
I think there are two benefits. First, instructors do not have to rely on textbook publishers. While instructors don’t have access to the quality and easy-to-use educational tools provided by the publishers, they will be able to explore a wider range of teaching tools outside of publishers’ platforms. Second, students who save money on textbooks will be less hesitant to purchase additional but affordable learning materials such as business cases and a business simulation game.
How has OU supported you in the process of switching to affordable materials? What type of support would you like to see for faculty?
I think complementary and complimentary teaching tools like “Book” on Moodle that OU provides are critical when instructors adopt affordable materials. For Applied Data Analytics for Marketing & Business Strategy (MKT4900/5800), I upload my lecture videos and source codes for weekly assignments to the Book. Particularly when this course is delivered asynchronously, teaching how to use open-source analytics software such as Python and R for business decision-making can be very challenging for both instructors and students without a well-developed publisher’s platform. The “Book” provides updated features like “code sample” that makes source code visible on Moodle. I found that posting my lecture videos with easy-to-read code snippets encouraged students to think for themselves about how to connect their business domain knowledge with the source code, and then they become more creative in solving problems with data analytics. I believe the role of Moodle in adopting affordable materials is important.
What is one piece of advice would you give other faculty about converting their courses to low or no-cost materials, or developing their own materials?
My previous response can answer this question. I think instructors should also familiarize themselves with the updated features on Moodle and think deeply about how they can utilize the features to complement the weaknesses of affordable materials.
Bio: 
Kelli Crump (she/her), Visiting Assistant Professor of Theatre for the OU School of Music, Theatre and Dance, holds a Master of Fine Arts in Acting from the National Theatre Conservatory and a Master of Arts in Arts Administration from the University of Michigan. Kelli is a graduate of Central Michigan University and has studied Shakespeare at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts. She is a recipient of the NAPAT Classical Acting Award, the VASTA Vocal Excellence Award, the Charlene Gordon Arts Impact Award, the John Cauble Emerging Leader Award, and the Region III ASPIRE Faculty Fellowship Award presented by the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival. Kelli has worked with many of our nation's most critically acclaimed and award-winning professional theatre organizations including the Denver Center for the Performing Arts and the Magic Theatre in San Francisco. For more than a decade, Kelli has worked as a teaching artist, bringing the gift of acting to a wide range of students. She prides herself on exposing others to the depth, richness, and excitement of culturally inclusive, anti-racist, and socially conscious live theatre. Kelli is a National Councilor and proud member of Actors’ Equity Association and a proud member of SAG/AFTRA.
Stage credits include: Hair, Doubt, Hairspray, The Laramie Project, Little Shop of Horrors, Hamlet, Chicago, Tartuffe, and A Little Night Music. Film/TV credits include: HBO's LOOKING, ABC's When We Rise, Being Flynn with Robert DeNiro, The Normals with Bryan Greenberg, The Hideout with Treat Williams, and The Storyteller with Christopher Atkins.
What is your current role and the courses you teach?
I am currently a Visiting Assistant Professor of Theatre. In addition to directing productions for our MainStage Theatre Season, I have taught Introduction to Theatre for non-majors, multiple sections of Acting: Shakespeare, Acting: Auditions, and Company Class. I’ve also crafted and taught two new classes, Great Performances of Stage & Screen and Theatre of the Global Majority.
Please share which resources you use for your courses instead of expensive textbooks. If you created a book/resource, please share the title of what you produced (with a link if possible).
As a former work-study student myself, I remember the financial toll the cost of books and class supplies had on me and my family. My goal is to ensure all of my students receive an equitable educational experience during our time together. In my classes, I have found my students are more engaged and are able to fully analyze the curriculum when we read materials together aloud in class, when I showcase documentary clips from educational and free streaming platforms when we listen to publicly sourced audio plays and interviews, and when I take them to experience industry professionals first-hand as audience members at our neighborhood movie theater and by attending live theatre performances at various southeast Michigan theatre companies.
How has the material been received by students?
I've received positive responses from the vast majority of my students. Our in-class discussions are dynamic and spirited in ways I hadn’t experienced previously. Students are able to connect differently to the materials, which has had positive effects for the various learning styles our students require. I have also received words of thank-you, as many of my amazing students are working their way through school at much higher numbers than when I was their age. With the adjustments I made in my classes, many of my kiddos are able to keep much needed funds for gas, auto insurance, food, rent, medical bills, etc in their pockets, which allows them more time to focus on school in the long run.
What are the biggest benefits for you to use OER/free//low-cost materials versus traditional textbooks?
The biggest benefit for me is that I’m now in the room when the concept clicks for them and they have an “aha moment”. I get to see the discovery on their faces. I get to hear how passionately they discuss plot, character, and society with their classmates because they aren’t reading a script or chapter alone at home. We get to experience their educational journey together. Actually, watching those moments helps keep me inspired and motivated as an educator.
How has OU supported you in the process of switching to affordable materials? What type of support would you like to see for faculty?
I am beyond blessed and honored to have been gifted with departmental leadership who constantly encourages me think outside the box, be creative, be authentic, and to try new approaches to teaching in my classes.
What is one piece of advice you would give other faculty about converting their courses to low or no-cost materials, or developing their own materials?
Provide the grace, understanding, and empathy to your students you wished an educator would’ve shown you in your own educational journey. When we keep the basic human needs of our students in mind, creative and effective solutions become possible.
