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https://openoregon.pressbooks.pub/portlandpeopleandplaces/chapter/a-flip-of-the-coin/
|
A Flip of the Coin
The year is 1845. There is a new city in Oregon. It is by the Willamette River.
People come from far away. They want to live there. They move to Oregon in wagons.
“What is the new city’s name?” the people ask.
Francis Pettygrove comes from Portland, Maine. He wants to name the new city Portland.
Asa Lovejoy comes from Boston, Massachusetts. He wants to name the new city Boston.
The men can’t decide. So they find a penny. They flip the coin three times.
First, it is heads. “Portland!” says Francis.
Second, it is tails. “Boston!” says Asa.
Third, it is heads again. “Portland!” says Francis. “Portland” says Asa.
The name of the new city is Portland, Oregon.
The city looks very different today …
… but the penny is the same. You can see the penny at a museum in downtown Portland. It is at the Oregon Historical Society.
- Work with a partner. Flip a coin 10 times. Count heads. Count tails.
- Now flip 10 more times. Is it the same? Or is it different? Why?
|
pressbooks
|
2025-03-22T05:09:05.115278
|
02-16-2024
|
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"url": "https://openoregon.pressbooks.pub/portlandpeopleandplaces/chapter/a-flip-of-the-coin/",
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"title": "Portland People and Places",
"author": "Timothy Krause",
"institution": "",
"subject": "Language readers, Portland (OR)"
}
|
https://openoregon.pressbooks.pub/portlandpeopleandplaces/chapter/a-surprise-question/
|
A Surprise Question
Isaac loves Amy. He wants to marry her.
Isaac uses his cell phone. He sends Amy a text. The text says “Come to my parents’ house.” Amy goes to their house.
Amy sees Isaac’s brother. He tells her to sit in Isaac’s car. She laughs.
He gives her headphones. She wears them, but she feels confused.
The car moves. Amy hears music in the headphones. Isaac’s brother is making noise. She laughs again.
Amy sees her friends. She is surprised. They are singing and dancing in the street!
Amy sees Isaac’s family, too.
Then Amy sees her family on laptop computers.
Everyone is singing and dancing in the street.
Amy is smiling. She is happy. She loves music, friends and family. But why are they doing this?
Then she sees Isaac. The music stops. What is happening?
Everyone is very quiet. Then Isaac asks Amy to marry him. Amy says “Yes.”
Everyone is happy. Isaac and Amy are getting married.
Comprehension Questions
Discussion Question
Talk to a classmate. What happens in the story? Use your own words. Then watch the video below. Talk about family.
|
pressbooks
|
2025-03-22T05:09:05.131234
|
02-16-2024
|
{
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"url": "https://openoregon.pressbooks.pub/portlandpeopleandplaces/chapter/a-surprise-question/",
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"title": "Portland People and Places",
"author": "Timothy Krause",
"institution": "",
"subject": "Language readers, Portland (OR)"
}
|
https://openoregon.pressbooks.pub/portlandpeopleandplaces/chapter/an-immigrants-story/
|
An Immigrant’s Story
Simon Benson is 17 years old. He leaves Norway, and he comes to the United States. Simon is an immigrant.
Simon lives in Wisconsin. He works at a store. He also studies English. He wants to make more money.
Now Simon is 28 years old. He moves to Oregon. He buys a big forest.
Simon starts a business. It cuts trees for wood. Business is good.
Simon is very rich. He has a lot of money. He has a nice house in downtown Portland.
Many people work for Simon. Work in the forest is not easy. The workers are thirsty.
Sometimes the workers drink beer at lunch.
Simon doesn’t like beer. He says, “Drink water, not beer.”
Simon watches a parade on the Fourth of July. He sees a little girl. She is crying. She is thirsty, but she has no water.
Simon gives $10,000 to Portland. The city makes 20 drinking fountains. They are called “Benson Bubblers.”
Today there are more than 70 “Benson Bubblers” in downtown Portland. Have you seen one?
Comprehension Questions
Discussion Question
Talk with a classmate. Are you an immigrant? Where are you from? What is your story?
|
pressbooks
|
2025-03-22T05:09:05.146077
|
02-16-2024
|
{
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"url": "https://openoregon.pressbooks.pub/portlandpeopleandplaces/chapter/an-immigrants-story/",
"book_url": "https://openoregon.pressbooks.pub/portlandpeopleandplaces/front-matter/welcome/",
"title": "Portland People and Places",
"author": "Timothy Krause",
"institution": "",
"subject": "Language readers, Portland (OR)"
}
|
https://openoregon.pressbooks.pub/portlandpeopleandplaces/chapter/a-tiny-park/
|
A Tiny Park
The year is 1948. Dick works at a newspaper in Portland. He writes stories about the city.
He looks out his window every day. He sees a busy street. He wishes for a park.
One day he sees a small circle in the street. “What is that?” Dick asks his friend.
“It is a hole. It is for a new street light,” says Dick’s friend.
Dick is a writer. He likes to tell stories. Dick thinks of a better story about the hole in the street.
Dick looks at the hole again. Then his eyes grow big. He sees a little man in the hole! The little man is a leprechaun!
(A leprechaun is a small Irish fairy.)
Dick runs to the hole. He catches the lucky leprechaun.
The leprechaun gives Dick one wish. Dick wishes for a park.
The leprechaun points to the hole in the street. “Here is your park!” says the little man.
Dick pulls weeds. He plants flowers. He thinks it is the best park. “It’s a big park for little leprechauns,” Dick says. He calls it Mill Ends Park.
Dick writes many newspaper stories about the park. He says leprechauns live there. Many people read the stories in the newspaper. They all love the little park.
Mill Ends Park is the smallest park in the world.You can visit it today. It is in downtown Portland at Southwest Taylor Street.
Comprehension Questions
Discussion Question
Dick makes a wish in the story. He wants a park. What do you wish for?
Examples:
- I want a new car.
- I want good grades.
- I want to visit New York.
|
pressbooks
|
2025-03-22T05:09:05.162840
|
02-16-2024
|
{
"license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
"url": "https://openoregon.pressbooks.pub/portlandpeopleandplaces/chapter/a-tiny-park/",
"book_url": "https://openoregon.pressbooks.pub/portlandpeopleandplaces/front-matter/welcome/",
"title": "Portland People and Places",
"author": "Timothy Krause",
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"subject": "Language readers, Portland (OR)"
}
|
https://openoregon.pressbooks.pub/portlandpeopleandplaces/chapter/a-man-with-an-umbrella/
|
A Man with an Umbrella
It rains a lot in Portland. It usually rains 44 inches every year.
Some people use an umbrella.
Others do not.
One man in downtown Portland always uses an umbrella. He is the “umbrella man”!
The umbrella man is a sculpture in Pioneer Courthouse Square. The name of the sculpture is “Allow Me.” But everybody calls it the “umbrella man.”
John Seward Johnson is the artist. He made the sculpture in 1983. It is bronze. It weighs 460 pounds. It is 6 feet, 10 inches tall.
John Seward Johnson is a famous artist. His sculptures are all over the world. This one is in Sarasota, Florida. It is called “Embracing Peace.”
Sometimes people think “the umbrella man” is a real man. He looks friendly! Many people take photographs with him.
Sometimes people even dress him up!
Some people say umbrellas are only for tourists. But when it rains 44 inches a year, everybody needs an umbrella — even statues!
Comprehension Questions
Discussion Question
Talk to a classmate: Visit the artist’s website at https://sewardjohnsonatelier.org/series/ Look at more of his sculptures. Which one do you like? Why?
|
pressbooks
|
2025-03-22T05:09:05.177070
|
02-16-2024
|
{
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"url": "https://openoregon.pressbooks.pub/portlandpeopleandplaces/chapter/a-man-with-an-umbrella/",
"book_url": "https://openoregon.pressbooks.pub/portlandpeopleandplaces/front-matter/welcome/",
"title": "Portland People and Places",
"author": "Timothy Krause",
"institution": "",
"subject": "Language readers, Portland (OR)"
}
|
https://openoregon.pressbooks.pub/portlandpeopleandplaces/chapter/a-big-flood/
|
A Big Flood
There is a new city on the Columbia River. The city is between Vancouver and Portland. The name is Vanport.
Companies nearby make ships for the Second World War. The companies need more workers. The workers need houses.
So the companies build a new city for the workers in 1942. About 42,000 people live in Vanport during the war.
It is the state’s second largest city. About 40% of the people are African-American. Vanport gives jobs to the first black teachers and police in the state.
Vanport has stores, a hospital, a movie theater, and schools. There is a college to help soldiers returning from the war. Later, the college becomes Portland State University.
In 1948, there is much snow in the winter.
There is more rain in the spring.
The snow and rain send a lot of water into the Columbia River. The river becomes very high. They say the city is safe.
However, the city was built quickly. They used cheap materials.
Only a dirt wall separates the city from the river. On May 30, 1948, the dirt wall breaks.
Water from the river flows into the city.
The city is under water in less than two hours.
15 people die. Buildings are damaged or destroyed. 17,500 people have no homes now.
The city of Vanport is not built again. The land becomes part of Portland. Today, it is a racetrack and a golf course.
The city is gone. Only stories remain.
Comprehension Questions
Discussion Question
Talk with a classmate. A flood is a natural disaster. What are other kinds of natural disasters? For example: earthquake, typhoon, hurricane, tornado, wildfire, drought. What happens in your country?
|
pressbooks
|
2025-03-22T05:09:05.194491
|
02-16-2024
|
{
"license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
"url": "https://openoregon.pressbooks.pub/portlandpeopleandplaces/chapter/a-big-flood/",
"book_url": "https://openoregon.pressbooks.pub/portlandpeopleandplaces/front-matter/welcome/",
"title": "Portland People and Places",
"author": "Timothy Krause",
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"subject": "Language readers, Portland (OR)"
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|
https://openoregon.pressbooks.pub/portlandpeopleandplaces/chapter/a-city-of-bridges/
|
A City of Bridges
Portland has many nicknames. Two nicknames are “Bridge City” and “Bridgetown”. That is because 12 bridges cross the Willamette River in Portland.
The St. Johns Bridge connects North Portland and Northwest Portland. It is a suspension bridge. It is the tallest bridge in Portland.
The next bridge is the Burlington Northern Railroad Bridge. Only trains use this bridge. About 30-35 trains cross the bridge every day.
The Fremont Bridge is part of Interstate 405. It is the longest bridge in Oregon. It has two levels. Each level is called a deck. Cars on the upper deck go west; cars on the lower deck go east.
The Broadway Bridge is very old. It was built in 1913. Cars and trucks use this bridge. The Portland Streetcar uses this bridge, too. It connects the Lloyd District with downtown Portland.
The Steel Bridge opened in 1912. It has two decks. Both decks can move up and down for boats underneath. The lower deck is for bicycles, people, and long trains. The upper deck is for cars and short MAX trains.
The Burnside Bridge opened in 1926. It is made of concrete. That means it is very heavy. It opens for boats about 35 times a month. There is a skateboard park under the east side, and the Portland Saturday Market is under the west side.
The next bridge is the Morrison Bridge. It is a very busy bridge. It was built in 1958, but there were other bridges here before this one. There are special lights at night with different colors and patterns.
The Hawthorne Bridge is the oldest highway bridge in Portland. It was built in 1910. Every day 8,000 people ride bicycles across this bridge. 800 buses use this bridge, too, with 17,400 people.
The Marquam Bridge is part of Interstate 5. It is the busiest bridge in the state. More than 140,000 vehicles cross the bridge every day. It has two decks. Many people do not like this bridge. They think it is not very pretty.
Tilikum Crossing opened in 2015. “Tilikum” comes from the Native American word for “people”. So it is sometimes called the “Bridge of the People.” That’s because no cars or trucks can use this bridge. It is for people who walk or ride a bike. The busses, the Portland Streetcar, and the MAX Orange Line also use this bridge.
The Ross Island Bridge opened in 1926. It is also Highway 26. The name “Ross Island Bridge” comes from an island in the river. This bridge does not open for boats.
Sellwood Bridge is the last bridge in Portland. It was built in 1925, but the government replaced that bridge in 2016. Engineers made the bridge safer in an earthquake.
Comprehension Questions
Discussion Questions
Talk to your classmate. Portland has many nicknames:
- Bridgetown
- Bridge City
- City of Roses
- P-Town
- Stumptown
- Rip City
- Beervana
- PDX
- Puddletown
Why do people use these nicknames?
Do you have a nickname? What is it? Why do people call you by that name?
|
pressbooks
|
2025-03-22T05:09:05.213029
|
02-16-2024
|
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"url": "https://openoregon.pressbooks.pub/portlandpeopleandplaces/chapter/a-city-of-bridges/",
"book_url": "https://openoregon.pressbooks.pub/portlandpeopleandplaces/front-matter/welcome/",
"title": "Portland People and Places",
"author": "Timothy Krause",
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"subject": "Language readers, Portland (OR)"
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|
https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/teachingportfolioguide/chapter/what-is-the-teaching-portfolio/
|
1 What is the Teaching Portfolio?
At McMaster University, the teaching portfolio serves not only as an opportunity to engage in reflection, but also as a platform to accentuate one’s contributions to teaching and learning. It fulfils a critical need in the Tenure, Permanence, and Promotion processes at the university by allowing educators to craft a narrative that demonstrates their teaching philosophy, professional development, and impact on their students. With respect to its practical components, according to Sheakley (2022), a teaching portfolio is a “collection of documents illustrating the excellence (quantity and quality) and engagement (scholarly work and scholarship) of an educator’s teaching activities. It goes beyond the teaching activity section of a curriculum vitae (CV), documenting activities across all domains of educator activities, from teaching to curriculum development, learner assessment, advising and mentoring, and leadership and administration.”
Creating an authentic, growth-oriented, scholarly, and compelling portfolio entails a sequence of deliberate steps, including reflection, collection, expression, selection, and connection, underscoring its significance as a dynamic and evolving testament to an educator’s professional journey.
|
pressbooks
|
2025-03-22T05:09:05.223368
|
02-20-2025
|
{
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"url": "https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/teachingportfolioguide/chapter/what-is-the-teaching-portfolio/",
"book_url": "https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/teachingportfolioguide/part/introduction-to-teaching-portfolios/",
"title": "Preparing a Teaching Portfolio Guidebook",
"author": "Paul R MacPherson Institute for Leadership, Innovation, Excellence in Teaching",
"institution": "McMaster University",
"subject": "Higher education, tertiary education, Education, Educational systems and structures, Educational strategies and policy, Educational administration and organization, Teaching staff"
}
|
https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/teachingportfolioguide/chapter/benefits-of-a-teaching-portfolio-2/
|
2 Benefits of a Teaching Portfolio
As noted previously, a teaching portfolio presents a compelling case for faculty members seeking advancement. Beyond fulfilling this critical need, key benefits include:
- The Creation of a Comprehensive Record of Achievements: Highlighting an educator’s skills, knowledge, and expertise.
- Self-Reflection and Refinement: Enabling educators to document, reflect on, and refine their teaching practices.
- Educator Empowerment: Allowing educators to craft their narrative and celebrate their achievements.
- Engagement in Professional Development: Inspiring educators to explore and reflect on trying new techniques, attending instructional development programs, engaging in peer consultation, and implementing formative evaluation tools.
- Pedagogical Discussion: Encouraging dialogue on teaching and fostering a collaborative environment for sharing best practices amongst colleagues.
- Promotion of Evidence-Based Improvement: Supporting continuous professional growth by motivating the development and presentation of evidence of teaching quality.
- Advancement of Teaching Scholarship: Promoting engagement in pedagogical research and fosters a more public and professional view of teaching as a scholarly endeavour.
- Recognition of Teaching: Promoting a culture that values and rewards effective instruction.
Ultimately, portfolios drive continuous improvement, and enable the enhancement of teaching.
|
pressbooks
|
2025-03-22T05:09:05.233778
|
02-20-2025
|
{
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"url": "https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/teachingportfolioguide/chapter/benefits-of-a-teaching-portfolio-2/",
"book_url": "https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/teachingportfolioguide/part/introduction-to-teaching-portfolios/",
"title": "Preparing a Teaching Portfolio Guidebook",
"author": "Paul R MacPherson Institute for Leadership, Innovation, Excellence in Teaching",
"institution": "McMaster University",
"subject": "Higher education, tertiary education, Education, Educational systems and structures, Educational strategies and policy, Educational administration and organization, Teaching staff"
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|
https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/teachingportfolioguide/chapter/benefits-of-a-teaching-portfolio/
|
3 McMaster’s Teaching Evaluation Policy Framework
At McMaster University, the policy document Supplementary Policy Statement (SPS) B1: Procedures for the Assessment of Teaching sets forth detailed guidelines on the assessment of teaching, emphasizing the significant role of teaching portfolios. The document highlights several key areas relevant to the portfolio process:
- Clarifying what is entailed in the assessment of teaching: The teaching portfolio is essential for academic progression, including promotions, tenure, and merit-based salary increases.
- Requiring peer and student feedback: Incorporating assessments from peers and feedback from students offers a comprehensive evaluation, fostering ongoing improvement and alignment with educational objectives.
- Encouraging multifaceted departmental evaluation: The teaching portfolio facilitates annual reviews and departmental evaluations crucial for reappointment, tenure, promotion, and permanency decisions.
Importantly, SPS B2: Teaching Portfolios, outlines the specific structural requirements of teaching portfolios at the University. More details about SPS B2 can be found in Chapter IV: Fulfilling McMaster’s SPS B2 Requirements.
|
pressbooks
|
2025-03-22T05:09:05.246585
|
02-20-2025
|
{
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"url": "https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/teachingportfolioguide/chapter/benefits-of-a-teaching-portfolio/",
"book_url": "https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/teachingportfolioguide/part/introduction-to-teaching-portfolios/",
"title": "Preparing a Teaching Portfolio Guidebook",
"author": "Paul R MacPherson Institute for Leadership, Innovation, Excellence in Teaching",
"institution": "McMaster University",
"subject": "Higher education, tertiary education, Education, Educational systems and structures, Educational strategies and policy, Educational administration and organization, Teaching staff"
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|
https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/teachingportfolioguide/chapter/navigating-this-guidebook/
|
4 Navigating this Guidebook
This Guidebook is designed to support you through creating or refining your teaching portfolio. Chapter II recommends a process for accomplishing this important work. The subsequent chapters dive into specific elements of the process that necessitate further exploration: the narrative process to writing your portfolio (Chapter III), aligning your portfolio with the requirements stated in SPS B2 (Chapter IV), and curating evidence for your teaching portfolio (Chapter V). Chapter VI suggests a peer feedback process to help you refine your portfolio and links you to various policies and resources. Finally, Chapter VII presents suggestions geared towards Chairs, peers, and additional folks who are in the position of reviewing a teaching portfolio.
This Guidebook also links to a Word document template of a teaching portfolio organized according to SPS B2 requirements. This has been created so that you may focus on writing rather than formatting. You can find this template in the Available to Download: McMaster Teaching Portfolio Template section.
To navigate from page to page within this Pressbook, please look for “Next: chapter/section name” within the footer at the very bottom of your browser window or use the “Contents” drop-down menu towards the top left of this Pressbook.
Best of luck as you engage in your process of creating your portfolio for the first time, refining an existing portfolio, or reviewing the portfolio of a colleague, direct report, or job applicant.
|
pressbooks
|
2025-03-22T05:09:05.261288
|
02-20-2025
|
{
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"url": "https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/teachingportfolioguide/chapter/navigating-this-guidebook/",
"book_url": "https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/teachingportfolioguide/part/introduction-to-teaching-portfolios/",
"title": "Preparing a Teaching Portfolio Guidebook",
"author": "Paul R MacPherson Institute for Leadership, Innovation, Excellence in Teaching",
"institution": "McMaster University",
"subject": "Higher education, tertiary education, Education, Educational systems and structures, Educational strategies and policy, Educational administration and organization, Teaching staff"
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|
https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/teachingportfolioguide/chapter/the-process/
|
5 Step-by-Step Portfolio Creation
Figure 1 outlines a cyclical process for approaching the creation or revision of a teaching portfolio. Next, each step is expanded upon.
Step 1. Consider your context
Start your portfolio process by considering the purpose and audience for your portfolio. Contemplate how you contribute to McMaster’s long-standing culture of teaching excellence and where you situate yourself in relation to some of the University’s strategic priorities related to teaching and learning. Review McMaster’s mission, vision, and strategy articulated by the Offices of the Provost and the President of McMaster. Check your Faculty and/or departmental website for more localized or discipline-specific information on academic goals and teaching values. Reach out to colleagues and your Chair to share your perspectives on your local teaching and learning culture (and your contributions to it) and to get their insights.
As needed, revisit institutional guides as they may prove helpful to you in identifying your strengths as an educator, or shaping goals you have for your future teaching. At this stage, it is also wise to ensure you are familiar with McMaster policy related to the evaluation of teaching. Chapter VI: Refining Your Portfolio: Feedback, Resources, and Policy provides links to a collection of McMaster University resources, guides, and policy documents to help you with this review and reflection on your strengths.
Regardless of whether your position is a Contractually Limited Appointment (CLA), tenure-track, or teaching-track, familiarizing yourself with institutional priorities and recommended practices, as well as disciplinary and department norms, can help provide important context when crafting a compelling narrative for your teaching portfolio.
Step 2. Collect supporting evidence
Begin collecting evidence of your teaching effectiveness. The goal at this stage is to compile all the evidence you have access to, which will prompt you to consider your accomplishments and what you may wish to highlight in your portfolio. Later on, you will narrow down this collection into a meaningful subset of evidence for inclusion in your teaching portfolio.
Your collection of evidence may include references from former students and colleagues, mid-semester feedback solicited to improve teaching and learning, invited peer reviews of your teaching, and more. You may choose to create a folder (physical and/or digital) to place your evidence into, or alternatively you may opt to make a list of where to find each item of evidence for future reference.
Once you have such a comprehensive file or list, exemplary items that best demonstrate your accomplishments and multifaceted skillset as an educator can be easily pulled for inclusion in your portfolio later in the process, once you have determined what values, skills, or accomplishments you most want to convey.
If you are beginning the work of collecting this evidence now or eager to diversify the types of evidence you have to show, you may wish to look ahead to Chapter V: Selecting Evidence for your Portfolio for ideas. Time permitting, this may help you plan ahead to have collected specific types of evidence for your portfolio. For additional ideas, check out Chapter VII: Teaching Portfolio Assessment (for Chairs, Peers, and Reviewers), which features a table with types of evidence organized into categories that reviewers may expect to see in a portfolio.
Step 3. Craft your narrative
A portfolio “is not only a compilation of teaching-related material. It states a case for the approach you take to teaching” (Knapper & Wilcox, 2007, p. 5). With that in mind, once you have completed steps one and two, turn your efforts to writing your Description of Teaching Philosophy. Articulating what you believe about teaching and learning early in the process is critical. This piece becomes the thesis, creating an authentic and meaningful narrative for the presentation of evidence throughout the rest of the portfolio (Schönwetter et al., 2002).
Next, describe what you actually do to realize your beliefs in your Description of Teaching Practice. Here, you can reflect upon the impacts your specific teaching approaches have had on your students’ learning and your development as an educator.
Once your philosophy statement and description of practice are well in hand, continue with the next sections of your core portfolio (i.e., Part A: Executive Summary). Meanwhile, make note of which evidence collected in Step 2 should be included in Part B: Supporting Documentation to best support these claims. Together, Parts A and B convey a convincing narrative about your effectiveness as an educator. Further details on the requirements of a SPS B2-compliant teaching portfolio can be found in Chapter IV: Fulfilling McMaster’s SPS B2 Requirements.
Step 4. Review and revise
Once you have finished writing, review your portfolio for clarity, internal alignment, and persuasiveness. As you read, consider whether your portfolio presents an accurate and honest portrait of your approach to teaching (Knapper & Wilcox, 2007). You might also consider asking a colleague or an educational developer to read the document and offer feedback. Chapter VI: Refining Your Portfolio: Feedback, Resources, and Policy and provides suggestions around soliciting peer feedback on your teaching portfolio.
Step 5. Update annually
A teaching portfolio is a living document that provides maximum benefit when regularly revisited, fostering ongoing reflection on your growth as an educator. Consider updating your portfolio annually with new examples of your development in advance of your annual review with your Department Chair. Aligning these updates with the completion of your annual Record of Activities (RoA) can be efficient, allowing you to expand on the accomplishments listed in the teaching section of your RoA.
Updating your teaching portfolio regularly will not only enrich your conversation with your Chair but can inform a comprehensive Teaching Evaluation Report. This report, typically written by your Department Chair, is included in your dossier for tenure, promotion, or permanence processes. Additionally, ongoing conversations about your teaching with your Chair can also prove valuable when you seek reference letters for teaching award applications or hiring processes.
|
pressbooks
|
2025-03-22T05:09:05.274820
|
02-20-2025
|
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"url": "https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/teachingportfolioguide/chapter/the-process/",
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"author": "Paul R MacPherson Institute for Leadership, Innovation, Excellence in Teaching",
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|
https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/teachingportfolioguide/chapter/modifying-the-process-when-revising-an-existing-portfolio/
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6 Updating an Existing Portfolio
For those revisiting their portfolio rather than creating it for the first time, this process still holds. Instead of starting from the beginning, however, your process may resemble a guided reflection that results in a few meaningful updates to your portfolio based on recent developments in your journey as an educator. Consider the following questions as you update your portfolio, which are aligned with the process outlined in the previous section:
- What has changed about my context? Are new strategic directions or initiatives at play? How have I enacted or contributed to them?
- What types of teaching have I engaged in over the past year? Did I try anything new?
- Have I had any meaningful insights about teaching and learning in the past year? Have my beliefs shifted? Is this best represented in a revised teaching philosophy, or as a written reflection for Part B?
- What types of evidence do I have access to? What types of evidence would best demonstrate my recent contributions and impact?
- If I add new evidence to Part B of my portfolio, does that make other evidence redundant?
Next, Chapter III explores how to create a compelling narrative about yourself as an educator.
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7 Why Narrative?
Narrative is a way to blend your teaching experiences, achievements, and beliefs into a cohesive and compelling story. By investing time and effort into crafting a compelling narrative, you can elevate your portfolio from a mere collection of documents to a powerful tool for professional advancement and growth. Benefits of narrative for both you and your portfolio’s reviewers are articulated in the table below.
| Benefits for the Author | Benefits for the Reviewer(s) |
|---|---|
| Narrative is a writing strategy to construct a personal argument (with a range of evidence) about your teaching. | Reading a personalized narrative is more engaging than a list of accomplishments or records alone. |
| Narrative can weave together anecdotes, reflections, and insights with evaluations and numbers. | Narrative facilitates comprehensive understanding of your teaching journey, such as motivations, challenges, and successes. |
| Narrative enhances your teaching practice by fostering self-awareness and reflection. | Narrative communicates your experiences, challenges, and growth areas that make your teaching unique. |
Consider narrative as the cohesive backbone to your teaching portfolio. Each narrative element serves a specific purpose and contributes to strengthening your overall story. Importantly, these components should align, creating a comprehensive, persuasive, and insightful overview of your teaching for a range of audiences (committees, colleagues, and other readers).
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8 Taking an Aligned and Reflective Approach
Alignment refers to how various elements within your portfolio create a unified, consistent, and coherent presentation. Organize your teaching portfolio around a central theme or set of beliefs or values that you can make explicit in your teaching philosophy statement and then reinforce within the other sections of your portfolio.
Alignment also enables you to tailor your portfolio to specific audiences and contexts. By articulating your core values, you can align your teaching with McMaster’s longstanding culture of teaching excellence, as well as where you situate yourself in relation to some of the University’s strategic priorities. Learning about the teaching culture in your Faculty and department can also help you demonstrate familiarity with the specific context in which you teach.
Identifying the core values of your teaching requires reflection, which refers to an ongoing process of thoughtful and critical examination of one’s teaching practice, experiences, and outcomes. It goes beyond merely describing what happened in the classroom; instead, reflection delves into the why and how of teaching, exploring the underlying beliefs, values, and assumptions that inform pedagogical decisions and interactions with students. This reflective process not only enriches your portfolio but also enhances your teaching effectiveness and professional competency over time.
| Questions to Consider: Identifying Your Teaching Values and Beliefs | ||
|---|---|---|
| By reflecting on these questions and then reviewing your answers, you will likely be able to identify several beliefs you hold about teaching and learning. | ||
| What do you believe about students and how students learn? | What do you believe to be your primary responsibilities as an educator? | What is a critical incident – positive or negative – that shaped your development as an educator? |
| What does excellent teaching look like? | When are you particularly satisfied with your teaching? Think of a specific occasion and identify why you view it positively. | What do you do, in class or outside of it, to create conditions that optimize student learning and growth? How does this change with different groups and settings? |
| How do you know you are an effective teacher? Consider methods of self-assessment. | Do you engage with scholarly literature on teaching and learning? If so, how does this inform your teaching practice? | How do you support the integration of international students, disabled students, and students from other equity-seeking groups? |
| How do you support student health and wellbeing? | How do you approach working with a teaching team, including co-instructors or teaching assistants? | Do you participate in professional development opportunities related to your teaching practice? |
This process of reflection should:
| 1. Be honest, introspective, and critical, acknowledging both successes and areas for improvement. | 2. Inform the rationale behind each evidence that you choose to include in your teaching portfolio. | 3. Offer a way to describe your future teaching goals based on your experiences and values. |
Once you have chosen your central values or beliefs to orient your teaching portfolio, you can begin to write the descriptive sections of your portfolio and make a purposeful selection of evidence. Remember – your reflection helps to align these components. Further recommendations on tackling these various sections of your portfolio are articulated in the Start with your Teaching Philosophy section, as well as in Chapter IV: Fulfilling McMaster’s SPS B2 Requirements and Chapter V: Selecting Evidence for your Portfolio.
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https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/teachingportfolioguide/chapter/compelling-features-of-a-narrative-portfolio/
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9 Compelling Features of a Narrative Portfolio
Considering alignment and reflection, you can structure your teaching portfolio in a way that tells a coherent story of your teaching journey. Ensure that your narrative flows smoothly throughout the portfolio, with each section building upon the previous one. Approach your portfolio with a focus on conveying meaning, impact, and growth.
Meaning and Authenticity
Underscoring the meaning and purpose behind your teaching practice adds depth and authenticity to your portfolio. By articulating the underlying beliefs, values, and motivations that drive your teaching philosophy and approach, you convey a sense of purpose and passion for teaching. Sharing personal anecdotes, experiences, and transformative moments in your teaching journey helps humanize your portfolio and establish a genuine connection with your audience.
Impact
Emphasizing the impact of your teaching on student learning outcomes is crucial for demonstrating your effectiveness as an educator. Your portfolio should place a strong emphasis on student learning and engagement. Narrate how your teaching strategies, instructional methods, and classroom environment have influenced student motivation, participation, and achievement. This scholarly approach should draw on evidence and reflect upon the learning impacts, showcasing how your practices have fostered student growth and success.
Growth
Emphasizing growth in your teaching portfolio demonstrates your commitment to continuous improvement and lifelong learning as an educator. Share how your teaching practice has evolved over time, the lessons learned from successes and failures, and your areas for continued growth, as well as how you plan to integrate new ideas, approaches, and technologies.
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https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/teachingportfolioguide/chapter/centering-narrative-in-your-teaching-philosophy/
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10 Centring Narrative in your Teaching Philosophy
Having reflected on your teaching practice and considered what you may wish to convey about yourself as an educator throughout your portfolio, you are well equipped to begin writing (or revising) your teaching philosophy. Approximately one page in length, the teaching philosophy fits with all aspects of a narrative approach: it provides an opportunity to communicate your values, beliefs, and approaches to teaching and learning; it is an impactful place to demonstrate institutional fit with your department, Faculty, and McMaster as a whole; and the core messages stated in the philosophy should align with what is conveyed throughout the rest of your portfolio.
Strong teaching philosophies often share several key characteristics that effectively communicate one’s approach to teaching and learning. In general, an effective teaching philosophy includes the following traits:
- An authentic and personal tone: Writing a teaching philosophy is an opportunity for you to convey elements of your personality so that readers can gain a sense of who you are and why you hold particular beliefs and values. Using first person language (e.g., “I” and “my”) and sharing brief stories or anecdotes can differentiate you from others and help contextualize the information in the rest of your portfolio.
- Reference to evidence: Your teaching philosophy is primarily about your beliefs and values as they relate to teaching and learning, but it also primes the reader to interpret evidence of teaching effectiveness elsewhere in the portfolio. You may wish to directly connect a belief or value to a specific example of application in the philosophy itself, or you may wish to refer the reader to another section of the portfolio that describes it in more detail.
- A developmental focus: While it may be tempting to present yourself in the best possible light, your teaching philosophy can be an opportunity to demonstrate how you continue to learn and improve your teaching practice. Acknowledging past or current challenges and how they shaped your beliefs or approaches to teaching signals an impressive commitment to continual professional development. Identifying your goals for future teaching demonstrates this commitment as well.
- Clear organization and concise language: Like the rest of your portfolio, your teaching philosophy should be presented in a way that reduces the amount of interpretation the reader must do to understand your points. A teaching philosophy should have a clear structure (e.g., each paragraph should address a discrete value or belief). You may wish to seek out other teaching philosophy statements to get a feel for a format that speaks to you.
It is also important to remember that there are various forms of teaching. McMaster University considers mentorship and graduate student supervision as teaching. In your philosophy statement, as well as in other sections of your teaching portfolio, you may wish to speak to these aspects of your teaching practice.
The next chapter reviews the components of a McMaster teaching portfolio outlined in SPS B2.
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https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/teachingportfolioguide/chapter/available-to-download-mcmaster-teaching-portfolio-template/
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11 Available to Download: McMaster Teaching Portfolio Template
Linked below, you can access templates of a McMaster teaching portfolio in Microsoft Word or LaTeX file formats. Each template includes appropriate section headings for an SPS B2-aligned portfolio as well as recommended formatting conventions, such as a title page and table of contents.
To download a Microsoft Word teaching portfolio template, please click here.
To download a LaTeX teaching portfolio template, please click here.
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12 Part A.i. – Executive Summary
The Executive Summary can be considered the core of your McMaster teaching portfolio. As described in SPS B2, Part A – Executive Summary is broken down into five parts. Throughout your Executive Summary, aim for alignment and consistency in the message you convey about your beliefs about teaching, your methods and approaches, the impact of your teaching practice, and your goals.
Description of Teaching Responsibilities and Experiences (Part A.i.)
SPS B2 description: “description of responsibilities and mechanism of evaluation drawn from the appointment letter, or updates thereto (maximum one page)”
- In this section, provide a copy of the section of your appointment letter that outlines how you are expected to divide your time (e.g., 80% teaching, 20% service). If there have been any formal updates to your appointment letter, include those as well.
- Format: typically, Part A.i is less than one page in length.
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https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/teachingportfolioguide/chapter/part-a-ii-executive-summary/
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13 Part A.ii. – Executive Summary
Description of Teaching Philosophy (Part A.ii.)
SPS B2 description: “description of teaching approach /philosophy (about one page)”
- As noted in Chapter III: Writing a Compelling Portfolio, the teaching philosophy statement is the foundation on which you will build the rest of your portfolio.
- Your philosophy statement should outline your beliefs about teaching and learning in an honest and authentic way. Brief, high-level examples of practice that illustrate your beliefs are appropriate for this statement as well.
- Format: written in the first person, approximately one page in length.
- For more direction on writing a Teaching Philosophy statement, please refer back to Chapter III: Writing a Compelling Portfolio.
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14 Part A.iii – Executive Summary
Description of Teaching Practice (Part A.iii.)
SPS B2 description: “description of teaching practice, including examples of how the approach/philosophy has been realized, or how teaching has been adapted to unusual conditions (one to two pages)”
- Here, you should provide examples of how your teaching philosophy is realized in your day-to-day teaching practice. To represent what it is that you do, you might choose to highlight:
- Examples demonstrating your key teaching approaches with explanations for why you teach in those ways.
- Examples of how you have adapted your teaching in different situations.
- Descriptions of your assessment strategies and their alignment with your goals and teaching methods.
- Explanations of how you encourage learning outside of the classroom.
- Connections between your teaching and mentoring approaches to McMaster priorities and/or disciplinary best practices.
- Examples of risks you took or new methods you tried, even if they did not go as well as you may have hoped. Describing such a scenario, how you responded to it, and what you learned from it demonstrates the strength of your reflective practice and commitment to continuous improvement.
- The level of detail expected in this section is more extensive than the brief, high-level examples you noted in your teaching philosophy statement. Here you should aim to describe a few specific examples of your teaching in detail.
- For each example you provide, aim to explain what you did, how it aligns to your philosophy, the impact of your approach, and what you learned.
- Tip: a common pitfall observed in teaching portfolios is that the author neglects to describe the impact of their teaching practices. Make sure you highlight these important details as they play a key role in convincing reviewers of your effectiveness as an educator!
- Format: usually about one page, but no more than two pages in length.
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15 Part A.iv – Executive Summary
Contributions to Teaching (Part A.iv.)
SPS B2 description: “description of contributions to teaching, for example, course design, publications and research on teaching and learning, presentations on teaching and learning, professional development, educational leadership, reports on issues pertaining to teaching and learning (about one page)”
- The Contributions to Teaching section where you can highlight your impact on teaching and learning beyond your usual classroom or virtual teaching.
- Like the Description of Practice section, Contributions to Teaching should not resemble a CV. This section is intended to be a more in-depth, descriptive summary of a few of your most significant experiences shaping teaching and learning.
- Keep in mind that you are not expected to provide an example for each type of contribution listed in SPS B2. Below is a comprehensive list of possible contributions you may be able to speak to, but do not worry if you have examples for only a couple of the following types:
- Describe your curriculum development projects and innovations. This may include:
- Innovative or novel course design.
- Noteworthy or innovative course materials, assessments, handbooks, study guides, or learning products.
- Contributions to design initiatives at the course or program level.
- Detail your involvement in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL):
- Published articles and research you conducted related to teaching and learning.
- Presentations you have given at teaching and learning conferences.
- Grants you have obtained for teaching-related activities or research.
- Elaborate on your service related to teaching:
- Involvement in curriculum or teaching committees.
- Participation in program reviews (e.g., IQAP, accreditation).
- Service as a referee for teaching awards.
- Describe the educational leadership you have demonstrated within your department, faculty, or institution:
- Service as a teaching mentor for faculty, graduate students, and teaching assistants.
- Facilitation of workshops and events on teaching and learning.
- Coordination of a series, conference, or other event related to teaching and learning.
- Integration of key McMaster values into your teaching, such as community engagement, student wellness, and supporting international students.
- Tip: Avoid discussing your growth in the Contributions to Teaching section; instead, speak to the growth you have fostered in others’ teaching and learning. If you wish to document your engagement in teaching-related professional development somewhere in your teaching portfolio, create an Appendix in Part B – Supporting Documentation and write a brief invitation to the reviewer here to refer to that information.
- Format: one page summary of your contributions with references to the specific pieces of evidence in Part B – Supporting Documentation (i.e., your appendices).
- Describe your curriculum development projects and innovations. This may include:
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16 Part A.v. – Executive Summary
Evidence of Teaching Effectiveness (Part A.v.)
SPS B2 description: “complete details of responses to the summative question in the student feedback on all courses taught over the past five years. The information should be set in the context of all the teaching done in the department. It is the responsibility of the Department Chair to provide all instructors with contextual data for all the courses given in each term.”
- Provide, regarding the last 5 years (if possible):
- Course title, course code, term, # enrolled students, # responses to course evaluation, mean score, standard deviation, median.
- Department contextual data, such as means of summative question scores for all courses in the department.
- Format: display these statistics in summary tables.
- Although you will receive numerical data from your department, it is recommended that you supplement this with a reflection explaining its significance to you and your teaching.
- Ultimately, you may opt to touch base with your Chair to discuss how they wish to see the data represented and contextualized in this section.
- Note that SPS B2 disallows students’ comments obtained via end-of-term course surveys from being included in Part A of your teaching portfolio. However, including the student voice is possible in other ways, such as including letters from past students in Part B.
- Keep in mind that McMaster’s SPS B1 Procedures for the Assessment of Teaching requires your Chair to obtain and consider other forms of evidence, as the University recognizes that numbers alone are not sufficient evidence of effective teaching. Additionally, providing your own contextualization of the numbers will give reviewers better insight than the numbers alone.
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17 Part B – Supporting Documentation
SPS B2 description: “is optional and may contain additional material compiled by the faculty member in support of Part A”
Although SPS B2 offers a choice regarding the inclusion of Part B in your teaching portfolio, it is advisable to include it. Completing your teaching portfolio without any supporting documentation would be analogous to submitting an academic manuscript to a journal without any data or evidence to back up its claims.
A common way to format Part B of your teaching portfolio is to treat it as a series of appendices, with each piece of evidence constituting a different appendix. What you append to Part B of your teaching portfolio is up to you, and should be informed by what is discussed in Part A.
Together, Parts A and B make up a McMaster teaching portfolio. In the next chapter, advice is offered on selecting evidence for Part B of your teaching portfolio.
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18 Collecting Evidence
As noted in Chapter II: The Portfolio Process, it can be helpful to have collected all the evidence you have access to early on in your portfolio process. Then, when you get to this stage, curating examples that best demonstrate your narrative and accomplishments as an educator can be easily accomplished.
Below is a comprehensive list of types of evidence that may be appropriate for your teaching portfolio, keeping in mind that selecting meaningful evidence is a better approach than including all the evidence you have available to you.
Course and curriculum development
- Course materials, such as course outlines, discussion/debate guidelines, assessments, or evaluation frameworks. Ideally, select materials from the same course so that alignment in your course design can be seen.
- Sample student work, such as authentic assessments, papers, essays, lab books, workbooks, publications, presentations, or other creative work. Ensure you have students’ permission to share their work.
- Written feedback on student work (e.g., feedback on successive drafts of student writing).
- Examples of contributions to interdisciplinary or collaborative courses or programs, including curriculum maps, reflections on the interdisciplinary process, or letters from collaborators.
- Work samples from a curriculum revision or development initiative, including revised course descriptions, course-level learning outcomes, and program-level learning outcomes.
Student feedback
- Letters from former students: Given that anonymous student comments cannot be included in Part A – Executive Summary or the Departmental Teaching Evaluation Report of the overall dossier (as per SPS B2), you may wish to represent the student voice by soliciting reference letters from former students.
- Indicators of student learning, such as samples of work before and after the introduction of a teaching strategy (with student permission).
- A concise reflection addressing outlier ratings in end-of-term student course experience surveys, if applicable.
Letters of support
- Letters can be from your Chair, Dean, colleagues, or former students (note that letters from current students are not permitted).
- Consider inviting peer review from a colleague if this is not already facilitated within your department.
- Feedback from educational developers who have observed your teaching – make sure these are done consistent with department policy/norms.
Self-directed professional development
- An Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, Accessibility, and Decolonization (EDIAD) statement.
- List or reflection on professional development activities completed, such as workshops, courses, and certifications.
- Copies of teaching certificates earned.
- Reflection or feedback on use of new methods of teaching, assessing, facilitating, or grading.
- Evidence of using innovative technologies or digital pedagogies, including course material samples or reflections on implementation and impact.
- Work samples from seminars or facilitated workshops related to teaching and learning.
- Excerpt from a textbook, Open Educational Resource, or e-learning materials developed for a course.
- Evidence of mentoring other educators, graduate students, or teaching assistants, including letters or correspondence, feedback provided, or a reflection on your coaching approach.
Contributions to institution or profession
- Letters of thanks or a written reflection on your participation in regional, provincial, national, or international initiatives/events related to teaching and learning.
- Scholarly publications related to teaching and learning.
- Work samples from coordinating student internships, placements, or community engagement programs.
- Evidence of forging partnerships with other higher educational institutions, organizations, or communities that aim to enhance teaching and learning experiences.
Honours or recognitions
- Teaching awards from a department, Faculty, school, university, or professional organization.
- Invitations received to consult, give workshops, and write articles.
- Invitations to contribute to or advise external committees or other organized groups.
If you’re interested in exploring additional types of evidence, refer to the Evidence to Look for in a Teaching Portfolio section in Chapter VII: Teaching Portfolio Assessment (For Chairs, Peers, and Reviewers). This section includes a table of suggested evidence types, adapted from the Career Framework for University Teaching, to guide reviewers on what they might expect to see in a teaching portfolio.
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19 Approach to Selecting Evidence
As you select items to append to your portfolio, choose materials that are representative of the work you have done. Draw from diverse sources, including yourself, colleagues, and students, so that a variety of voices are represented. Make sure that you include multiple samples of the same type (e.g., course outlines, assessment plans, rubrics) only in cases where they showcase different aspects of your teaching. For example, you may wish to show how your approach differs between organizing a field course and a lecture-based course, or how your assessment methods vary for courses with different levels and learning outcomes. Finally, as noted previously, ensure that each piece of evidence supports the claims made in Part A of your portfolio. By thoughtfully curating these items, your portfolio will reflect your unique teaching philosophy and reinforce your strengths as an educator.
The next chapter connects you with various materials and processes to help refine or enhance your portfolio. It suggests a peer review process for obtaining informal feedback on your teaching portfolio before finalizing it. Additionally, it provides links to McMaster policies relevant to teaching portfolios and recommends various supports, services, and resources to help identify your teaching strengths and priorities.
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https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/teachingportfolioguide/chapter/peer-feedback-process/
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20 Peer Feedback Process
As you finish drafting your teaching portfolio, you may want to invite feedback from a trusted colleague to ensure it strikes the right tone, aligns with departmental or disciplinary norms, and presents your accomplishments effectively. Peer feedback can help shed light on these questions, foster a community of collaboration, and facilitate sharing of resources and previous experiences between educators.
Step 1. Arrange the process
It is beneficial if your reviewer is familiar with the context in which you teach. Consider inviting a peer reviewer from the same or a similar department. If you choose a reviewer who is less familiar with your teaching environment, provide them with materials such as your job description, policies, or strategy documents to help them understand the context.
Reach out to your prospective peer reviewer well in advance, giving them ample time to evaluate their capacity to participate in the process. Suggest meeting before the feedback process begins to discuss any initial questions and pinpoint areas of focus for the review. You may also suggest meeting again after the review to discuss their feedback.
Step 2. Determine the framework
Make clear to your reviewer whether you are seeking open-ended feedback on any aspect of your portfolio, focused feedback on specific elements, or comprehensive feedback guided by a rubric. Discuss your goals for your portfolio and your teaching more broadly.
If you are interested in the latter option, you may choose to utilize an existing rubric. For example, McMaster’s Teaching Portfolio Feedback Form, developed by the MacPherson Institute and adapted from the UBC Teaching Dossier Self-Assessment Tool, is designed to align with SPS B2 requirements and best practices for teaching portfolios. The form groups feedback into 3 sections: organization, content, and alignment. You can download an editable copy of the Teaching Portfolio Feedback Form by clicking on the link provided above.
Alternative approaches to teaching portfolio feedback can be found in the Approaching Individual Portfolio Evaluations section of Chapter VII: Teaching Portfolio Assessment (for Chairs, Peers, and Reviewers).
Step 3. Debrief and revise
After your peer reviewer has evaluated your portfolio, you can debrief either through a synchronous discussion or by asynchronously sharing feedback. Consider addressing the following points during the debrief:
- What aspects did your peer think were done well overall?
- What recommendations does your peer have for next steps you might prioritize in your portfolio or your teaching?
Remember that peer-review is not a perfect process. Even if you do not agree with each comment made by your peer reviewer, thank them for their detailed assessment. Identify which pieces of feedback are useful for the enhancement of your teaching portfolio and revise accordingly. As needed, the MacPherson Institute can support you in reflecting on, structuring, and applying the feedback to your revised portfolio.
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21 MacPherson Institute Supports and Resources
The MacPherson Institute supports listed below may assist you in enhancing your teaching portfolio or your teaching more broadly. All information in this section can be sourced from the MacPherson Institute’s website, https://mi.mcmaster.ca/.
General Contact
Reach out to your Faculty’s Key Contact to book a meeting if you would like to have a consultation about your teaching portfolio or would like to learn more about MI supports and services: https://mi.mcmaster.ca/whoweworkwith/instructors-faculty-and-staff/.
Alternatively, you can find the MacPherson Institute’s support request form on our website: https://mi.mcmaster.ca/.
Asynchronous Supports and Services
Learning Catalogue
The Learning Catalogue features go-at-your-own pace workshops on a variety of topics related to teaching and learning. This includes a workshop specific to teaching portfolios.
New Faculty Programming and the New Instructor Handbook
The New Faculty Programming section of MI’s website and the New Instructor Handbook provide valuable information about McMaster’s teaching and learning context, policies, resources, and supports and services available, as you fulfill your role as a faculty member.
Teaching Development Planning Tool
This tool lists MacPherson Institute resources that align with different aspects of teaching and learning. Options are presented within each stream at each level of experience, with an indication of the time commitment and frequency of each offering.
Synchronous or Blended Supports and Services
Teaching Refinements and Observations
The MacPherson Institute can help you obtain anonymous, productive feedback from your students or provide you with our suggestions:
- During a teaching refinement, an educational developer works with you to identify questions you would like feedback on, collects data from your students on your behalf, and shares the results with you. Unlike end-of-term course experience surveys, this process allows educators to respond to student feedback while the course is still in progress.
- During a teaching observation, an educational developer works with you to identify what you would like feedback on, visits your class for a predetermined period of time to observe your teaching, writes up a report highlighting your strengths and areas for growth, and meets with you to discuss their feedback.
Multi-Day Intensive Workshops and Events
The MacPherson Institute regularly conducts events on a variety of teaching and learning topics:
- The Course (re)Design Workshop supports educators in course design approaches that encourage students’ engagement and success.
- The Instructional Skills Workshop offers educators with the opportunity to practice teaching and receive peer feedback.
- The Assessment Development Workshop allows educators to iteratively refine a particular assessment in one of their courses.
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22 Additional McMaster Resources
Listed below are various McMaster resources that may inform your teaching philosophy, approaches, and goals.
Community Engagement, Experiential Learning, and Internationalization
Fundamentals of Community Engagement: A Sourcebook for Students
Created by the Experiential and Community Engaged Learning (ExCel) Faculty Group. This resource is designed to support students in their community-engaged learning and to provide professors with a means of preparing students for the demands of a community-engaged learning experience.
Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, Accessibility, and Decolonization
Indigenous Strategic Directions
Developed by the Indigenous Education Council and McMaster Indigenous Research Institute. This strategy aims to enhance the university’s commitment to Indigenous communities through focused efforts on research, education, student experience, and leadership, aligning with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
Inclusive Teaching and Learning Resources
Curated by the MacPherson Institute and Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Office. These resources offer guidance and support on anti-racist pedagogies, decolonization, accessibility, assessment and grading, and other educational practices to enhance equity and inclusion in teaching and learning environments.
Forward with Flexibility
This guidebook developed by McMaster University aims to help educators apply principles of Accessible Education, thereby enhancing inclusivity and access in various teaching and learning environments.
Learning in Colour
Developed by the United in Colour student collective in partnership with the MacPherson Institute. This resource provides guidance to students, TAs, and instructors to help create safer classrooms based on experiences from Black, indigenous, and racialized students.
Health and Wellbeing
The Okanagan Charter
McMaster signed the Charter in 2017, committing to prioritize health and wellbeing in all aspects of university life, including policy decisions, academic programs, and campus design. This commitment also includes promoting human and environmental health both locally and globally.
The Indigenous Health Learning Lodge
The IHLL strives to integrate Indigenous cultural knowledge into health sciences education and research, addressing systemic barriers, and supporting Indigenous students, faculty, and community partnerships in alignment with the principles of reconciliation.
Institutional Directions
Institutional Priorities & Strategic Framework (2021-2024)
Created by the Office of the President. Outlines five key priorities aimed at driving the university’s mission and addressing societal challenges: inclusive excellence; teaching and learning; research and scholarship; engaging local, national, Indigenous, and Global communities, and operational excellence.
Partnered in Teaching and Learning Strategy
McMaster University’s teaching and learning strategy focuses on promoting partnered and interdisciplinary learning, fostering inclusive and scholarly teaching practices, creating active and flexible learning spaces, and providing a holistic and personalized student experience to enhance academic excellence and support diverse learning needs.
Digital Learning Strategic Framework
Led by the Office of the Provost, the DLSF was developed collaboratively with the McMaster community, identifying four strategic priorities: develop digital literacy and proficiency, build institutional capacity and capability, create effective learning opportunities, and advance innovation through collaboration.
Supporting Students
Graduate Work Supervision Guidelines
These guidelines developed by the School of Graduate Studies emphasize maintaining professionalism, providing a safe and supportive environment, fostering academic growth, offering timely and constructive feedback, supporting students’ diverse needs, and promoting a culture of respect and collaboration.
Accommodation and Disclosure Rights and Responsibilities
The Student Success Centre’s accommodations and disclosure guidelines advise students to communicate specific accommodation requests to manage their educational or workplace environment effectively while understanding their rights and responsibilities under the Ontario Human Rights Code.
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23 McMaster Policy related to the Evaluation of Teaching
Tenure and Promotion Policy: McMaster University Revised Policy And Regulations With Respect To Academic Appointment, Tenure And Promotion
Like many higher education institutions, McMaster has specific requirements for teaching portfolios that are used for tenure, permanence, and promotion. See Section III, Parts 5 through 10, with more complete details for the teaching portfolio in SPS B2: Teaching Portfolios, linked below.
SPS B1: Procedures for Assessment of Teaching
This policy details the comprehensive methods by which your department is required to evaluate your teaching.
SPS B2: Teaching Portfolios
This policy details information for how to structure your teaching portfolio. Suggestions for effectively fulfilling SPS B2 can be found in Chapter IV: Fulfilling McMaster’s SPS B2 Requirements.
SPS B11: Curriculum Vitae Requirements
This policy outlines the structure of a McMaster CV, in which you will provide some basic information about your teaching activities. Since tenure, permanence, and promotion committees will review both your teaching portfolio and CV, ensure they align. However, avoid repeating information in your portfolio that is already detailed in your CV.
SPS B12: Preparation of Dossiers for Tenure/Permanence/CAWAR and/or Promotion
This policy outlines the requirements and expectations for the entire tenure/permanence or promotion dossier, of which your teaching portfolio is a part.
The next chapter provides advice to those reviewing teaching portfolios: Chairs, peers, and reviewers.
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24 Roles and Responsibilities in Review
Chairs and roles with similar responsibilities are uniquely positioned to support educators in preparing and maintaining their teaching portfolios. In addition, individuals in these roles can often be tasked with conducting summative reviews of teaching portfolios for tenure, permanence, and promotion. Balancing support with critical evaluation requires transparency and integrity, particularly given the caution against relying solely on student evaluations of teaching data at McMaster and beyond (Grignon et al., 2019).
Alternatively, a peer or external reviewer may engage in formative or summative reviews of a colleague’s teaching portfolio. In this context, the reviewer may or may not have been involved in supporting the colleague in preparing their portfolio for this stage of review.
As a reviewer, it is important to consider the differences between the requirements for tenure- and teaching-stream faculty in McMaster’s processes for tenure, permanence, and promotion. Whereas the teaching portfolio does not go beyond the departmental level during tenure and promotion processes for tenure-stream faculty, it has a wider audience (i.e., external reviewers) and a much greater weight in permanence and promotion processes for teaching-stream faculty. Consequently, the teaching portfolio is far more significant for teaching-stream faculty as it allows them to demonstrate their professional excellence to a much greater degree.
The following sections suggest ideas for supporting a faculty member’s teaching portfolio development and informing a fair approach to completing a portfolio review.
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25 Consistency in Departmental Review Practices
Much of the support educators need when preparing their teaching portfolios can be provided before a formal evaluation process begins. Best practice in establishing these supports involves determining consistent, transparent, and open support mechanisms for all educators within a department or Faculty. This approach prevents inequities among educators that can arise from inconsistent and ad hoc teaching evaluation practices (Krishnan et al., 2022).
Establishing consistent, transparent, and open supports might entail:
- Confirming your understanding of McMaster’s policy statements relevant to the assessment of teaching. McMaster’s policy is supported by research indicating that the evaluation of teaching should rely on multiple perspectives, including the perspectives of students, peers, and the instructor (Finkelstein et al., 2020; Weaver et al., 2020; Krishnan et al., 2022).
- Being transparent about what is important in your department, Faculty, Institution, and/or discipline. For example, it may be most important for faculty in your department to take a scholarly approach to teaching and learning, align their teaching priorities with disciplinary norms, highlight their alignment with institutional strategies, take risks and try out innovative teaching practices, etc.
- Fostering a continuous improvement mindset by encouraging educators to think critically and engage in scholarly practice with their teaching. Grounding this practice within a specific discipline or set of departmental, Faculty, or institutional priorities can assist with formulating priorities for scholarship and/or improvement (Dennin et al. 2017).
- Creating guidelines around what constitutes quality teaching in your department. Best practice is to engage educators in your department in co-creating these guidelines, so that you have both input and buy-in from the outset (Dennin et al. 2017). The guidelines may look like a set of indicators, metrics, or a sample list of evidence materials that are most appropriate for teaching in your disciplinary context. Ideas for types of evidence can be found in the next section, Approaching Individual Portfolio Evaluations.
- Making portfolio review part of the annual review process with both tenure- and teaching-track faculty. This will help both you and your department’s educators feel well-prepared for tenure, permanence, or promotion.
- Deciding how you want educators in your department to approach contextualizing student course experience survey data for Part A.v. of their portfolios.
- Collecting exemplary teaching portfolios from several educators in your department and, with their permission, make these portfolios available to colleagues upon request.
- Encouraging educators to engage with existing teaching portfolio supports at McMaster, including:
- The annual Tenure, Promotion, and Permanence at McMaster workshops hosted by the Office of the Provost,
- This Preparing a Teaching Portfolio Guidebook,
- The Teaching Portfolios at McMaster module available via the MacPherson Institute’s Learning Catalogue, or
- A teaching portfolio review consultation with the MacPherson Institute.
As you develop or reaffirm consistent supports for your department, make yourself available to educators for any questions related to teaching and learning priorities, processes, or evaluation. It is also best practice to ensure that your approach to evaluating teaching aligns with your strategies for hiring new educators (Dennin et al., 2017).
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26 Approaching Individual Portfolio Evaluations
Depending on your role, you may be tasked with formally reviewing an educator’s portfolio, or an educator may request your informal review as they prepare it for tenure, permanence, promotion, or another purpose. Regardless of the circumstance, reviewing and providing feedback offers an opportunity to refine your own teaching practices and discover new ideas. Approach your review with a curious and open mindset, and keep in mind any norms or recommendations specific to your context, such as departmental priorities.
Qualities to look for in a teaching portfolio
Beyond specific qualities you may be looking for to satisfy departmental requirements, the questions below can serve as a starting point for formulating your feedback on a portfolio.
| Teaching Philosophy | Evidence of Teaching | Alignment |
| Is the portfolio strongly grounded in a teaching philosophy statement that clearly summarizes the educator’s core beliefs about teaching and learning, and the key claims they make about their practice? | Is evidence provided from multiple perspectives (e.g., self, students, peers) to substantiate claims made throughout the portfolio? | Can strong alignment be seen between the evidence provided and claims made throughout the portfolio? |
| Does the philosophy statement provide a strong framework for the presentation and organization of the portfolio? | Are the sources of evidence appropriate given the context of the educator’s teaching responsibilities, experiences, and expertise? | Are links to scholarly literature provided throughout the portfolio where appropriate? |
| Reflective Approach | Presentation | Future Directions |
| Is the portfolio grounded by a critically reflective narrative that puts the evidence into context, highlights key learning, and describes how the educator’s teaching and learning approaches have evolved over time? | Is the educator’s voice consistent throughout the portfolio? | In general, what are the strengths of this portfolio? |
| Does the reflective component make connections between the philosophy statement and evidence, and across sources of evidence? | Is the portfolio presented as a clear, succinct, and integrated document? | What specific changes could be made to improve this portfolio? |
If you prefer to consult a framework or tool to guide your feedback, you may wish to check out one of the following options:
- The Career Framework for University Teaching presents four levels based on a faculty member’s sphere of impact. Each level includes promotion criteria and suggests appropriate types of evidence. This framework is designed to be adaptable to local teaching and learning contexts. An adapted version of the framework’s types of evidence is presented in the next section.
- The Transforming Higher Education – Multidimensional Evaluation of Teaching project aims to advance aligned, sustainable, and effective evaluation of teaching strategies. It presents a collection of peer, student, and self review tools from various higher education institutions in the United States.
- The UBC Teaching Dossier Self-Assessment Tool provides a comprehensive set of rubrics organized into six categories. These rubrics can be adapted to a peer evaluation perspective and are reproduced in Chapter VI: Refining Your Portfolio: Feedback, Resources, and Policy.
Note that at this time, McMaster does not formally endorse any one of these frameworks or approaches over the other. Be mindful as you explore external tools and consider their fit with local strategy and departmental or disciplinary norms and priorities. As advised previously, it is best to take an approach that is transparent and consistent with the faculty member(s) whose portfolios you review.
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- Reflections on educational approach and its development over time, identifying how it supports effective student learning in the context of the cohort, discipline, and institution
- Reflections on teaching philosophy and its development over time, as well as the role played in nurturing an academic environment that advances collective educational excellence
- Reflections on teaching philosophy, describing how evidence-informed approaches are used to contribute to both student learning and pedagogical knowledge
- Reflections on how leadership in teaching and learning has helped to create an inclusive, supportive and aspirational learning environment that advances student learning
- Reflections on any national and global influence in teaching and learning, or impact on advancing educational knowledge, collaboration and/or excellence
|
- Details of courses taught (student numbers, nature of teaching, assessment methods, etc.)
- Details of student support and guidance provided
- Participation in certification and training in teaching and learning
- Samples of course materials
- Mentoring and peer-coaching of teaching colleagues
- Participation in programs of educational reform, innovation and/or development
- Membership of institutional educational committees
- External examiner/trainer
- Participation in teaching and learning conferences/events within and/or beyond their school or discipline
- Active use of ‘Action Research’ methods in their teaching practices
- Invited speaker at key events in teaching and learning
- Reviewer of scientific papers and articles about teaching and learning within and/or beyond own discipline
- Visiting/honorary position held at other institutions
- Active member of teaching and learning research group
- Leadership role in strategic institutional curriculum and/or policy development
- Design and delivery of high-impact course innovation
- Leadership of Quality Assurance or accreditation processes
- External reviewer/trainer/advisor
- Participation in government consultation committees
- Invited speaker at national/global events in teaching and learning
- Participation in and leadership of high-impact national and global educational programs
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- Student evaluation surveys and student interview feedback
- Informal and unsolicited student feedback
- Pass rates, attrition rates and student progression that can be attributed to specific courses
- Examination/assessment results, benchmarked against other cohorts
- Evaluation of student products or projects
- Retrospective assessment by alumni
- Assessments made by graduate recruiters and employers with respect to specific courses/experiences
- Student and/or institutional prizes/achievements that can be linked to specific course/program
- Student learning journals
- Concept tests (course level)
- Students’ self-reported learning gains (course level)
- Student engagement surveys (course level)
- Assessments made by graduate recruiters and employers
- Students’ self-reported learning gains, student engagement surveys (program or institutional level)
- Program pass rates/progression rates
- Concept tests or standardized tests (program level)
- Institutional surveys of student perception or experience
- Institutional pass rates/progression rates
- Standardized tests (institutional level)
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- Peer observation of teaching
- Peer review of course content, objectives, and materials and/or teaching portfolio
- Review and letters of reference from teaching mentor
- Letters of reference from: students, alumni, Director of Studies, Head of School, and course/program leaders
- Letters of reference from: staff mentees, external examiners and collaborators
- Authorship of widely used textbooks and e- learning materials
- Pedagogical conference presentations
- Institutional and national teaching awards/fellowships/prizes
- Letters of reference from research collaborators
- Refereed conference and journal publications in teaching and learning
- Research grants and income for teaching and learning development projects
- Letters of reference from senior university managers, external collaborators and those who have taken inspiration from the candidate’s educational approaches
- Reports from collaborators, external impact reports/case studies
- Publications, citations, research grants and income within the field of teaching and learning
- National and global press coverage
- National/global awards and prizes
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pressbooks
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2025-03-22T05:09:05.529334
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02-20-2025
|
{
"license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
"url": "https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/teachingportfolioguide/chapter/approaching-individual-portfolio-evaluations-2/",
"book_url": "https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/teachingportfolioguide/part/introduction-to-teaching-portfolios/",
"title": "Preparing a Teaching Portfolio Guidebook",
"author": "Paul R MacPherson Institute for Leadership, Innovation, Excellence in Teaching",
"institution": "McMaster University",
"subject": "Higher education, tertiary education, Education, Educational systems and structures, Educational strategies and policy, Educational administration and organization, Teaching staff"
}
|
https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/teachingportfolioguide/chapter/approaching-individual-portfolio-evaluations-3/
|
28 Providing Feedback
As you compile and share your feedback, remember that those who seek review are often vulnerable and anxious, so ensure that your feedback is constructive, fair, and practical. This will help build trust and set the reviewee more at ease. Below, the Principles of Effective Feedback, informed by a University of Illinois Chicago Peer Feedback on your Teaching resource (Tse, 2022), can help ensure that you meet these needs.
- Prioritize comments that will provide the most help to the educator and address the biggest issues with the teaching portfolio, provided they are actionable. When you review a portfolio, it can be common to find a couple of areas for improvement that are generally applicable throughout the entire portfolio. It may be prudent to prioritize addressing these first when sharing your feedback with the educator.
- Provide specific feedback. Giving feedback with concrete examples or suggestions will help the educator be able to understand and action that feedback. Feedback that is more general may be confusing, misinterpreted and difficult to implement in a practical way.
- Be descriptive rather than evaluative. Avoid making judgements, and focus the feedback on what the educator has put down in their portfolio (for example, noting that the teaching philosophy statement included only a couple of basic examples of practice that left you wanting more), not what you assume (for example, suggesting that as they get more experience, they will be able to add variety and further nuance to their examples).
- Give a balanced review. Remember to point out what you appreciate about the teaching portfolio, so that the educator knows what to keep as they refine their final draft.
- Keep it manageable. Above, prioritization is suggested, which will help keep things manageable. If you suspect that the volume of feedback may be too much, prioritize and then cut some of the least significant issues at the bottom of your priority list. It is okay to let some things go.
Together, these guiding questions, frameworks, forms of evidence, and tips on providing feedback should help you determine an approach that works for you and the educator whose portfolio you are reviewing – and ideally, one that you may be able to implement consistently over time.
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pressbooks
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2025-03-22T05:09:05.541265
|
02-20-2025
|
{
"license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
"url": "https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/teachingportfolioguide/chapter/approaching-individual-portfolio-evaluations-3/",
"book_url": "https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/teachingportfolioguide/part/introduction-to-teaching-portfolios/",
"title": "Preparing a Teaching Portfolio Guidebook",
"author": "Paul R MacPherson Institute for Leadership, Innovation, Excellence in Teaching",
"institution": "McMaster University",
"subject": "Higher education, tertiary education, Education, Educational systems and structures, Educational strategies and policy, Educational administration and organization, Teaching staff"
}
|
https://uq.pressbooks.pub/pressbook-template/chapter/chapter-1-2/
|
1 Chapter 1
This is the first chapter in the main body of the text. You can change the text, rename the chapter, add new chapters, and add new parts.
Learning Objectives
Type your learning objectives here.
- First
- Second
Type your textbox content here.
Exercises
Type your exercises here.
- First
- Second
Key Takeaways
Type your key takeaways here.
- First
- Second
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pressbooks
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2025-03-22T05:09:05.552548
|
02-5-2025
|
{
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"url": "https://uq.pressbooks.pub/pressbook-template/chapter/chapter-1-2/",
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"title": "Pressbook template",
"author": "",
"institution": "University of Queensland",
"subject": "The Arts"
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https://uq.pressbooks.pub/pressbook-template/chapter/chapter-2/
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Primary Navigation
Book Contents Navigation
Title page
Acknowledgement of Country
Introduction
1. Chapter 1
2. Chapter 2
3. Chapter 3
4. Example chapter elements
5. Chapter 4
6. Chapter 5
7. Chapter 6
Version history
Previous/next navigation
Pressbook template Copyright © by The University of Queensland is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.
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pressbooks
|
2025-03-22T05:09:05.567573
|
02-5-2025
|
{
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"title": "Pressbook template",
"author": "",
"institution": "University of Queensland",
"subject": "The Arts"
}
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https://uq.pressbooks.pub/pressbook-template/chapter/chapter-3/
|
Primary Navigation
Book Contents Navigation
Title page
Acknowledgement of Country
Introduction
1. Chapter 1
2. Chapter 2
3. Chapter 3
4. Example chapter elements
5. Chapter 4
6. Chapter 5
7. Chapter 6
Version history
Previous/next navigation
Pressbook template Copyright © by The University of Queensland is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.
|
pressbooks
|
2025-03-22T05:09:05.581400
|
02-5-2025
|
{
"license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
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"title": "Pressbook template",
"author": "",
"institution": "University of Queensland",
"subject": "The Arts"
}
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https://uq.pressbooks.pub/pressbook-template/chapter/chapter-1/
|
4 Example chapter elements
Learning Objectives
After completing this chapter you will be able to:
- set up consistent elements in each chapter
- add content to comply with copyright and accessibility guidelines.
You can insert a textbox to display elements at the beginning of the chapter. Use the same style of textbox for each element type to ensure consistency. This is a shaded textbox. You can edit the colour of the textbox styles under Appearance – Theme options.
Accessibility of content (set to heading 2)
Heading levels (heading 3)
Give your sections and subsections meaningful headings to organise the chapter content. Use heading levels in order. Don’t skip heading levels, as this will affect the accessibility of your content.
Heading 1 is used for the Chapter title. Heading 2 should be the used for the title of each section. Under heading 2 any paragraph headings should be 3 and so on. If you start a new section it will start again at heading 2.
Note: If you are using a Two-level table of contents structure for your book you will have to use heading 1 for each chapter section. The Two-Level TOC option is available under the Global Options Appearance settings.
Links
Our Accessibility Checklist has information on how to ensure your textbook is accessible to all. The link to the Accessibility Checklist in the previous sentence is descriptive. It lets the reader know what to expect if they click the link. Do not display the full URL or use generic text such as “click here” or “read more.”
Include the title, format and size of different content types so readers know what to expect before clicking (e.g. YouTube, 2m35s or PDF, 150KB).
Embedding video
You can embed a video simply by adding the URL in the Visual editor. Also include a link to the video above or below the embed.
Videos in YouTube will usually include a transcript to make them accessible. Add a transcript to the chapter if one is not available with the video.
Example of an embedded video (heading 4)
How Haben Girma Became Harvard Law School’s First Deafblind Grad (YouTube, 6m39s) – this video introduces Haben Girma, who was born without hearing or vision and advocates for equal accessibility for people with disability.
This is an Example textbox.
Images
- Images that convey information should have alternative text (alt text) descriptions of the image’s content or function. Screen readers can read the text. Alt text should only be one or 2 sentences long.
- Graphs, charts, and maps should include contextual or supporting details in the text surrounding the image or have a long description.
- Images that are purely decorative do not need alt-text descriptions. Descriptive text is unnecessary if the image doesn’t convey contextual content information. Add double quotation marks to the alt text field (“”) to give it an alt attribute.
Example image
The alt text you add depends on the purpose of the image. The alt text on this image reads – A kookaburra sits on the bare branches of a tree. The kookaburra has blue and brown feathers.
Images must also include a caption to acknowledge the creator or copyright holder.
For detailed images, use the Lightbox option to display a larger version when clicked.
Adding tables
Accessible tables must have:
- row and column headers with the correct scope
- a caption
- no merged or split cells.
The TablePress plugin allows you to add accessible tables or import files to create the table (which can save a lot of time).
An example of how to create an accessible table manually.
Copyright
It is important to acknowledge any third-party content you use in your textbook. if you use:
- Creative Commons (CC) materials, you must acknowledge the content according to the licence requirements.
- content with permission you must indicate that you have permission and acknowledge the copyright holder.
Acknowledgement format examples
The format you use in the acknowledgments may depend on the referencing style you adopt in your book.
Permission from the copyright owner to use content:
Material licensed under Creative Commons:
Note: Always link to the original content, creator and licence type for CC content.
Screenshots
Screenshots themselves aren’t copyrightable but the underlying content in the screenshot is subject to copyright. Permission is needed from the copyright owners to include screenshots in your book.
Content that would be considered significant requires permission. It may be difficult to decide what a copyright owner would consider significant.
If you want to show content from a screenshot:
- You may be able to recreate the screenshot as a table or another form, depending on the content, and add an attribution statement.
- Link to the platform instead.
- Ask for permission. Seeking permission has examples which can be adapted.
Review questions
References
Include a list of references in your chosen referencing style for any readings you quoted or paraphrased in the chapte
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pressbooks
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2025-03-22T05:09:05.600119
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02-5-2025
|
{
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"url": "https://uq.pressbooks.pub/pressbook-template/chapter/chapter-1/",
"book_url": "https://uq.pressbooks.pub/pressbook-template/front-matter/title-page-example/",
"title": "Pressbook template",
"author": "",
"institution": "University of Queensland",
"subject": "The Arts"
}
|
https://uq.pressbooks.pub/pressbook-template/chapter/chapter-4/
|
5 Chapter 4
“Jacaranda mimosifolia 5334” by “Anna Anichkova”, licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported licence.
“Jacaranda mimosifolia 5334” by “Anna Anichkova”, licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported licence.
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pressbooks
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2025-03-22T05:09:05.612162
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02-5-2025
|
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"url": "https://uq.pressbooks.pub/pressbook-template/chapter/chapter-4/",
"book_url": "https://uq.pressbooks.pub/pressbook-template/front-matter/title-page-example/",
"title": "Pressbook template",
"author": "",
"institution": "University of Queensland",
"subject": "The Arts"
}
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https://uq.pressbooks.pub/pressbook-template/chapter/chapter-5/
|
Primary Navigation
Book Contents Navigation
Title page
Acknowledgement of Country
Introduction
1. Chapter 1
2. Chapter 2
3. Chapter 3
4. Example chapter elements
5. Chapter 4
6. Chapter 5
7. Chapter 6
Version history
Previous/next navigation
Pressbook template Copyright © by The University of Queensland is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.
|
pressbooks
|
2025-03-22T05:09:05.626216
|
02-5-2025
|
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"book_url": "https://uq.pressbooks.pub/pressbook-template/front-matter/title-page-example/",
"title": "Pressbook template",
"author": "",
"institution": "University of Queensland",
"subject": "The Arts"
}
|
https://uq.pressbooks.pub/pressbook-template/chapter/chapter-6/
|
Primary Navigation
Book Contents Navigation
Title page
Acknowledgement of Country
Introduction
1. Chapter 1
2. Chapter 2
3. Chapter 3
4. Example chapter elements
5. Chapter 4
6. Chapter 5
7. Chapter 6
Version history
Previous/next navigation
Pressbook template Copyright © by The University of Queensland is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.
|
pressbooks
|
2025-03-22T05:09:05.640372
|
02-5-2025
|
{
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"title": "Pressbook template",
"author": "",
"institution": "University of Queensland",
"subject": "The Arts"
}
|
https://opentextbc.ca/printondemand/chapter/what-is-pod/
|
Printing Open Textbooks
1 What Is Print on Demand?
| Print on demand is a service for which individual copies of a textbook can be printed as requested (on demand). |
Print on demand (PoD) is a service or process by which individual copies of a textbook or other resource that is usually available as a digital file can be printed upon request. This method allows publishers to provide books for a fixed cost per copy regardless of order size, be it one or one hundred copies. Prior to the digital age, most information was available in books that were printed by publishers in large (and expensive) allotments using offset printing.[1] The idea of requesting — and printing — a single copy of a book was unheard of.
The PoD model began in the 1990s as digital press technology — as well as printing and binding methods — developed and improved, allowing publishers to retreat from printing large runs of books and then dealing with unsold copies.[2] Replacing the standard large-book-inventory method with on-demand book printing afforded publishers other savings, too, including a reduction in storage costs, less labour needed for handling inventory, and lower inventory management fees. In 2008, UBC Press — Canada’s third largest university press[3] — began using the print-on-demand and short-run digital printing models as part of its workflow to keep book inventory at workable levels.[4]
While the price of each print-on-demand copy is typically higher than those produced with offset printing, the average PoD cost is lower for small print runs because setup costs for digital printing — including technical configuration — are much lower than those for offset printing. This advantage not only reduces the publisher’s risks, but also leads to more choices for the consumer, such as the ability to order a discrete, professionally produced book. Still, less publisher liability can also mean lower quality control of the printed book.[5]
Nevertheless, the PoD model aligns well with open textbooks. For instructors who take full advantage of the open-copyright licence (the tool that makes a textbook open) by customizing the book to suit their teaching methods and curricula; updating it regularly to keep the material current; and/or inviting students to contribute to the book as part of a course assignment (in line with open pedagogical practice), printing textbooks on demand is the ideal way to go.
Media Attributions
- Acorn Oak Brown © svklimkin is used under a Pixabay License and is adapted by Lauri Aesoph
- “Offset Printing,” Wikipedia, last modified April 17, 2020, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Offset_printing. ↵
- Edmund Chamberlain, “Investigating Faster Techniques for Digitization and Print-on-Demand,” New Review of Academic Librarianship 18, no. 1 (2012): 64, https://doi.org/10.1080/13614533.2012.660769. ↵
- “About UBC Press,” About Us, UBC Press, accessed April 8, 2020, http://www.ubcpress.ca/about-us. ↵
- Sara Xue Ying Chang, “A Case Study of Print on Demand and Short-Run Digital Printing at the University of British Columbia Press” (master's project report, Simon Fraser University, 2017), https://summit.sfu.ca/item/17530. ↵
- “Print on Demand,” Wikipedia, last modified April 26, 2020, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Print_on_demand. ↵
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pressbooks
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2025-03-22T05:09:05.652181
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10-31-2023
|
{
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"url": "https://opentextbc.ca/printondemand/chapter/what-is-pod/",
"book_url": "https://opentextbc.ca/printondemand/front-matter/accessibility-statement/",
"title": "Print-on-Demand Guide",
"author": "Lauri M. Aesoph",
"institution": "",
"subject": "Prints and printmaking, Open learning, distance education, , , ,"
}
|
https://opentextbc.ca/printondemand/chapter/permissions/
|
Printing Open Textbooks
2 Open Textbook Permissions
| Anyone, anywhere may print and distribute an unlimited number of copies of an open textbook without asking the copyright holder for permission. |
Chapter table of contents
Copyright concerns
Post-secondary institutions should understand the importance of educating their instructors and students about how copyright applies to teaching and learning, including with regard to the printing of copyrighted materials. Many individuals remain confused about copyright law and are hesitant to print anything, afraid they might be committing copyright fraud. Martin Warkentin, Copyright Librarian at the University of the Fraser Valley in Abbotsford, B.C., says, “Many folks I deal with who are conscientious about copyright are wary about physical printing — the (wrong) gut instinct seems to be printing a substantial part of anything is akin to infringement.”
The open-copyright licence is not the only device designed to make copyrighted educational materials easier to use and print: another is fair dealing. This copyright exception, added to the Canadian Copyright Act in 1921, allows the use and printing of copyrighted works for educational purposes without permission as long as certain parameters are followed.[1] Like copyright in general, fair dealing and how it impacts the printing of course materials is covered in many university and college handbooks. At the University of British Columbia (UBC), for example, their “Copyright Guidelines for UBC Faculty, Staff and Students” includes a section entitled Is copying of the work permitted under the Copyright Act? The Fair Dealing Exception. Adding openly licensed resources to the what-can-I-print discussion can further muddy the waters.
Christina Hendricks, Academic Director for the Centre for Teaching, Learning and Technology at UBC, says, “There has been a lot of conversation at my institution over the past few years about ensuring one follows copyright rules when photocopying works, or making print copies of works and distributing them to students. Faculty might be worried that they could run afoul of copyright rules when reusing open educational resources if they don’t have enough knowledge about how open licences work.”
The course pack precedent
The commonly used course pack is a study in how copyright can affect the printing of teaching materials. Examining the course pack’s history provides the context within which educators have operated for the past several decades in order to provide their students with the best learning resources possible.
Course packs are “printed collections of readings assembled by teachers to supplement college and university courses.”[2] The practice of collecting handouts in one packet for a course as supplemental materials or to replace a textbook began in earnest in the 1980s and ’90s, when photocopying became easy. However, it is the fair dealing provision in Canada’s copyright law — followed by landmark decisions by the Supreme Court of Canada in 2004 and 2012 — that confirmed course packs are permitted and showed how they should be assembled under copyright law.[3]
Since then, instructors who use course packs and the librarians and staff who compile them have been careful during the copyright review phase of course pack creation, a step that requires time and money.
The cost to produce a course pack at UBC through its bookstore, for example, varies depending not only on the number of pages in each packet and the quantity printed, but also on permission fees charged by copyright holders to use content that is beyond the scope of fair dealing or not covered by an institution’s Access Copyright licence.[4]
The University of Victoria (UVic) requires that course pack orders be submitted two months prior to a course’s start date in order to conduct a complete copyright review, including receiving copyright permissions. Copyright permissions for course packs are typically granted for one academic term. This window of permission for a select classroom audience may result in the course pack being prohibited from inclusion in its institution’s course reserve, as is the case at UVic.[5]
More recently, some institutions are asking faculty to consider not only copyrighted materials, but also those in the public domain as well as open educational resources when compiling course packs as a way to save time and money. For an example of institutional recommendations, see Copyright guide for Camosun College and navigate to “Coursepacks” under the “In Class” tab.
Printing open textbooks
Anyone, anywhere may print and distribute an unlimited number of copies of a textbook released with an open-copyright — or open — licence without asking the copyright holder for permission. These openly licensed books are called open textbooks. Unfortunately, says Brendan Hunter, Course Materials Supervisor for the Langara Bookstore in Vancouver, “most people have no idea what the boundaries of open (i.e., open-copyright licences) are.”
Open-copyright licences
Many, if not most, open textbooks are copyrighted. Copyright refers to the legal rights held by the copyright owner of a creative work who is often (but not always) the creator of the material. Typically, copyright holders choose to retain all their rights. What makes an open textbook different from a closed textbook is that, with the former, the copyright holder has released their work with an open-copyright licence. A licence is a contract or agreement by which the copyright holder gives permission to another entity or individual to copy and disseminate their work.
The open licences used most often with educational materials are Creative Commons (CC) licences. Like other copyright licences, CC licences are legal tools. A CC licence gives the copyright holder the ability to provide advanced permission to everyone to use their work. There is no limit to how many times the permissions afforded by a CC licensed work may be used, and these permissions have no expiration date. The only condition imposed when using an open work is that the user must attribute, or give credit to, the author.
For more information, see Copyright and Open Licences and Concerns About Plagiarism in the Self-Publishing Guide.
For how to write an attribution statement, see “Attributions” in the Resources: Captions and Attributions chapter of the Self-Publishing Guide.
For details on how open textbook authors can provide copyright information, and examples of an attribution statement and citation for licensees and readers, see this copyright statement example in the Book Info Page chapter of the Pressbooks Guide.
Public domain
When copyright does not apply to a work because copyright has expired or the author has waived their copy rights, then that work is considered to be in the public domain. This means that anyone and everyone — i.e., the public — can use this work in any way they wish. Examples of creative works in the public domain are Shakespeare’s plays, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, and Beethoven’s compositions.
Students, instructors, and others are free to print and make multiple copies of textbooks in the public domain. Without copyright in place, public domain resources are without legal restrictions or ownership and thus are bound by fewer conditions than textbooks covered by an open licence. It can be said that:
- Copyrighted textbooks without an open licence have all rights reserved
- Openly licensed textbooks have some rights reserved
- Textbooks in the public domain have no rights reserved
Unfortunately, it isn’t always clear if a resource is in the public domain, though public domain tools do exist for marking these works. Therefore, it is up to the individual to ensure that a textbook or educational resource is without copyright before printing it. Searching in repositories known to hold public domain resources is a good place to start. And even though giving credit to the author of a work in the public domain is not legally required, doing so is considered good academic practice.
Media Attributions
- Acorn Oak Brown © svklimkin is used under a Pixabay License and is adapted by Lauri Aesoph
- “Fair Dealing in Canadian Copyright Law,” Wikipedia, last modified May 11, 2020, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fair_dealing_in_Canadian_copyright_law. ↵
- “Coursepacks,” Wikipedia, last modified August 13, 2017, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coursepacks. ↵
- Council of Ministers of Education, Canada, Fair Dealing Guidelines (poster, CMEC website, July 31, 2019), https://cmec.ca/docs/copyright/CMEC_POSTER_FDG_EN.pdf. ↵
- “Faculty FAQ: Classroom, 2.1 What Are the Copyright Rules that Apply to My Teaching?,” Copyright at UBC, University of British Columbia, accessed April 23, 2020, https://copyright.ubc.ca/instructor-faq/#2.1_What_are_the_copyright_rules_that_apply_to_my_teaching?. ↵
- “Coursepacks,” UVic Bookstore, University of Victoria, accessed April 23, 2020, https://www.uvicbookstore.ca/text/coursepacks. ↵
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pressbooks
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2025-03-22T05:09:05.670093
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10-31-2023
|
{
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"url": "https://opentextbc.ca/printondemand/chapter/permissions/",
"book_url": "https://opentextbc.ca/printondemand/front-matter/accessibility-statement/",
"title": "Print-on-Demand Guide",
"author": "Lauri M. Aesoph",
"institution": "",
"subject": "Prints and printmaking, Open learning, distance education, , , ,"
}
|
https://opentextbc.ca/printondemand/chapter/nc-licence/
|
Printing Open Textbooks
3 CC BY-NC (NonCommercial) Licences
| Open textbooks released with a CC BY-NC licence may be sold as long as the price is set for cost recovery, not for profit. |
Many wonder if it’s permissible for an individual or service to sell printed open textbooks that include the NonCommercial feature as part of the Creative Commons licence.
The answer is yes. So why are so many people concerned that they are breaking the law by doing so?
Authors who are worried that their freely available work might be used for financial gain by an individual or company can add the NonCommercial (NC) option to a work with a CC BY licence. The NC component prohibits anyone from using “the material for commercial purposes.” Creative Commons defines “commercial purposes” as those that are “primarily intended for commercial advantage or monetary compensation.”[1]
The CC BY-NC licence and other NC variations have caused confusion and concern, as members within the open education community have grappled with how or if they are permitted to sell printed copies of NC-marked textbooks, especially in college or university bookstores.
If the price set for an NC-marked textbook is for cost recovery, and not for profit or “commercial purposes,” then selling is allowed. “Cost recovery” refers to setting the price of an item such that it recovers or recoups the costs of a given expense. The costs recovered for an on-campus print-on-demand service might include the price of materials needed to produce a printed textbook, such as paper and ink, or labour costs.
Third-party printing services
Some post-secondary institutions and faculty elect to use third-party copy services to print NC-licensed materials for the classroom.
Two legal cases in the U.S. address this question.[2]
The first case involved Great Minds, a nonprofit that creates curricula for the prekindergarten through grade 12 sector. In 2016, Great Minds sued FedEx, arguing that, because FedEx made money from printing Great Minds’ NC-licensed OER for school districts, their use of the materials was commercial and thus violated the conditions of the licence. However, in 2018, the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit ruled that a commercial copyshop may reproduce educational materials at the request of a school district that is using them under a CC BY-NC-SA licence.[3]
A second ruling in 2019, called Great Minds v. Office Depot, reached a similar conclusion. The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled that there “is no dispute that the school and school district licensees’ copying of Great Minds’ material is permitted under the License.”[4]
What is not allowed is for licensees to print and sell NC-licensed works for commercial purposes.[5]
The Power of Copyright Ownership
Copyright is an asset, and those who own copyright have legal permission as the licensor to sell or distribute their work as they wish, including entering into more than one agreement about how that work can be used.
Authors who want to restrict others from commercializing their work without advance notice can do so by assigning a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial licence to it. However, because CC licences are non-exclusive, the author or copyright holder may also engage in non-CC sharing agreements, such as personally selling their work for a profit or giving others permission to do so.
Media Attributions
- Acorn Oak Brown © svklimkin is used under a Pixabay License and is adapted by Lauri Aesoph
- “Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International — CC BY-NC 4.0,” Creative Commons, accessed March 11, 2020, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/. ↵
- “Additional Resources,” Creative Commons Certificate for Educators and Librarians, Creative Commons, accessed March 11, 2020, https://certificates.creativecommons.org/cccertedu/chapter/additional-resources-4/. ↵
- Great Minds v. FedEx Office & Print Services, Inc., No. 17-808, Justia (2nd Cir. 2018), https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/ca2/17-808/17-808-2018-03-21.html. ↵
- Great Minds v. Office Depot, Inc., No. 18-55331, Justia (9th Cir. 2019), https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/ca9/18-55331/18-55331-2019-12-27.html, at *8. ↵
- Diane Peters, “Recent U.S. Legal Decision Reinforces Strength of CC Licenses,” Creative Commons, April 2, 2018, https://creativecommons.org/2018/04/02/recent-u-s-legal-decision-reinforces-strength-cc-licenses/. ↵
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pressbooks
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2025-03-22T05:09:05.685344
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10-31-2023
|
{
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"title": "Print-on-Demand Guide",
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|
https://opentextbc.ca/printondemand/chapter/prefer-own/
|
Why Print Textbooks
4 Preference and Ownership
| Many students and instructors prefer printed textbooks over online versions. |
Some people prefer to get their information from the printed page, not computer screens. Anecdotally, reasons for this range from personal preference to memories of being read to as a child. Some feel it’s easier to make notes when reading a physical book. Others are uncomfortable reading online or using technology. Still others like the flexibility of having a textbook that’s available both online and in hard copy. Hearsay aside, research supports the fact that not everyone’s first choice is digital.
Some professors prefer print
According to a print-on-demand survey, instructors expressed an array of preferences when it came to their teaching materials, be they print, digital, or a combination of both.[1] These personal tastes are reflected in other research, too.
A survey of faculty conducted by the National Association of College Stores during the 2016–17 academic year found that half the instructors surveyed preferred a print textbook over a digital one. One-fifth said they liked to have both print and online components available, while 7 per cent favoured an exclusively digital format for teaching.[2]
Some students prefer print
Even in this technological age, there are students who want to learn from an old-fashioned printed textbook. Some college bookstores in British Columbia report there are students who still lean toward printed textbooks for courses. Jodie Pickering, kinesiology instructor at the College of the Rockies in Cranbrook, B.C., reports that many of her students “like to have a paper copy to highlight and make notes in. Plus they like to be able to bring their textbook into the lab.”
Research conducted at Adams State University, a small Hispanic-serving institution in rural Colorado, explored what format students prefer for their textbooks: print or digital. The resounding choice was print, at almost 80 per cent.[3]
When probed about their favourite type for reading assignments, the majority of student respondents (49.1 per cent) again selected the printed page over a screen. Another 7.5 per cent said they need printed copies.
Dr. Naomi Baron, a Professor of Linguistics for the Department of World Languages and Cultures at American University in Washington, D.C., asked over 300 university students in the U.S., Japan, Germany, and Slovakia which media they preferred for “serious” reading.[4] Over 90 per cent of students said they concentrate best when using a hard-copy book. The problem with reading online, says Dr. Baron, are the diversions scattered across the Internet.[5] Printed books, on the other hand, have few to no distractions.
Personal library
In addition to a preference for reading on paper, some students like the idea of keeping their textbook after a course is finished. More than half of the surveyed Adams State University students said holding onto their printed textbook was important or very important for either personal interest or professional reference.
There are other reasons to hold onto an old textbook. In her blog post “10 Reasons Why You Should Not Sell Back Your Textbook,” Jessica Lyons adds that a book that has been annotated and marked up during the learning process serves as a valuable personal reference.[6]
Long descriptions
Figure 1 long description: Horizontal bar graph displaying answers to the question, “What are your media preferences for consuming information? (Select all that apply).” The data, based on 159 responses, is as follows:
- 127 respondents (79.9 per cent) selected “I prefer my information in printed form.”
- 82 respondents (51.6 per cent) selected “I prefer my information in visual form.”
- 76 respondents (47.8 per cent) selected “I prefer my information in graphic/picture form.”
- 46 respondents (28.9 per cent) selected “I prefer my information in sound/audio form.”
Figure 2 long description: Pie chart displaying responses to the prompt “For textual material, rate your paper/screen preference (screens include computers, tablets, phones, etc.).” The data, based on 159 responses, is as follows:
- 49.1 per cent of respondents said, “I prefer paper but can read on a screen.”
- 36.5 per cent of respondents said, “I can read from paper or screens equally.”
- 7.5 per cent of respondents said, “I require paper for readings.”
- 5.7 per cent of respondents said, “I prefer screens but can read on paper.”
- 1.2 per cent of respondents said, “I require screens for readings.”
Figure 3 long description: Vertical bar graph displaying responses to the question “How important is being able to keep your texts (books, research articles) after the end of the class / end of term / after graduation / leaving the University?” The data, based on 159 responses, is as follows:
- 43 respondents (27 per cent) felt it was important
- 42 respondents (26.4 per cent) had no feeling of importance (neutral)
- 39 respondents (24.5 per cent) felt it was very important
- 26 respondents (16.4 per cent) felt it was not very important
- 9 respondents (5.7 per cent) felt it was unimportant
Media Attributions
- Acorn Oak Brown © svklimkin is used under a Pixabay License and is adapted by Lauri Aesoph
- Figure 1: Media Preference © Amanda N. Langdon and Katherine E. Parker adapted by Lauri Aesoph is licensed under a CC BY (Attribution) license
- Figure 2: Medium Preference for Textual Material © Amanda N. Langdon and Katherine E. Parker adapted by Lauri Aesoph is licensed under a CC BY (Attribution) license
- Figure 3: Keeping Textbooks © Amanda N. Langdon and Katherine E. Parker adapted by Lauri Aesoph is licensed under a CC BY (Attribution) license
- BCcampus Open Education, “Print-on-Demand Survey” (unpublished survey, 2020), Microsoft Form. ↵
- National Association of College Stores, “Report Shows Faculty Still Prefer Print over Digital and Open Educational Resources,” August 31, 2017, https://www.nacs.org/advocacynewsmedia/pressreleases/tabid/1579/ArticleID/644/Report-Shows-Faculty-Still-Prefer-Print-over-Digital-and-Open-Educational-Resources.aspx. ↵
- Amanda N. Langdon and Katherine E. Parker, “Bridging the Gap: Rural Librarians’ Journey to Understanding Students’ Role in OER Outreach,” International Journal of Open Educational Resources 2, no. 1 (Fall 2019/Winter 2020): 99–118, https://www.ijoer.org/bridging-the-gap-rural-librarians-journey-to-understanding-students-role-in-oer-outreach-doi10-18278-ijoer-2-1-7/. ↵
- Naomi S. Baron, “Reading in a Digital Age,” Phi Delta Kappan 99, no. 2 (2017): 15–20, https://doi.org/10.1177/0031721717734184. ↵
- “Is This the End of Print Textbooks?,” Two Sides, July 21, 2019, https://twosidesna.org/US/is-this-the-end-of-print-textbooks/. ↵
- Jessica Lyons, “10 Reasons Why You Should Not Sell Back Your Textbook,” Education Insider News Blog, Study.com, accessed April 3, 2020, https://study.com/articles/Selling_Back_Textbooks_Is_Not_a_Yes_or_No_Decision.html. ↵
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pressbooks
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2025-03-22T05:09:05.703149
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10-31-2023
|
{
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"subject": "Prints and printmaking, Open learning, distance education, , , ,"
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|
https://opentextbc.ca/printondemand/chapter/learni-literacy-access/
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Why Print Textbooks
5 Learning, Literacy, Accessibility
| Some students require a printed textbook because of their learning style, literacy level, or accessibility needs. |
Chapter table of contents
Learning is a complex process that involves acquisition of information through experience, instruction, and study. According to Gagné and Glaser, how well a student learns depends on several factors, such as working memory and academic ability.[1] Learning by reading the printed or digital page taps into even more competencies, including vocabulary, prior subject knowledge, and the speed — and comprehension level — at which one reads.[2] [3]
Some research suggests that choosing to read digital versus physical text can sacrifice a student’s depth of knowledge because of practices characteristic when using a screen: faster reading and extensive scrolling.[4] [5] Adding these effects to the learning challenges experienced by certain students makes the printed page a better choice — or even a necessity — for some.
Learning style
Many faculty and staff have observed that content format influences how well some of their students learn. Jennifer Kirkey, Chair of the Physics Department at Douglas College in British Columbia, says that she has “a small, but significant, number of students for whom print is essential due to problems with reading on the screen.”
Jennifer Stacey, Course Materials Manager for the University of British Columbia Bookstore, points out that learning differences mean that various formats should be made available for students in order to increase accessibility, comprehension, and success.
“Students should be able to access materials that support needs or preferences for how they best learn,” she says, “and, for some students, that means having a print option available.”
Learning English
Adult Basic Education
Shantel Ivits, Department Head of Basic Education at Vancouver Community College, says that having textbooks available in print ensures a level playing field for students who do not own the technology or possess the computer literacy skills to access textbooks online.
“For adult literacy learners who are already working hard to learn to decode text,” explains Ivits, “the online interface adds an extra layer of intimidation and challenge. Printed texts remove this barrier and help make literacy learning a more comfortable experience.”
English language learning and foreign language learning
Learning another language is difficult for most people. In English-speaking countries, like Canada and the United States, we refer to these programs as ELL (English language learning), ESL (English as a second language), and EFL (English as a foreign language). A broader term given to language learning is FLL (foreign language learning). Regardless of the label, the form in which these learning materials are provided can affect the road to fluency.
At the Acsenda School of Management in Vancouver, where over 80 per cent of students come from outside Canada, Ali de Haan, Manager of Library and Instructional Services, says that many international students report feeling more comfortable with a printed book.[6]
“A common bit of feedback I’ve heard,” says Ali, “is that it is easier to understand English in print, and they feel like they can take their time with it. Also, I think there is a comfort factor with print, as many of them haven’t used an eBook in their studies before.”
This approach can also be applied to students who are native English speakers and learning a foreign language, such as French or Mandarin. In a 2019 paper from Indonesia, Pardede reviewed literature on reading comprehension among ELL students who were using digital text. He reported that, compared to the printed page, online reading requires a complex set of strategies, such as scrolling, navigating, decision making, and visual processing. These demands may result in lower comprehension scores for some students.[7]
Accessibility
Finally, for some students, online resources present accessibility problems. Susan Fleming, Educational Technologist at College of the Rockies in Cranbrook, B.C., says she has worked with students who have difficulty reading from a screen for more than a couple of minutes due to visual impairments, visual processing problems (e.g., dyslexia), and visual focusing issues. More specific conditions that can cause problems, says Fleming, include Meares-Irlen Syndrome, which can result in chronic dizziness that can trigger psychiatric issues, and Computer Vision Syndrome.[8]
Media Attributions
- Acorn Oak Brown © svklimkin is used under a Pixabay License and is adapted by Lauri Aesoph
- Robert M. Gagné and Robert Glaser, “Foundations in Learning Research,” in Instructional Technology: Foundations, ed. Robert M. Gagné (Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 1987), 49–83. ↵
- Peter Afflerbach, ed., Handbook of Individual Differences in Reading: Reader, Text, and Context (New York: Routledge, 2015). ↵
- Steven G. Luke, John M. Henderson, and Fernanda Ferreira, “Children’s Eye-Movements During Reading Reflect the Quality of Lexical Representations: An Individual Differences Approach,” Journal of Experimental Psychology 41, no. 6 (November 2015): 1675–83, https://doi.org/10.1037/xlm0000133. ↵
- Wolfgang Lenhard, Ulrich Schroeders, and Alexandra Lenhard, “Equivalence of Screen Versus Print Reading Comprehension Depends on Task Complexity and Proficiency,” Discourse Processes 54, no. 5–6 (2017): 427–45, https://doi.org/10.1080/0163853X.2017.1319653. ↵
- Maria Giulia Cataldo and Jane Oakhill, “Why Are Poor Comprehenders Inefficient Searchers? An Investigation into the Effects of Text Representation and Spatial Memory on the Ability to Locate Information in Text,” Journal of Educational Psychology 92, no. 4 (2000): 791–799, https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0663.92.4.791. ↵
- “Admissions,” Acsenda School of Management, accessed March 25, 2020, https://www.acsenda.com/admissions-for-international-business-programs/. ↵
- Parlindungan Pardede, “Print vs Digital Reading Comprehension in EFL,” Journal of English Teaching 5, no. 2 (2019), https://doi.org/10.33541/jet.v5i2.1059. ↵
- American Osteopathic Association, “Chronic Dizziness Can Result from, or Trigger, Psychiatric Disorders: Research Notes Psychiatric Disorders Present in 15 Percent of Patients with Chronic Dizziness,” ScienceDaily, April 30, 2018, www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/04/180430102506.htm. ↵
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pressbooks
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2025-03-22T05:09:05.720179
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10-31-2023
|
{
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"url": "https://opentextbc.ca/printondemand/chapter/learni-literacy-access/",
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"title": "Print-on-Demand Guide",
"author": "Lauri M. Aesoph",
"institution": "",
"subject": "Prints and printmaking, Open learning, distance education, , , ,"
}
|
https://opentextbc.ca/printondemand/chapter/only-option/
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Why Print Textbooks
6 When Print Is the Only Option
| Students with no or limited computer and/or internet access need a printed book for courses that use an online textbook. |
It should not be assumed that all students have reliable, fast, or any internet access — or computers or mobile devices — at home or on campus. The B.C. provincial government reports that, while 93 per cent of its urban households have internet access at the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) target speeds of 50/10 Mbps,[1] approximately two-thirds of its rural and Indigenous communities do not.[2]
For post-secondary institutions in remote regions, pulling up an online open textbook can be difficult or impossible. For these situations, a printed textbook is needed. Jason Wallace, Purchasing Manager for Print and Retail Services at North Island College in Comox, B.C., concurs, stating, “Not all students have access to high-speed internet and computers. We have students and programs in very remote communities, and online-only is not a viable option.”
The reasons for poor connectivity within a community, on campus, or for an individual or family are many, as listed on Connected Communities: Success Factors. Connected Communities, an initiative of the B.C. Ministry of Citizens’ Services, was designed to “support the digital readiness of local governments, First Nations and rural communities.”[3]
The five success factors on the Connected Communities list are leadership and support, connectivity, digital capability, sustainability, and community well-being. From these can be drawn three general areas that need attention by regions looking to upgrade internet service. These are:
- Leadership’s willingness and ability to collaborate with the internet service provider and strategically plan and implement steps to install (and maintain) online services
- Assurance that internet service will not only be affordable for the community, but provide adequate bandwidth and speed for students learning online and individuals working online
- A pledge that affordable training is made available for users with little or no computer and/or internet skills
Carolee Clyne, BCcampus’ Open Education Advisor for Northern B.C., sums up the issue this way:
“Challenges with internet in the rural areas can be linked to distance from major urban centres. The farther away and the smaller the population, the less likely there is consistent access. Both cellphone service and wired internet services are limited. For many residents, the cost to have the services is more than they can afford, so they do without. Often, the computer literacy is limited, given this scarcity of access. In many communities, a key community centre will have access, and this would be the only place for access in these areas. People using the centre will also have limited opportunity to explore online for a couple of reasons: the quality of the connection is often poor and low bandwidth, so response times are slow, and this resource is shared with the community, so times are limited.”
Media Attributions
- Acorn Oak Brown © svklimkin is used under a Pixabay License and is adapted by Lauri Aesoph
- 50 Mbps for downloads and 10 Mbps for uploads. ↵
- “Connectivity in B.C.,” Province of British Columbia, accessed April 24, 2020, https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/governments/connectivity-in-bc. ↵
- “Connected Communities: Success Factors,” Province of British Columbia, accessed April 24, 2020, https://web.archive.org/web/20211123064622/https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/governments/connectivity-in-bc/connected-communities/success-factors. ↵
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pressbooks
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2025-03-22T05:09:05.732737
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10-31-2023
|
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|
https://opentextbc.ca/printondemand/chapter/fast-cheap/
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PoD on Campus
7 Faster and Cheaper
| Using an on-campus printing service eliminates shipping time and costs. |
Print-on-demand options for open textbooks and other OER have been available as part of various collections and repositories for several years. Providing this same service at a student’s college or university offers two advantages over a service that is far away: it’s faster and cheaper. Martin Warkentin, Copyright Librarian at the University of the Fraser Valley, points out that savings include more than time and money.
“From a sustainability perspective,” says Martin, “it makes sense for printing to occur locally with minimal transportation requirements … (and to avoid) unnecessary generation of more packaging and fuel consumption.”
It’s faster because the purchaser doesn’t need to wait for an off-campus service to process the order, then print, bind, and ship the book. It has been observed, for example, that B.C. students and faculty ordering from the B.C. Open Collection store receive shipments sooner than customers in eastern Canada and across the border in the United States.
A campus-based print-on-demand service is cheaper because shipping is not part of the cost. Of course, the pricing structure for printed open textbooks and educational resources varies between institutions. A common topic among individuals interested in print on demand for OER is how to offer students an affordable printed alternative to traditional commercial textbooks.
Jason Wallace, Purchasing Manager for Print and Retail Services at North Island College, points out some of the problems observed on his campus among students seeking printed books.
“We have many students,” says Jason, “including remote students, with limited or no access to internet and electronic devices who find it unaffordable to photocopy materials through some place like Staples; others don’t even have access to a copy shop. Some people have trouble reading from screens. Some people don’t have a credit card to order a book online. So being able to go to their campus store and get what they need, often through funding — which they can’t use online — is not only convenient, but sometimes essential.”
Pressbooks BUY BOOK Option
For post-secondary institutions that have Pressbooks-based open textbooks written and published by their faculty, staff or students, using the BUY BOOK option in is an effective way for readers to learn about a campus’s print-on-demand option. This feature allows the author to post a BUY BOOK button on the home page of their book which can be linked to any printing or purchasing service.
For more information, see the Publish chapter in the Pressbooks User Guide.
Media Attributions
- Acorn Oak Brown © svklimkin is used under a Pixabay License and is adapted by Lauri Aesoph
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pressbooks
|
2025-03-22T05:09:05.744418
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10-31-2023
|
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"url": "https://opentextbc.ca/printondemand/chapter/fast-cheap/",
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|
https://opentextbc.ca/printondemand/chapter/familiarity-values/
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PoD on Campus
8 Familiarity and Values
| Familiarity with an institution’s values, culture, and process gives the on-campus print-on-demand service an advantage over an outside provider. |
In his 2012 article “The University Culture,” Joseph Simplicio writes about the “unique and cherished culture.… [that is] steeped in tradition” at universities. He says that these values are important to an institution’s viability because they create “stability and continuity” for its members.[1] These shared values and experiences, as well as familiarity with institutional practices and policies, create a bond between individual members of a post-secondary community.
Each post-secondary institution can come up with a list of ways that a campus-based printing service might access and incorporate its traditions and values. Here are some ideas:
- Showcase. Display printed open textbooks in the campus bookstore window to expand awareness.
- Normalize. Place open textbooks on bookstore shelves alongside other printed resources, such as commercial textbooks and course packs, to standardize open textbook use.
- Brand. Kwantlen Polytechnic University includes the KPU logo on the covers of open textbooks, such as Getting to Know Your International Students.
- Educate. Ask the campus copyright officer to compose a statement about open licences that can be added to open textbooks.
- Celebrate. Highlight open textbooks revised by the institution’s instructors. For example, Thompson Rivers University published an article when Renée Anderson adapted Clinical Procedures for Safer Patient Care to create Clinical Procedures for Safer Patient Care – Thompson Rivers University Edition. For more information, see this article called “TRU Makes Textbooks Free and Available Online.”
Campus Pride
A post-secondary institution’s website often includes a page describing its history, values, mission, and how they serve their students and the community surrounding them. Below are examples from 47 public and private colleges, institutes, and universities across British Columbia.[2]
- Acsenda School of Management
- Adler University
- Alexander College
- British Columbia Institute of Technology
- Cambria College
- Camosun College
- Capilano University
- CDI College
- Coast Mountain College
- College of New Caledonia
- College of the Rockies
- Columbia Bible College
- Columbia College
- Coquitlam College
- Corpus Christi College
- Dorset College
- Douglas College
- Emily Carr University of Art + Design
- Eton College
- Farleigh Dickinson University
- Fraser International College
- Justice Institute of British Columbia
- Kwantlen Polytechnic University
- Langara College
- LaSalle College Vancouver
- Native Education College
- Nicola Valley Institute of Technology
- North Island College
- Northern Lights College
- Okanagan College
- Pacific Coast University for Workplace Health Sciences
- Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts
- Royal Roads University
- Selkirk College
- Simon Fraser University
- Thompson Rivers University
- Trinity Western University
- Tulo Centre of Indigenous Economics
- University Canada West
- University of British Columbia
- University of Northern British Columbia
- University of the Fraser Valley
- University of Victoria
- Vancouver Community College
- Vancouver Island University
- Yorkville University
Media Attributions
- Acorn Oak Brown © svklimkin is used under a Pixabay License and is adapted by Lauri Aesoph
- Joseph Simplicio, “The University Culture,” Education 133, no. 2 (Winter 2012): 336–9, https://www.questia.com/library/journal/1G1-313160605/the-university-culture. ↵
- To avoid overcrowding this textbox, these links have been excluded from the print version of this book. To view a particular institution’s values page, enter “[institution name] values” into an internet search engine. ↵
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pressbooks
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2025-03-22T05:09:05.762948
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10-31-2023
|
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"url": "https://opentextbc.ca/printondemand/chapter/familiarity-values/",
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"title": "Print-on-Demand Guide",
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"subject": "Prints and printmaking, Open learning, distance education, , , ,"
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|
https://opentextbc.ca/printondemand/chapter/control-flexibility/
|
PoD on Campus
9 Control and Flexibility
| An on-campus PoD service allows control over setup and flexibility to make changes as needed. |
Having control over how a print-on-demand service is constructed — and the flexibility to adjust the process as needed — are two more advantages of printing open textbooks on campus. However, before arranging for an open textbook PoD option, it is wise to consult with departments and individuals that will be involved in the process — the textbook touchpoints — to save time and aggravation later on.
Some of the individuals and groups who use or handle textbooks are listed below.
Faculty: adoption and teaching
The decision about whether or not to use an open textbook in a course often rests with the instructor. At the very least, it is the instructor who must determine how the textbook will be used in the classroom and how it fits within the curriculum. Long term, the instructor might also consider how best and how often to make legally permitted changes to an assigned open textbook.
The convenience of an on-campus service that is willing and able to print open textbooks on demand benefits faculty in several ways:
- Convenience. On-campus services are nearby.
- Familiarity. Instructors are acquainted with their institutions’ bookstores and printshop ordering procedures.
- Special orders. Campus bookstores and printshops are designed to support faculty and students, making it easier for instructors to request printed copies of textbooks, including adaptations.
Printshop: production
The printshop is the expert on the process, materials, and pricing models needed to process orders. They also know what their department can reasonably manage if in-house print-on-demand services are expanded or added.
Bookstore: inventory and sales
An institution’s bookstore and its printshop are often inextricably linked. This relationship provides advantages for students who are assigned an open textbook and also want a printed version. Offering this option, either on demand or as pre-printed copies on the bookstore’s shelves, makes shopping for textbooks easier.
Library: catalogue and course reserve
Post-secondary libraries manage the curation, collection, and cataloguing of resources that support their institutions’ curricula. One way this is done is by ensuring current copies of required materials — including open textbooks — are included in the library’s reserve collection.
Office of the Registrar: course schedule and registration
The registrar’s office is responsible for posting course schedules and administering enrolment services for students. Some registration systems include as part of each course description the required textbook and materials; some take this a step further and mark books that are open and free. Other colleges, institutes, and universities may note that an “open source” or open textbook is available for a course, but do not provide the name of the book.
For post-secondary institutions that offer textbook print-on-demand services, adding information about this option to course registration listings makes for a clearer connection between course sign-up and course material availability and choices.
Students: using and learning
The end user of an open textbook — the student — should be included in a discussion about if and how a book should be made available in printed form. Students are appreciative when their institution makes affordable course materials available. They are also thankful when the process for how this information is shared is clear and easy to find.
Long descriptions
Textbook Touchpoints image description: The standard textbook touchpoints include faculty, students, and the institutional bookstore and printshop. Other textbook touchpoints include the registrar’s office, articulation committees, the library, department chairs, and academic governance. [return to Textbook Touchpoints]
Media Attributions
- Acorn Oak Brown © svklimkin is used under a Pixabay License and is adapted by Lauri Aesoph
- Textbook Touchpoints © BCcampus is licensed under a CC BY (Attribution) license
- Printing Industry © andreas160578 is used under a Pixabay License and is adapted by Lauri Aesoph
- Library Books Education © Foundry Co is used under a Pixabay License and is adapted by Lauri Aesoph
|
pressbooks
|
2025-03-22T05:09:05.777255
|
10-31-2023
|
{
"license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
"url": "https://opentextbc.ca/printondemand/chapter/control-flexibility/",
"book_url": "https://opentextbc.ca/printondemand/front-matter/accessibility-statement/",
"title": "Print-on-Demand Guide",
"author": "Lauri M. Aesoph",
"institution": "",
"subject": "Prints and printmaking, Open learning, distance education, , , ,"
}
|
https://opentextbc.ca/printondemand/chapter/plan/
|
PoD Setup
10 The Plan
| A successful print-on-demand service is not only easy for faculty and students to find and use, but is part of an institution’s regular workflow. |
Installing a successful print-on-demand service for open textbooks begins with a plan that takes into account the available resources of the college, institute, or university, as well as the needs of its students and instructors. It anticipates potential problems during operation and includes a tracking method that can used during the service’s review and evaluation.
If the goal of an open textbook print-on-demand service is to successfully provide students and instructors with an option that is easy to locate and simple to use, a good place to start is to invite representatives from textbook touchpoint groups to provide input about the service and how they think print on demand for open textbooks should function. The below planning considerations box lists questions that can be used during this first step.
Planning considerations
- What would an ideal printing service for open textbooks look like?
- What are the pros and cons of offering this service?
- Are there limitations to what can be provided? What are they and how do they affect the service?
- For institutions that do not have a campus-based bookstore and/or printshop, is there a way to assist students wanting a printed open textbook by providing instructions on how and where to do this through an independent service off campus?
- Will this service be rolled out in stages to allow an assessment of each phase and, if needed, an adjustment to the plan?
- What is the budget needed or available for launching this service? Is the goal to break even or to operate with a deficit that can be covered by the institution?[1]
- Which departments and individuals will be involved and/or affected by this service?
- What steps should be taken to ensure that involved departments and individuals are coordinated in this process? For instance, how will communication regarding assigned responsibilities take place?
- What steps should be taken to ensure that open textbooks assigned to courses in a ZTC[2] program — including the option to print these books — are included in the textbook workflow?
- Will the process for ordering textbooks printed on demand be different for instructors and students?
- Will metrics for this service be tracked? If so, which information will be recorded and by whom?
- How will this new service be advertised to the campus community?
Planning lists
Once feedback has been gathered, a planning committee can be formed by those who provided input and others to begin the work of determining if and how a PoD service should be implemented. The below documents are provided to help guide each phase of the planning process. (The information gathered from these records can also be used to take inventory of open educational activity and interest on campus.)
- Planning timeline [Word file]
- Brainstorm blueprint [Word file]
- Departments and groups [Word file]
- Requirements and budget [Word file]
- Messaging plan [Word file]
- Tracking and assessment [Word file]
Service partners
Each institution will have a different set of individuals and departments that participate in the planning and undertaking of a PoD service. This guide covers three of those groups: the Printshop, Bookstore, and Library.
Service Interruption
There will be times when a print-on-demand service is interrupted. Anticipating and planning for this event should be part of the PoD service blueprint, including possible reasons for a halt to service; expected outage time; and a response plan.
Media Attributions
- Acorn Oak Brown © svklimkin is used under a Pixabay License and is adapted by Lauri Aesoph
- Because the intention behind offering open textbooks is to provide students with an affordable course material option, most campus printshops do not make a profit from selling these items. Also, openly licensed books released with a NonCommercial (NC) provision do not allow books to be sold for profit. ↵
- Zero Textbook Cost ↵
|
pressbooks
|
2025-03-22T05:09:05.792082
|
10-31-2023
|
{
"license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
"url": "https://opentextbc.ca/printondemand/chapter/plan/",
"book_url": "https://opentextbc.ca/printondemand/front-matter/accessibility-statement/",
"title": "Print-on-Demand Guide",
"author": "Lauri M. Aesoph",
"institution": "",
"subject": "Prints and printmaking, Open learning, distance education, , , ,"
}
|
https://opentextbc.ca/printondemand/chapter/printshop/
|
PoD Setup
11 Printshop
| Printshop staff, as the experts who fill printing orders, are important contributors to the planning and setup of an open textbook PoD service. |
The campus-based printshop is the on-the-ground workhorse that makes an open textbook print on demand possible. Its staff not only print open textbooks, but possess the skills to handle equipment and technology, know the process to complete jobs, and are familiar with its institution’s courses and programs, as well as the needs of its faculty and students (see Familiarity and Values).
The on-site printshop also offers flexibility and convenience at a reasonable price (see Control and Flexibility and Faster and Cheaper). For example, a faculty member who has revised an open textbook that they don’t plan to share with the global community can still have their course-specific version printed for their students at a reasonable cost, which is something that may not be possible through a publisher specializing in instructor-customized textbooks. Students, looking to print a select number of pages or chapters for personal use, are also well served.
A nearby printshop is not only handy, but allows individuals to ask questions directly of its staff, thus making complex orders less daunting. A book with many images, for example, might require special attention to colour printing and the expertise of a printshop staffer. Staff may determine that a book slated for heavy use requires a more sturdy construction than the typical printed book, such as with a book that a student plans to use for several courses or terms or an order for the library course reserve.
Each printshop will have its own operational procedures and capacity, which may depend on the number of staff and available equipment. For those contemplating the addition of an open textbook print-on-demand service, below are items to consider during setup.
Printshop considerations
- Are there limitations to what can be offered? For example, can one copy be ordered, or is there a minimum number?
- What will the turnaround time be? Will it vary depending on the number of pages, customizations, and type of binding?
- Can a portion of an open textbook be printed? What information must the student or instructor provide for these customized orders?
- How much will each book cost? How will the price be calculated? Per page? What is the cost for extras, colour, or a rush job? Will quoted prices be honoured, or are there cases when the cost may change because of an unforeseen problem?
- In what format must the textbook contents be provided? For example, as a print PDF file? Must it be print ready?
- Must a print-ready digital file be provided for the textbook cover?
- What options will be provided for textbook covers, such as around size, paper colour, and weight?
- Will the PoD service include textbook cover design? If so, what information should be collected for inclusion on the cover (title, author, instructor, course, source)?
- Will a generic cover option be available?
- How will the textbook pages be secured: bound vs. spiral-bound vs. loose leaf?
- If the textbook is to be bound, will it be paperback or hardcover?
- If textbooks are presented like course packs and printed with a three-hole punch, will they be shrink wrapped (to keeps prices affordable)?
- Will both colour and black and white options be available?
- Is the printshop set up for students and faculty who prefer to print items on their own? Are students provided with a print credit or discount? Is there a way to incorporate this policy into printing open textbooks so, for example, the affordability of these course materials can be highlighted?
Printshop instruction sheets
The permissions granted by the copyright holder of an open educational resource (OER) present unique opportunities — and uncertainty — for those wanting to print OER. Below are suggestions of what to include on instruction sheets for faculty and students using an open textbook print-on-demand service.
- Faculty instructions
- List the permissions allowed with an open-copyright (such as Creative Commons) licence, including the right to change, copy, keep, and share the work. Reassure the user that an openly licensed textbook or other educational resource may be changed or copied without risk of copyright infringement.
- Point out the flexibility of open textbooks, such as the right to print select portions of an open textbook (individual pages or chapters) or the entire book.
- Mention the ability to print an open textbook in which content has been removed, changed, or added to better suit the needs of the instructor and their course.
- Suggest adding a page to the printed book describing what has been changed or added to an open textbook, the revision date, and the institution’s policy or goal for open education.
- Student instructions
- Provide the definition of an open textbook. Explain that an openly licensed textbook or other educational resource may be changed or copied without risk of copyright infringement.
- List the advantages to students of using open textbooks:
- Cost: the online version is free
- Open pedagogy: course assignments that include students in meaningful activities, such as the generation of material that can be used by others
- Cooperation: allows and encourages collaboration among students and between students and instructors.
- Include a list of reference materials targeted at students, such as the OER Student Toolkit and the Textbook Affordability Student Toolkit.
Textbook cover options
For printed open textbooks that require a cover, below are several options:
- If the cover of an existing textbook is openly licensed, make a copy and save as a digital file.
- Use the book cover feature in Pressbooks.
- Use the BCcampus Open Textbook Cover Toolkit in Appendix A.
- See Textbook Cover in the Self-Publishing Guide.
Printshop Limitations
Providing print-on-demand services for open textbooks is a stretch for some printshops, especially those managed by a staff of few or one. Other limitations might include:
- The type and amount of equipment available to print, shrink-wrap, and bind
- The operational hours of the shop
- The shop’s budget
Other demands for a printshop’s services also influence its ability to add a new service like print on demand or bulk orders for open textbooks. If the shop does proceed — knowing there will be limitations to service — it should determine in advance:
- How many orders it can handle
- The turnaround time for orders
- How well it can respond to complex and customized requests
Media Attributions
- Acorn Oak Brown © svklimkin is used under a Pixabay License and is adapted by Lauri Aesoph
|
pressbooks
|
2025-03-22T05:09:05.810466
|
10-31-2023
|
{
"license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
"url": "https://opentextbc.ca/printondemand/chapter/printshop/",
"book_url": "https://opentextbc.ca/printondemand/front-matter/accessibility-statement/",
"title": "Print-on-Demand Guide",
"author": "Lauri M. Aesoph",
"institution": "",
"subject": "Prints and printmaking, Open learning, distance education, , , ,"
}
|
https://opentextbc.ca/printondemand/chapter/bookstore/
|
PoD Setup
12 Bookstore
| The bookstore, often the first stop for students searching for course materials, is well positioned to collect information about open textbook adoptions and sell printed copies to those who want or need them. |
The bookstore contains the campus experts on textbooks and materials required for its institution’s courses. Bookstore staff note faculty adoptions, stock and manage inventory, and assist students buying these resources, while simultaneously maximizing student savings and attending to student concerns.
Post-secondary bookstores have also had to keep up with the times as sales from textbooks have eroded due to digital books, books for rent, the used market, and big box and discount online stores. To survive, campus bookstores — which, decades ago, carried mostly textbooks — have downsized and diversified by carrying products like clothing and snacks.[1] Rajiv Jhangiani, Associate Vice Provost of Open Education at Kwantlen Polytechnic University, says that on-campus print-on-demand options provide a new potential revenue stream for bookstores.
University and college bookstores can, and often do, work with their campus’s print service to arrange for print-on-demand copies of open textbooks and other educational resources. These arrangements might involve individual orders from students or bulk orders requested by instructors for courses. Mark Adams, Director of Ancillary Services for Langara College, is responsible for overseeing bookstore and print services operations at his college bookstore, where he says students continually request hard copies of books.
“Giving students options,” he says, “is ideal.”
The below list of considerations is a starting point for bookstore and course materials managers and staff to explore this topic.
Bookstore considerations
- Does the bookstore have an established and clear communication channel with its faculty about how and when to report textbook and course material adoptions?
- Are faculty required to report open textbook adoptions, even though digital versions are free to students?
- Do faculty know they can and should report the assignment of an open textbook to the bookstore?
- What steps do faculty need to follow if they want the bookstore to provide printed copies of open textbooks assigned to a course?
- Should the bookstore’s online textbook list include open textbooks (even if free)?
- Should it be standard practice to print a set amount of assigned open textbooks for each course to display on the bookstore shelves for students to buy?
- Will courses assigned an open textbook be tagged with this information in the online store, thus allowing students to search for courses using OER?
- Will open textbooks assigned to courses that are part of the institution’s ZTC programs be included?
- Will a print-on-demand option be included in the description?
- What factors will determine the cost of pre-printed open textbooks?
- Will these prices differ from print-on-demand orders?
- Will discounts be offered for bulk orders?
- Will printed open textbooks be specially marked or labelled on bookstore shelves?
- Will the book come with a note and a link indicating that it’s available for free online?
- Will an explanation about open-copyright licences be provided?
- Will returns of printed open textbooks be permitted? During what time frame?
- What form will refunds take? Cash refund? Rain check? Exchange?
- Will printed open textbooks be eligible for the bookstore’s buyback program?
- Will this apply to all used open textbooks, or must they fit certain criteria, such as subject area, original text vs. faculty adaptation, book format (bound, loose leaf, Cerlox binding)?
- Will there be a website or physical space — either bookstore-run or student-sponsored — for selling used open textbooks?
Bookstore templates
Asking faculty to report open textbooks as adoptions — even if the online version is free — helps students who look to the bookstore for assistance identifying and gathering course materials. Below are two templates that can assist the bookstore in this effort:
Bookstores in action
University of British Columbia (UBC)
The UBC Bookstore has a page called Instructors: Course Materials Resources that includes a section on OER and links to open repositories. The bookstore also posts links to open repositories on the list of UBC Vancouver Publisher Contacts and allows instructors to place orders for open resources. A procedure is in place to add this information to student book lists and the course registration website, according to Jennifer Stacey, Course Materials Manager. If a faculty member lets the bookstore know they are using an open resource, the bookstore will provide printed copies if printable files are available and the material can be properly bound.
Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU)
In KPU’s LibGuide on open educational resources, there is a page with a print on demand setup tutorial video that instructs faculty to submit to the KPU printshop print-optimized PDF files for open textbooks selected for their course. Students pay for these books in the bookstore or online and can pick up their order 24–48 hours later, using the rain check procedure. Books are available in loose-leaf format.
Douglas College
At the Douglas College Bookstore, the Open Education Resource Assistance section of the Douglas College faculty intranet provides this guidance to instructors:
Douglas College Bookstore is committed to the accessibility and affordability of course materials. In addition to digital initiatives and involvement with national associations that enable us to find lower cost alternatives, we also actively support the Open Educational Resource movement. If OER materials are adopted, students who wish to print the material may quickly use their allotment of free printing. If you would like the OER materials available for students to have in printed form, the Bookstore can, dependent upon the rights associated with the material, reproduce the materials into a physical Coursepack. The Coursepack could be listed as optional for the course and be available for sale at the Bookstore in a double sided format. To begin this process, please contact the Coursepack & Copyright Coordinator. If the OER materials are available in printed format direct from OpenStax, the materials can be purchased by the store for sale as an optional item for the course. As OERs continue to evolve, so will the Bookstore, but here are a few things that we are doing right now to assist with this initiative:
- We include listings of required OERs on our Booklist so students can see all required course materials “at-a-glance” (on their personalized booklist).
- The Bookstore can provide inexpensive print-on-demand options for students who prefer to study and make notes in traditional print form.
- The Bookstore collaborates with faculty members and educational departments to ensure that OER communication and delivery is optimized.
- The Bookstore is dedicated to keeping up-to date on new trends in OERs to ensure we are able to adjust and add services that will improve the student experience on our campus.
The Bookstore–Library Partnership
Many post-secondary bookstores have strong relationships with their campus’s libraries, particularly when it comes to how each department can support the usage and availability of open educational resources in both digital and printed formats.
Inba Kehoe, Copyright Officer, Scholarly Communication & Research Repository Librarian at the University of Victoria, says this about the situation at her institution:
The UVic Bookstore has been a great partner with UVic Libraries for quite a long time, and I am particularly grateful for their open and collegial partnership. We meet with the bookstore manager and the course materials manager on a monthly basis and cover issues related to copyright, library open access monograph publishing, OER textbook print on demand, future badging in the textbook catalogue, transitioning faculty away from print course packs to licensed electronic resources, etc. The UVic Bookstore’s primary goal is to help the students wherever they can, and staff have worked collaboratively with us on open access and education initiatives that would help lower the costs of course materials. I believe that we have the longest and strongest library–bookstore partnership in Canada.
Media Attributions
- Acorn Oak Brown © svklimkin is used under a Pixabay License and is adapted by Lauri Aesoph
- Rosanna Tamburri, “University Bookstores Change with the Times,” University Affairs, April 8, 2015, https://www.universityaffairs.ca/news/news-article/university-bookstores-change-with-the-times/. ↵
|
pressbooks
|
2025-03-22T05:09:05.829381
|
10-31-2023
|
{
"license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
"url": "https://opentextbc.ca/printondemand/chapter/bookstore/",
"book_url": "https://opentextbc.ca/printondemand/front-matter/accessibility-statement/",
"title": "Print-on-Demand Guide",
"author": "Lauri M. Aesoph",
"institution": "",
"subject": "Prints and printmaking, Open learning, distance education, , , ,"
}
|
https://opentextbc.ca/printondemand/chapter/library/
|
PoD Setup
13 Library
| Adding printed open textbooks to the library provides examples for instructors considering adoption and access to students who need or want a physical book. |
Like at UVic, the Langara College library and bookstore have a strong partnership with the goal of providing “students and instructors with a centralized place to gather course materials, whether print or digital, commercial or openly licensed.” Instructors who use OER in the classroom are asked to inform the Langara Bookstore so these items can be added to the course materials list.[1]
Besides including open textbooks and other OER in its bookstore, Langara College is one of several post-secondary institutions in British Columbia that stocks open textbooks on its library shelves as course references. Still, not everyone agrees that college and university libraries should include printed open textbooks. The below list of considerations is a good place for libraries to begin the discussion about where they stand on this matter.
Library considerations
- Should a printed copy of all assigned open textbooks be added to the course reserve? If not, should a digital copy be added to the electronic reserve?
- How much of the library budget should be allocated to printing open textbooks?
- How many copies of each printed textbook should be added to the library reserve collection? What factors determine this number?
- Should the library add printed open textbooks to its reference collection for faculty considering the adoption of an OER for a course? How will these textbooks be chosen?
- Are there supplemental items that can be added to open textbooks, such as bookmarks, that explain the purpose behind using these course materials?
- Once a printed open textbook no longer meets the requirements of a course or has been revised and replaced by a newer version, what happens to the old one? Will it remain in the collection, or be donated to students or instructors? Can it be used as part of the open education advocacy work at the college, institute, or university?
Respondents to the BCcampus Print-on-Demand Survey were split on whether or not printed copies of open textbooks should be part of a post-secondary library’s collection. This is what they said.
| … belong in the library | … do not belong in the library |
|---|---|
|
|
Library templates
Here are templates to plan and direct the library’s participation in an open textbook printing service:
- Printed open textbook decision form [Word file]
- Open textbook tracking form [Word file]
- Open textbook options for adoption [Word file]
Libraries in action
Opinions aside, several colleges and universities are choosing to include printed OER in their library stacks. In addition to Langara College, other examples are listed below.
Douglas College
Debra Flewelling, Open Education & Emerging Technologies Librarian at Douglas College, says that, in the past, her department would buy bound copies of select open textbooks so faculty could assess them as they considered adopting an open educational resource. If an instructor chose to use an open textbook, a printed copy was placed in the library’s course reserve.
“What’s changing our practice these days,” adds Flewelling, “is that some of our faculty have moved beyond adoption to adaptation. We’re now experimenting with printing and Cerlox-binding textbooks in our printshop in order to include open textbooks in our course reserves.”
University of British Columbia (UBC)
The UBC Library houses several Open Collections, including UBC publications and theses and dissertations by its students. cIRcle, UBC’s open access digital repository, contains published and unpublished materials authored by UBC staff, faculty, students, and its partners and the surrounding community.
Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU)
At KPU, the library does not automatically put required open textbooks on reserve. Instead, it allows each faculty member to decide whether their adopted textbooks should be placed there.
“We also leave it up to the student whether they would like to use the online or print copy of a required open textbook,” says Caroline Daniels, Librarian at KPU. “We have made print-on-demand (PoD) services available in a number of ways in hopes of accommodating all the different scenarios that may arise. While faculty can make arrangements in advance with the KPU bookstore to make printed books available to students within their courses, the library can also help students obtain print copies of open textbooks for any of their courses for the price of printing.”
This is done, explains Daniels, either through KPU’s print services or, for books in the B.C. Open Collection, through SFU Document Solutions (see Appendix B). KPU has made a special arrangement with SFU whereby print-on-demand open textbooks are delivered at no charge to a KPU campus through B.C.’s post-secondary interlibrary loan service.
“In the end,” says Daniels, “we try to think of what suits the student best.”
Media Attributions
- Acorn Oak Brown © svklimkin is used under a Pixabay License and is adapted by Lauri Aesoph
- “Contact Us,” Open Education Research Guide, Langara College Library, last modified June 18, 2020, https://langara.libguides.com/open-education/contact-us. ↵
|
pressbooks
|
2025-03-22T05:09:05.846937
|
10-31-2023
|
{
"license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
"url": "https://opentextbc.ca/printondemand/chapter/library/",
"book_url": "https://opentextbc.ca/printondemand/front-matter/accessibility-statement/",
"title": "Print-on-Demand Guide",
"author": "Lauri M. Aesoph",
"institution": "",
"subject": "Prints and printmaking, Open learning, distance education, , , ,"
}
|
https://pressbooks.bccampus.ca/ericsaczuk/chapter/chapter-1/
|
Part 1 – Project Setup
Overview
The steps necessary to add a local geoid and custom Python scripts to MetaShape are described below.
Geoids
In order to improve the horizontal and vertical accuracy of maps and 3-D models generated in Photoscan, it is sometimes necessary to apply a local geoid. Any geoids in the correct data format can be used or they can be downloaded from Agisoft here.
Once downloaded, they must be copied to the Agisoft geoids directory (e.g. C:\Program Files\Agisoft\MetaShape Pro\geoids) prior to launching the software. If MetaShape is running, after the geoid is copied, it must be restarted.
Python Scripts
Python scripts are used to perform multiple sequential operations using a single command. They serve as shortcuts or give access to other functions of the software and data. The MetaShape Python script repository can be found here.
Click here to download a script used to adjust the altitude of input photos. This updates the altitude from heights relative to the WGS 84 ellipsoid to heights relative to the ground which are much more useful and relevant.
Any downloaded scripts must be copied into the MetaShape Scripts folder (e.g. C:\Program Files\Agisoft\MetaShape Pro\python\Scripts).
|
pressbooks
|
2025-03-22T05:09:05.856855
|
06-1-2020
|
{
"license": "Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/",
"url": "https://pressbooks.bccampus.ca/ericsaczuk/chapter/chapter-1/",
"book_url": "https://pressbooks.bccampus.ca/ericsaczuk/front-matter/preface/",
"title": "Processing Multi-spectral Imagery with Agisoft MetaShape Pro",
"author": "Dr. Eric Saczuk",
"institution": "",
"subject": "Geographical information systems, geodata and remote sensing, Robotics, Geographical information systems, geodata and remote sensing, Image processing"
}
|
https://pressbooks.bccampus.ca/ericsaczuk/chapter/chapter-1-2-setting-up-images/
|
Part 1 – Project Setup
Chapter 1.2 – Setting Up Images
Overview
In this chapter, the aim is to ensure that the images captured by the RPAS are ready for processing in MetaShape. A MetaShape project will be created into which the supplied RPAS images will be imported and then aligned to generate a spare point cloud with tie points.
MetaShape Project Setup
Download the RPAS images here. Create a folder called Multi-spectral in the Documents folder on your workstation. Open the Multi-spectral folder, create a sub-folder called Images and unzip the downloaded images into this sub-folder. You will have to remember the location of the Images folder. Ensure that all 4,465 images are present and note that each numbered image has a suffix (e.g. IMG_0131_1.tif). The suffix ( _x, where x = 1 through 5) indicates the multi-spectral band of each photo.
| Spectral Band Number | Spectral Band Characteristics |
| 1 | Blue (465 to 485 nm) |
| 2 | Green (550 to 570 nm) |
| 3 | Red (663 to 673 nm) |
| 4 | Near Infrared (820 to 860 nm) |
| 5 | Red Edge (712 to 722 nm) |
The full manual for the MicaSense RedEdge M multi-spectral sensors is available here.
From the Start menu, find and launch Agisoft MetaShape Professional.
Import Photos
Each of the five multi-spectral bands will need to processed separately in their own chunk. Ensure that your’re in the Workspace tab (Fig. 1 bottom left of screen), select Add Chunk (Fig. 1) and rename the chunk to Blue.
From the Workflow menu, select Add Photos, navigate to the Images sub-folder and in the Search Images box enter *_1 to find only the blue spectral band images. Select all images and click Open. From the Add Photos dialogue box, select Single Cameras and click OK. Your should now see a view similar to Fig. 2 although you may need to select Show Cameras first.
Select the Reference tab (bottom left of screen), to view all of the photos along with their longitude, latitude, altitude and estimated accuracy. Each photo thumbnail is also visible in the bottom Photos pane and a full resolution image can be opened by double-clicking the thumbnail.
In the main Model window, all of the image centers (principal point) are shown lined up according to how the RPAS flew the pre-programmed image acquisition mission (Fig. 2). The ball in the center of the Model window is used to rotate and spin the model in the X, Y and Z axes using the left mouse button. The right mouse button moves the model around while zooming in/out is done using the scroll-wheel on a mouse or by sliding two fingers on a touch pad.
Spin the model 90 deg from a top-down map view to a profile view as per Fig. 3. Notice that in addition to all the photos taken while the RPAS was at the operating altitude (approximately 68 to 93m), there is also a “column” of points extending down to the ground. These represent the photos that were taken while the RPAS was taking off and landing and need to be removed prior to any further processing.
The best way to filter out these points is to search in the Altitude column of the Reference pane for values that are lower than the altitude at which the mission was flown (i.e. lower than ~68m). The easiest way to accomplish this is to sort the Altitude column from lowest to highest, select all photos from the lowest altitude to ~65m, right-click, select Remove Cameras and click Yes in the confirmation box.
Press 0 (zero) to rotate the images back to map view. You’ll notice there are several “transit” lines (non-parallel to the flight lines) which are due to the RPAS transitioning between the take-off/landing and the starting point of the mission. These images do not represent data that should be processed. Manually select them in the list of cameras and remove them in a similar way as described above. When finished, you should end up with between 400 and about 500 cameras and a pattern similar to Fig. 4.
Assess Image Quality
The next quality assurance step is to assess the quality of the input photos. MetaShape checks basic photo attributes such as motion blur, focus, contrast and exposure. In the bottom Photo pane, switch to Details view, right-click on one of the photos , select Estimate Image Quality…, select All Photos then OK to see the quality score. Scores range from 0 (unacceptable) to 1.0 (perfect) and any photos below 0.6 should not be included in further processing and removed.
Adjust Coordinate System
At this stage, it is important to adjust the coordinate system of the photos to match that of the coordinate system of the ground control points (GCPs). The coordinate system that the GCPs were collected in is NAD83(CSRS) UTM Zone 10N with the CGVD2013 geoid. To adjust the photo centers, in the Reference pane click on the Convert icon, and from the Coordinate System drop down, select NAD83(CSRS) / UTM zone 10N + CGVD2013 height (EPSG::6653) and click OK. Note that the photo coordinates have now been updated to Easting, Northing and an altitude relative to the CGVD 2013 geoid.
Aligning Photos
So far, the software only knows where the center of each photo should be in absolute space (i.e. the coordinate system established in the previous step). It doesn’t yet know how all the overlapping photos connect or fit together. This is the purpose of the alignment function in MetaShape. Aligning photos is based on a computer vision concept called Structure from Motion.
From the Workflow menu, select Align Photos, adjust the parameters to match Fig. 6 below and click OK.
After a few minutes, the sparse point cloud showing the key tie points is generated and the view should look similar to the one below.
Save the project by accessing the File menu, selecting Save As…, naming it and clicking OK.
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pressbooks
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2025-03-22T05:09:05.871934
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06-1-2020
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"url": "https://pressbooks.bccampus.ca/ericsaczuk/chapter/chapter-1-2-setting-up-images/",
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"title": "Processing Multi-spectral Imagery with Agisoft MetaShape Pro",
"author": "Dr. Eric Saczuk",
"institution": "",
"subject": "Geographical information systems, geodata and remote sensing, Robotics, Geographical information systems, geodata and remote sensing, Image processing"
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|
https://pressbooks.bccampus.ca/ericsaczuk/chapter/chapter-1-3-ground-control-points/
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Part 1 – Project Setup
Chapter 1.3 – Ground Control Points
Overview
In this chapter, the goal is to add ground control points (GCPs) and use them to refine the relative and absolute orientations of the photos with reference to a real-world coordinate system.
Importing GCPs
MetaShape will accept GCP files in a range of different formats and file types. For this exercise, the GCPs are in a comma-delimited format (CSV) which can be imported directly by MetaShape. In the Reference tab, select Import Reference, navigate to where your GCP file is stored (i.e. Boundary.CSV) and click Open. Adjust the Coordinate System, Delimiter and Columns as per Fig. 8, paying close attention to the Start import at row value (2 in this case) and click OK.
Click Yes to All when asked whether to “Create new marker?”. You should now see a view similar to Fig. 9 showing the initial locations of nine control points. If the markers flags are not visible in your image, click Show Markers in the main toolbar.
Placing GCP markers
In the Reference pane, notice the list of nine markers with their corresponding Easting, Northing and Altitude. Right-click on a Marker (e.g. 1) and select Filter photos by markers. Now, in the Photos pane along the bottom of the main display window, all the photos that GCP 1 appears in are shown.
Double-click the first photo and zoom in on the flag for GCP 1. It may be that the actual GCP is not visible in that photo! The flag can initially be several meters from the target due to the absolute positional error of the RPAS GPS. Select the next photo if that’s the case.
The goal is to left-click and drag the marker flag to the centre of the checkered GCP as per Fig. 10 below.
Notice now that the columns Error (m), Projections and Error (pix) now have values in them indicating the relative (pix) and absolute (m) error associated with placing that marker. In order to get a true sense of these errors, at least three GCPs need to be placed in a minimum of three photos (projections) followed by a least-squares adjustment. Double-click on the next photo and repeat the placement of the flag in the center of the target. Do this for at least six photos so as to build some redundancy. You may also find that the ground control targets are not easily visible in some photos.
Once you’ve placed GCP 1 into six photos, note the Error (m) and Error (pix) values. For example 0.897622m and 123.862 pixels, respectively. This means that even though we placed marker 1 in the center of the same target in all six photos, it is displaced by just over 123 pixels over the six photos. In an absolute sense, the coordinate value at the center of the ground control target, has an error of just less than 90cm over the six photos. These may seem like high error values, but recall that the last step is perform a least squares adjustment in order to distribute and minimize these errors. To do this, click the Update Transform icon. You should see a significant reduction in the errors now (e.g. 0.000678m and 0.199 pixels, respectively). Ideally, the goal would be an absolute error of less than 0.05m and a relative error of 0.5 pixels.
Now repeat the steps listed under the Place GCP markers section for the remaining eight GCPs. If some of the markers still yield errors higher than those specified above, refer to the section below.
Refining GCPs
Referring to Fig. 11 below, we can see that eight out of nine GCPs have been placed (GCP 9 has no data). Absolute errors range between 0.001884m and 0.012612m with an average of 0.006073m and relative errors range between 0.223 and 0.865 with an average of 0.604. These are acceptable results, but there are a few steps we can take to refine them further.
First of all, GCP 9 was not placed because, as can be seen from the right side of Fig. 11 above, the ground control point was not visible in the photos. In fact, as you may have already noticed, some of the GCPs were more difficult to locate in the photos than others. Lighting conditions, shadows, presence of vegetation are all factors in how easily a ground control target can be seen in a photo. It is better to leave out a GCP rather than try to forcefully place it when it can’t be properly identified and seen.
The next step to refine the results are to identify the specific photos in which a particular GCP marker has relatively high errors. The best approach is to sort the GCPs according to the Error (pix) column, right click on the top-most GCP and select Show Info…. In the window that opens, sort the Value column from highest to lowest and double click on the top-most value. This will immediately open the photo in which that marker has the highest relative error and the pop-up window can now be closed. There are now two options; 1) Try slightly moving the marker flag while keeping an eye on the Error (pix) column for that marker to see if the re-positioning of the flag reduces it, or 2) Right click on the marker flag and select Unpin Marker. Option one is valid only when the re-positioning of the marker flag towards the center of the GCP yields a lower error. If moving it away from the center reduces the error, then the only valid option is two.
Do this for each GCP trying to reduce the Total relative error (pix) below 0.5. Keep in mind to leave at least three projections for each GCP. Following these steps, the errors were reduced to 0.003598m (absolute) and 0.442 pixels (relative).
One final step can be performed to minimize any residual errors. This involves optimizing the camera parameters or performing a camera calibration. In the Reference pane, select Optimize Cameras, accept the default parameters and click OK. This step reduces errors due to lens and camera distortions including aspherical, tangential and radial. The final errors are now 0.001541m (absolute) and 0.308 pixels (relative). These are good results and the next steps of processing the images into the data products can now be taken.
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pressbooks
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2025-03-22T05:09:05.885120
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06-1-2020
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"title": "Processing Multi-spectral Imagery with Agisoft MetaShape Pro",
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"subject": "Geographical information systems, geodata and remote sensing, Robotics, Geographical information systems, geodata and remote sensing, Image processing"
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|
https://pressbooks.bccampus.ca/ericsaczuk/chapter/chapter-2-1-dense-point-cloud/
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Part 2 – Generating 3D Maps
Chapter 2.1 – Dense Point Cloud
Overview
Following the creation of a sparse 3D point cloud (i.e. tie points), the steps below outline the creation of dense 3D point cloud and the means of filtering out erroneous points.
Dense Point Cloud
From the Workflow menu, select Build Dense Cloud… The Quality setting is directly dependent on available computing power. Reference this document to determine the suggested highest quality level based on the hardware being used. Set the quality as high as possible given your hardware configuration, as this ensures that the maximum number of pixels will be correlated in 3D space. Be aware that the higher the quality setting, the longer the processing time. Consider using lower setting for large data sets (i.e. several hundred photos). Suggested settings are shown below;
Maximum Density Cloud
The approximate maximum number of points in a dense cloud is calculated by multiplying the number of megapixels of the camera (e.g. 12 megapixel images are 4000 x 3000 pixels thus contain 12 million pixels each) by the number of images (496 in this data set) which equals 5,952,000,000! It is impossible to correlate all points and thus the actual number of pixels in a point cloud is generally only a fraction of the total possible (0.1 to 5%).
The resulting dense point cloud is similar to the key point, low density cloud but it contains exponentially more 3D information (aboutt 25 million compared with 500,000). The result should look similar to the screenshot below, but don’t be concerned if the number of points doesn’t match exactly.
Although from certain perspectives, the dense cloud may look like a “solid” surface, it’s still just a collection of pixels positioned accurately in 3D space based on the GPS coordinates of the center pixel of each image. Due to the addition of GCPs, the accuracy of the location of any pixel was improved from +3m to about 1.5cm.
The next step is to filter any spurious points or outliers which are not representative of the surface being modeled.
Filtering Dense Point Cloud
The type of surface greatly affects our ability to accurately filter points. For example, the relatively level and mostly flat park field (except for some trees) means that we shouldn’t expect much deviation from the “ground”. Conversely in heavily treed areas or where there is high frequency, large-scale changes in elevation (e.g. a boulder field), the precision with which outlying points can be effectively filtered declines significantly.
Filter Dense Cloud
There are a number of different approaches to filtering points. They fall into two broad categories of semi-automated and manual. Here, only the manual method is demonstrated as it is the most selective and best applied to specific areas.
The general process involves rotating the dense cloud to identify individual points or groups of points that are not likely to be representative of the surface being modeled (e.g. points floating several tens of meters above the vegetation or any points below the “surface” of the field). Once points have been identified, the Selection (Rectangle, Circle or Free-form) is used to highlight the suspected outlier and pressing the Delete key on the keyboard removes them.
This is an iterative process and done well, greatly improves the chances of generating a quality 3D surface, which is the next step. See below for a sample of outlying points selected using the rectangle selection tool.
Adjust Region
On your screen, you may notice the faint boundaries of a rectangle surrounding the dense cloud. This is the Region and defines the outer boundaries of the data set. It appears slightly tilted relative to the points being modeled. This can be adjusted as follows;
- From the Model menu, open Transform Region and select Rotate Region
- Using the “Track Ball”, adjust the angle of the region to match that of the dense point cloud as closely as possible.
- Use the other Transform Region tools from the drop-down menu including Move Region, Resize Region and Reset Region.
Refer to the next Chapter for the creation of a digital surface model (DSM).
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pressbooks
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2025-03-22T05:09:05.898559
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06-1-2020
|
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"url": "https://pressbooks.bccampus.ca/ericsaczuk/chapter/chapter-2-1-dense-point-cloud/",
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"title": "Processing Multi-spectral Imagery with Agisoft MetaShape Pro",
"author": "Dr. Eric Saczuk",
"institution": "",
"subject": "Geographical information systems, geodata and remote sensing, Robotics, Geographical information systems, geodata and remote sensing, Image processing"
}
|
https://pressbooks.bccampus.ca/ericsaczuk/chapter/chapter-2-2-digital-surface-model/
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Part 2 – Generating 3D Maps
Chapter 2.2 – Digital Elevation Models
Overview
Once the 3D dense point cloud is generated, the next step is to create an accurate digital elevation model (DEM), digital surface model (DSM) or digital terrain model (DTM).
Before proceeding, be sure to save the project.
Building a DEM
A digital elevation model is a raster image (pixels, arranged in rows and columns) with each pixel representing an elevation. If the model represents elevations of the ground along with heights of structures such as buildings and trees, it can be referred to as a digital surface model (DSM). If the elevations only represent the ground or the bare earth, the model is referred to as a digital terrain model (DTM). The general term describing any type of raster elevation surface is digital elevation model (DEM).
From the Workflow menu, select Build DEM…. The dialogue box settings are described below.
Projection Type can be set according to other data sets that you’d like this DEM to geographically coincide with.
Source data allows a choice between using the Sparse Cloud, Depth Maps, or Dense Cloud as the source of elevation data. The Sparse Cloud should never be used as it is the least accurate representation of elevation. The main difference between Depth maps (if available) or Dense Cloud is that the latter is the truest representation of the surface but may have holes or gaps where elevation data may be missing due to sparse alignment between photos. The former represents a more continuous surface (assuming that interpolation or extrapolation was enabled when building the mesh), keeping in mind that the interpolated elevations are algorithmic guesses based on surrounding known elevations.
Interpolation can be Enabled (default) to fill holes or gaps in elevations, Disabled or an Extrapolation can be applied instead.
Point classes can be selected (if they have been previously created through classification) or All (default) classes will be used.
Region settings can be adjusted if necessary, affecting the output Resolution and Total size of the DEM.
Fig. 16 below shows the suggested DEM settings for this project and don’t worry if the Region values are slightly different.
To view the DEM, double click it in the Workspace pane which brings up a new Ortho tab in the main view.
Note that the pixel resolution of the DSM in Fig. 17 is approximately 12.3cm. Also notice the clear demarcation of the lower and higher areas of vegetation.
The alternate type of elevations surface that can be created is a digital terrain model (DTM). A DTM shows a statistical approximation of the ground or bare earth surface under vegetation and with all surface features (i.e. buildings and trees) filtered out. To build a DTM, the first step is to classify the dense point cloud.
From the Tools menu, select Dense Cloud and then select Classify Ground Points….
Configure the parameters of the Classify Ground Points window as per Fig. 18 in order to generate three classes of points; Created (Never Classified), Ground and Low Point (Noise).
The next step is repeat the creation of the DEM, but this time specifying which class (Ground) to generate the elevation model with (Fig. 19).
Now that an accurate raster representation of the surface is generated, it can be used to create an orthophoto mosaic as described in the next Chapter.
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pressbooks
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2025-03-22T05:09:05.910808
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06-1-2020
|
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"url": "https://pressbooks.bccampus.ca/ericsaczuk/chapter/chapter-2-2-digital-surface-model/",
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"title": "Processing Multi-spectral Imagery with Agisoft MetaShape Pro",
"author": "Dr. Eric Saczuk",
"institution": "",
"subject": "Geographical information systems, geodata and remote sensing, Robotics, Geographical information systems, geodata and remote sensing, Image processing"
}
|
https://pressbooks.bccampus.ca/ericsaczuk/chapter/chapter-2-3-orthomosaics/
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Part 2 – Generating 3D Maps
Chapter 2.3 – Orthomosaics
Overview
Once an accurate digital surface model (DSM) or digital terrain model (DTM) is created, it can be used along with the original air photos to create an orthophoto mosaic or simply orthomosaic.
Orthophoto Mosaic
An orthophoto mosaic, or simply an orthomosaic, is in some ways similar to the texture applied onto the 3D mesh surface. However, instead of the photos being distorted and warped to fit the surface, in orthomosaic generation, the photos are corrected for radial and elevation distortions and then stitched together along seam lines.
From the Workflow menu, select Build Orthomosaic…. The dialogue box settings are described below.
Projection Type is fixed based on that of the surface (DEM or Mesh, if available).
Surface can either be the DEM or Mesh. Both contain accurate elevation information but since the input photos and output orthomosaic are both in raster format, it is suggested that DEM is used as the input surface.
Blending mode can be set to Mosaic (default), Average or Disabled. The default Mosaic mode is recommended.
Refine seamlines allows the software to adjust the lines along which the overlapping photos are stitched together in order to avoid photo edges and elevated areas such as buildings or trees.
Enable hole filling closes any small gaps that may be present in the surface.
Enable back-face culling is enabled only when the surface type is set to Mesh. This allows the “inside” faces to also show the mosaic colors.
Pixel size (m) allows the user to specify the output pixel size of the orthomosaic. It is never recommended to set this value lower than the default, though higher values can be used to reduce file size at the expense of detail. This is also useful for matching the resolution of the orthomosaic to external data sets.
Setup boundaries allows the user to adjust the output boundaries of the orthomosaic with the corresponding Total size in pixels.
Fig. 20 below shows the suggested orthomosaic parameter settings.
Once the orthomosaic is generated, double-clicking on it in the Workspace pane opens it in the Ortho tab as shown below.
Part 3 describes how to export the orthomosaic from MetaShape to other popular data formats including Google Earth and ESRI ArcMap.
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pressbooks
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2025-03-22T05:09:05.921826
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06-1-2020
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"url": "https://pressbooks.bccampus.ca/ericsaczuk/chapter/chapter-2-3-orthomosaics/",
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"institution": "",
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|
https://pressbooks.bccampus.ca/ericsaczuk/chapter/chapter-3-1-export-dense-cloud/
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Part 3 – Data Export
Chapter 3.1 – Export Dense Cloud
Overview
This chapter describes the steps to export the Dense Cloud into a variety of external data formats.
Export Dense Cloud
Although MetaShape is competently able to process dense point clouds into 3D map products, there are also other software packages which are specifically designed to process point clouds (e.g. TerraScan, SolidWorks or Cyclone). Dedicated point cloud processing software gives the user access to a wider range of tools with which to manipulate and edit the point cloud in order to produce a variety of architectural and geographic data products.
To facilitate this, MetaShape has an option to export the point cloud into a variety of industry-standard data formats including;
One of the most common and widely used dense cloud data formats is LAS. To export the Dense Cloud, right-click on it in the Workspace and select Export Dense Cloud…. Navigate to where you want to save the data set, enter a name, select a file format and click Save.
The suggested output parameters are shown in the screenshot below, but they may vary depending on the specific software and user requirements.
Once the point cloud is exported, it can be opened directly in an external software package.
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pressbooks
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2025-03-22T05:09:05.931353
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06-1-2020
|
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"url": "https://pressbooks.bccampus.ca/ericsaczuk/chapter/chapter-3-1-export-dense-cloud/",
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"title": "Processing Multi-spectral Imagery with Agisoft MetaShape Pro",
"author": "Dr. Eric Saczuk",
"institution": "",
"subject": "Geographical information systems, geodata and remote sensing, Robotics, Geographical information systems, geodata and remote sensing, Image processing"
}
|
https://pressbooks.bccampus.ca/ericsaczuk/chapter/chapter-3-2-export-othomosaic/
|
Part 3 – Data Export
Chapter 3.2 – Export Othomosaic
Overview
This chapter describes the steps to export the Orthomosaic into a variety of external data formats.
Export Orthomosaic
One of the main applications for orthomosaics is to serve as a spatially accurate underlay in a mult-layer geographic information system (GIS). MetaShape allows export in the following data formats;
Exporting an orthomosaic in GeoTIFF format allows for further analysis and processing external software such as PCI Geomatica, ESRI ArcMap or QGIS. This is especially important when performing mult-spectral analysis using multi-band data.
To export the Orthomosaic, right-click on it in the Workspace, select Export Orthomosaic… and choose the export file format (e.g. Export JPEG/TIFF/PNG…).
The suggested output parameters are shown in Fig. 25, but they may vary depending on the specific software and user requirements.
Click Export, navigate to where you want to save the orthomosaic, enter a name and click Save.
The orthomosaic (Blue band), is shown loaded in QGIS in the correct projection system below (Fig. 26).
Summary
Following the steps in Chapters 1.2 through to 3.2 allows for the set up, processing and export of multi-spectral images using Agisoft MetaShape Pro. One of the main elements to pay attention to when processing multi-spectral imagery, is the use of ground control points (GCPs). GCPs area a key element because they ensure that all five (blue, green, red, NIR and red edge) exported orthomosaics will correctly line up with each in order to ensure that the same pixels are being analyzed from each band. This is why it of great importance to make sure that the absolute alignment errors are less than one ground sampling distance.
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pressbooks
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2025-03-22T05:09:05.940735
|
06-1-2020
|
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"url": "https://pressbooks.bccampus.ca/ericsaczuk/chapter/chapter-3-2-export-othomosaic/",
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"title": "Processing Multi-spectral Imagery with Agisoft MetaShape Pro",
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"subject": "Geographical information systems, geodata and remote sensing, Robotics, Geographical information systems, geodata and remote sensing, Image processing"
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|
https://uen.pressbooks.pub/tamaraberghout/chapter/what-does-it-mean-to-be-a-professional-nurse-leader/
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What Does it Mean to be a Professional?
Tamara Berghout
Learning Objectives
In this unit, learners will:
- Examine foundational professional nursing documents.
- Describe professional behaviors and how they influence nurses and the profession of nursing.
When you became a nurse, you may have thought ‘professionalism’ meant wearing a uniform and providing excellent and knowledgeable patient care. However, with more experience, you probably realize that professionalism means more than this. So, what does it mean to be a ‘professional’ for a nurse/APRN with a doctorate in leadership?
To begin this unit, please watch the following video: [1]:
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary[2] (n.d.) defines professionalism as “the conduct, aims, or qualities that characterize or mark a profession or a professional person.” Buhai [3] suggested the following characteristics help to define a profession:
- Specialized training/education
- Autonomy of practice
- Ethical conduct
- Expert knowledge
- Trustworthiness
- Self-regulation
- Continuing education
- Service to society
In addition, Yoder [4] identified the following characteristics of professionalism specific to nursing:
- Altruism, or acting in the patients/family’s best interest
- Demonstrating compassion, humility, empathy, and caring
- Having high standards of competence, behavior, and knowledge
- High ethical conduct, including integrity, accountability, honor, and a sense of duty
- Acknowledgement of a responsibility to society in general
- Cultural sensitively and competence
Guides for Professional Nurses
As the nursing profession has matured, many have tried to elaborate on what is expected of nurses. As a result, several important documents have been created to help nurses understand what it means to be a professional. These documents are intended to inform nurses’ thinking, decision-making, and behaviors, and strengthen the profession. Although there are many guiding documents for nurses, this chapter will focus on a few of the major ones that help to illustrate professionalism and nursing for leaders.
Essentials for Professional Nursing Education
The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) is an organization that focuses on nursing educational standards. In their landmark Essentials for Professional Nursing Education document, AACN[5] said nursing professionals must embrace the values of:
- Integrity
- Altruism
- Inclusivity
- Compassion
- Courage
- Humility
- Advocacy
- Caring
- Autonomy
- Humanity
- Social Justice
See more on the AACN Nursing Essentials at this website https://www.aacnnursing.org/Essentials/Domains
The American Nurses Association
The American Nurses Association (ANA) has also developed several foundational documents to define nursing for society and help guide nurses. In addition, the ANA has identified behaviors they believe professional nurses should embody through these documents. These documents include the ANA Code of Ethics for Nurses [6], the Nursing: Scope and standards of practice [7], and Nursing’s Social Policy Statement: The Essence of the Profession [8].
A Code of Ethics for Nurses
The ANA Code of Ethics for Nurses is an important behavioral guide that all nurses should be familiar with. The first Code of Ethics for nurses was written in 1893 as a pledge similar to the Hippocratic Oath and is now a living document that continually evolves with the changing social context of nursing [9]. This valuable document identifies nine overarching ethical provisions to guide nurses in their decision-making. The provisions focus on:
- The need to build positive relationships
- Commitment to the patient
- Advocacy
- Accountability
- Supporting the nurse’s personal safety and growth
- Moral and ethical obligations
- The need to contribute to the profession
- The need to fight for social justice
See more about the ANA Code of Ethics for Nurses at this website at https://www.nursingworld.org/practice-policy/nursing-excellence/ethics/code-of-ethics-for-nurses/)
Standards of Professional Performance
The ANA’s Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice[10] document has identified eleven standards of professional performance for nurses. The ANA describes the expected behaviors of the professional registered nurse, depending on role, position, and level of education. It is important to understand that some of the standards may not apply to patient care. This standard describes professional behaviors using the following terms:
- Ethical conduct
- Engagement in advocacy
- Humility, inclusiveness
- Effective communication and collaboration
- Leadership & mentoring
- Continual learning and improvement
- Creating and using evidence to improve the quality of healthcare
- Self-awareness and the ability to self-evaluate
See more about the ANA’s Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice Standards at https://www.nursingworld.org/~4af71a/globalassets/catalog/book-toc/nssp3e-sample-chapter.pdf
Nursing’s Social Policy Statement: The Essence of the Profession
One important characteristic of professional nurses is their responsibility to society. The ANA’s Nursing Social Policy statement[11] describes the value of the nursing profession within society, defines the concept of nursing, and reviews the regulations and standards of nursing practice. Nursing practice is inherently connected to society, thus requiring a social contract between society and the profession . Society permits the nursing profession to work autonomously to meet the needs of society. In return, nursing is expected to provide healthcare services while maintaining the public’s trust. This statement describes the contract that nurses have with society using terms such as:
- Caring service
- Priority for the patient
- Knowledge
- Skills
- Competence
- Responsibility
- Accountability
- Progress and development
- Ethical practice
- Collaboration
- Promotion of public health
See more about the ANA’s Nursing Social Policy Statement at https://www.nursingworld.org/~4af892/globalassets/catalog/sample-chapters/guide-to-nursings-social-policy-statement.pdf
Accountability to the Nursing Profession and Society
Although most of these statements clarify what nursing’s responsibility is to society, it is perhaps not as clear that nurses also have a responsibility to themselves and their profession. Just as nurses are advocates for their patients, they must also be strong advocates for themselves, nurses and the nursing profession. To do this, nurses must work collaboratively to formulate the profession’s scope, standards of care, licensing, entry into practice, and more. Nurses must also play an important role in shaping their profession by engaging in the formulation of policies and laws. Nurses and nurse leaders, in particular, are responsible for understanding the policy development process and the best ways to influence change so they can use that knowledge to advocate for themselves, their patients, and their profession.
Nurses can also demonstrate their accountability to their profession and society through participation in organization-sponsored conferences and activities. Through participation in professional nursing organizations, nurses use the power in numbers to promote safe, quality nursing care, improved nursing autonomy, nurses’ rights, and more. Nurses can also support their profession through service within nursing organizations and their engagement in creating and using evidence to improve both practice and patient outcomes. It is essential for nurses to support professional organizations as a way to be accountable to the nursing profession [12].[13]
Exercise
Media Attributions
- florence nightingale is licensed under a CC0 (Creative Commons Zero) license
- compass-the-directions-of-the-world-wallpaper-preview is licensed under a CC0 (Creative Commons Zero) license
- stethoscope is licensed under a CC0 (Creative Commons Zero) license
- accountibility to society oer is licensed under a CC BY (Attribution) license
- Bolton University. Professionalism. YouTube. (n.d.). https://youtu.be/S703WyqaGn4?si=cdA7QBD8PheEpfqJ ↵
- Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Merriam-Webster.com dictionary. Retrieved March 16, 2023, from https://www.merriam-webster.com ↵
- Buhai, S. L. (2012). Profession: a definition. Fordham Urban Law Journal, 40(1), 241+. https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A332022265/ITOF?u=ogde72764&sid=summon&xid=865b0b33 ↵
- Yoder, L. (2017). Professionalism in nursing. (AMSN president’s message). Medsurg Nursing, 26(5), 293-294. From https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A514512706/AONE?u=ogde72764&sid=googleScholar&xid= bcc83fe1 ↵
- American Association of Colleges of Nursing. The essentials: Core competencies for professional nursing education. ↵
- American Nurses Association. (2015). Code of ethics for nurses with interpretive statements. https://www.nursingworld.org ↵
- American Nurses Association. (2015). Scope and standards of practice (3rd ed.). https://www.nursingworld.org/ ↵
- American Nurses Association. (2021). Nursing’s Social Policy Statement: The Essence of the Profession. https://www.nursingworld.org ↵
- ANA Code of Ethics for Nurses (2015)[footnote]American Nurses Association. (2015). Code of ethics for nurses with interpretive statements. https://www.nursingworld.org ↵
- Nursing: Scope and standards of practice [footnote]American Nurses Association. (2015). Scope and standards of practice (3rd ed.). https://www.nursingworld.org/ ↵
- merican Nurses Association. (2021). Nursing’s Social Policy Statement: The Essence of the Profession. https://www.nursingworld.org ↵
- Battie, R., & Steelman, V. M. (2015). Accountability in nursing practice: Why it is important for patient safety. ACORN (O’Halloran Hill, S. Aust.), 28(4), 14-16. http://www.acorn.org.au/ ↵
- Derivative of: Murphy, J. (2020). Transitions to Professional Nursing Practice. SUNY Delhi. https://courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-delhi-professionalnursing. CC BY: Attribution ↵
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pressbooks
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2025-03-22T05:09:05.973293
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09-4-2024
|
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"title": "Professionalism in Nursing Leadership",
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"subject": "Nursing, Politics and government"
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|
https://uen.pressbooks.pub/tamaraberghout/chapter/62/
|
Advocacy as a Professional Behavior
Tamara Berghout
Learning Objectives
- Evaluate how nurses’ professional behaviors influence individuals, nurses, and patients.
- Analyze advocacy from the perspective of a professional nurse leader.
This week, we will review how every nurse is responsible for client, professional, and personal advocacy and examine the powerful influence nurses can have on local, state, and federal healthcare policies that affect the nation’s health and the profession of nursing.
Advocacy
What do you think of when you hear the word “advocacy”? Advocacy is defined as the act or process of pleading for, supporting, or recommending a cause or course of action[1]. Advocacy may be demonstrated for individuals, groups, organizations, communities, society, or policy issues. Advocacy is one of the ANA’s Standards of Professional Performance. The Standards of Professional Performance are “authoritative statements of the actions and behaviors that all registered nurses, regardless of role, population, specialty, and setting, are expected to perform competently.”[2][/footnote] See the following list to read the competencies associated with the ANA’s Advocacy Standard of Professional Performance.
Competencies of ANA’s Advocacy Standard of Professional Performance
- Champion the voice of the health care consumer.
- Recommend appropriate levels of care, timely and appropriate transitions, and allocation of resources to optimize outcomes.
- Promote safe care of health care consumers, safe work environments, and sufficient resources.
- Participate in health care initiatives on behalf of the health care consumer and the system(s) where nursing happens.
- Demonstrate a willingness to address persistent, pervasive systemic issues.
- Inform the political arena about the role of nurses and the vital components necessary for nurses and nursing to provide optimal care delivery.
- Empower all members of the health care team to include the health care consumer in care decisions, including limitation of treatment and end-of-life care.
- Embrace diversity, equity, inclusivity, health promotion, and health care for individuals of diverse geographic, cultural, ethnic, racial, gender, and spiritual backgrounds across the life span.
- Develop policies that improve care delivery and access for underserved and vulnerable populations.
- Promote policies, regulations, and legislation at the local, state, and national levels to improve health care access and delivery of health care.
- Consider societal, political, economic, and cultural factors to address social determinants of health.
- Role model advocacy behavior.
- Address the urgent need for a diverse and inclusive workforce as a strategy to improve outcomes related to the social determinants of health and inequities in the health care system.
- Advance policies, programs, and practices within the health care environment that maintain, sustain, and restore the environment and natural world.
- Contribute to professional organizations.
Advocacy for Clients
It is essential for nurses to act as advocates for their clients (e.g., individuals, families, communities, or populations) by protecting their “patient rights” and voicing their needs. Nurses have a long history of acting as client advocates. There are many examples of how nurses have advocated in the past. for example, early nurses advocated for professional nurses’ value and knowledge and fought for implementation of best practices, safety measures, and other quality improvements. Florence Nightingale advocated for practice changes that improved environmental conditions in health care and reduced life-threatening infections by using data to support her recommendations. Lillian Wald worked to establish public health nursing and improve the lives of immigrant communities.
More recently, nurses led the establishment of Nurse Practice Acts in each state and pushed for multistate licensing via the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC). The American Nurses Association (ANA) declared 2018 as the “Year of Advocacy” to highlight the importance of advocacy in the nurse’s role. Nurses continue to advocate for building healthier communities as demonstrated in the Future of Nursing 2020-2030: Charting a Path to Achieve Health Equity report.[4]
Read the Future of Nursing 2020-2030: Charting a Path to Achieve Health Equity. The Future of Nursing: Campaign for Action at https://med.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Nursing/Nursing_Management_and_Professional_Concepts_(OpenRN)/10%3A_Advocacy/10.01%3A_Advocacy_Introduction [5]
Advocacy for Society
National, state, and local policies impact nurses at all levels of care, from nurse administrators to bedside nurses, making it essential for nurses to take an active role in advocating not only for their clients, but also for their profession, and their community. At the community level, nurses can advocate for improved access to basic health care, enhanced funding of health care services, and safe practice environments by participating in policy discussions. Nurses can also participate in state and national policy discussions affecting nursing practice. For example, nurses have advocated for the removal of practice barriers so nurses can practice according to the full extent of their education, certification, and licensure. Nurses have alslo advocated for reimbursement based on the value of nursing care and the expansion of nursing education.[6]t
For another example of how nurses advocated for their patients, and for themselves, watch this video from the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) [7]:
Advocacy for Your Profession and Yourself
Nurses should also advocate for themselves, their well-being, and their fellow professionals. Nurses can advocate for improvements in the workplace via various mechanisms, such as shared governance and the ANCC Magnet Recognition Program, and by participation in professional organizations. Nurses can also seek legislative solutions for workplace problems by advocating for legislation such as whistleblower protection, organizational issues in the nursing profession and the workplace through participation in unions, collective bargaining, workplace advocacy models, and professional organizations.
When advocating, nurses must view themselves as knowledgeable professionals who have the power to influence policy and decision-makers. A nurse can advocate for improved policies through a variety of pathways. Each method provides a unique opportunity for the nurse to impact the health of individuals and communities, the profession of nursing, and the overall health care provided to clients. These are few easy ways for nurses to get involved:
- Joining and becoming involved in professional nursing organizations
- Engaging in conversations with local, state, and federal policymakers on health care related issues
- Participating in shared governance committees regarding workplace policies
Summary
Nurses are in a powerful position to be effective advocates. As frontline care providers, nurses provide a unique and knowledgeable perspective on health care delivery, client experience, and the work environment. As the largest sector of the health care workforce, nurses have the opportunity to influence policy at every level of decision-making. There are many ways for nurses to create change when acting as advocates that can lead to improved quality of care, better outcomes for patients, and safe work environments for nurses. If every nurse was an active advocate for the profession, think of the difference we could make; and, if nurses were willing to work together, think of the added value the collective actions could have.
Exercise
Go to ANA Advocacy #BedsideAndBeyond Webpage examples at https://ana.aristotle.com/SitePages/YearOfAdvocacy.aspx Then choose one example of what other nurses have done (note that there are many examples under the different categories, just select one of the down arrows, and then you can select them to see more). Then you will be prepared to participate in the weekly discussion.
Media Attributions
- Nurses Parade, Chicago is licensed under a Public Domain license
- Nurse Administers Chemotherapy © Rhoda Baer (Photographer) is licensed under a Public Domain license
- Oxford Language Dictionary. (2023). Advocacy. https://languages.oup.com/google-dictionary-en/ ↵
- [footnote]American Nurses Association. (2021). Nursing: Scope and standards of practice (4th ed.). American Nurses Association. ↵
- American Nurses Association. (2021). Nursing: Scope and standards of practice (4th ed.). American Nurses Association. ↵
- National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (2021). The Future of nursing 2020-2030: Charting a path to achieve health equity. The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/25982↵ ↵
- Ernstmeyer & Christman (Eds.). Policy introduction. https://med.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Nursing/Nursing_Management_and_Professional_Concepts_(OpenRN)/10%3A_Advocacy/10.01%3A_Advocacy_Introduction ↵
- American Nurses Association. (2021). Nursing: Scope and standards of practice (4th ed.). American Nurses Association. ↵
- Service Employees International Union. (2001). The fight for our lives: How we won safer needles. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g51WkB9zpEk&t=5s ↵
- Ernstmeyer & Christman (Eds.). (n.d.). Policy Advocacy. https://med.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Nursing/Nursing_Management_and_Professional_Concepts_(OpenRN)/10%3A_Advocacy/10.05%3A_Policy_Advocacy#footnote-1019-1 ↵
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pressbooks
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2025-03-22T05:09:05.994732
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09-4-2024
|
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"title": "Professionalism in Nursing Leadership",
"author": "Tamara Berghout",
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https://uen.pressbooks.pub/tamaraberghout/chapter/the-power-of-many-belonging-to-professional-organizations/
|
The Power of Many: Belonging to Professional Organizations
Tamara Berghout
Learning Objectives
- Evaluate how nurses’ professional behaviors influence individuals, nurses, and patients.
- Compare individual strategies with collaborative approaches to improving healthcare and the profession of nursing.
One way to be an advocate for nurses, nursing, and patients, is to help facilitate changes that lead to improved healthcare safety and quality. Because it is difficult, if not impossible, to advocate for change by yourself, an important aspect of facilitating change is your ability to build positive connections with others.
Creating professional networks or connections with healthcare professionals and policymakers within and outside one’s workplace helps nurses develop connections they can use to learn, grow, and improve the profession. Conversely, nurses who do not put forth the effort to network with others risk being out of touch with what is happening in the wider world and limit their ability to influence others.
Nurses can find many networking opportunities through national and specialty professional nursing organizations. Professional organizations offer many opportunities for professional growth, such as developing leadership skills, continuing education/certifications, resources for career development, and creating relationships with others [1].
Sherman [2] offers some additional advice about networking:
- Networking is about planning and developing the relationship over time.
- Build a community of colleagues
- Always carry your business cards with you so you can better connect.
- Prepare for networking opportunities. Think about (and write down) topics to discuss or introductory questions.
- Be excited and positive about those you network with. Stay focused on building positive relationships.
- Relationship building begins with listening. Ask other people about themselves and their careers. Offer your ideas and ask questions; be sure your personal dialog does not take up the entire conversation.
- Follow up with new connections by sending a thank-you note or responding promptly to a request.
- Cultivate new relationships. Networking is an ongoing investment in professional development and in your ability to exert influence.
Professional Organizations
Professional organizations were created as a platform for nurses to advocate for the profession, support nurses’ rights, connect with others, and ensure quality healthcare for consumers [3]. Members of professional organizations can advocate locally, state-wide, nationally, and globally to support issues that impact the nursing profession and healthcare as a whole.
If you remember in chapter one, when we talked about the guiding documents for nurses, you will note that by participating in nursing professional organizations, you are following the guidelines in those documents. For example, nurses who take advantage of membership and activity in professional organizations are meeting the following competencies listed in the ANA’s Nursing Scope and Standards of Practice:
- Advocacy
- Professional development
- Service to the profession
- Career growth
- Mentoring
- Networking[4]
In addition, the ANA’s Code of Ethics[5] also includes a requirement for advocacy efforts. Advocacy is fundamental to nursing practice, and through membership and participation in professional organizations, nurses can fulfill the following provision:
“The profession of nursing, collectively through its professional organizations, must articulate nursing values, maintain the integrity of the profession, and integrate principles of social justice into nursing and health policy” (ANA, 2015, p. 151).
How to Get Involved
Membership in a nursing organization is easy to obtain, most requiring a fee and some personal information to join. However, because there are many different nursing organizations (there are literally hundreds of nursing organizations), each nurse will need to decide which organization(s) they believe will best serve them. Nurses should evaluate and compare member benefits from different organizations depending on their career goals and professional development needs. For example, if a career goal is to obtain a specialty certification, choosing an organization offering reduced review course fees would be prudent. To obtain access to evidence-based practice resources for a specialty setting, nurses may want to choose a specialty organization that offers these resources.
Nurses are not expected to belong to many associations (one or two is usually sufficient). But, nurses need to understand that belonging to organizations with power in numbers will result in an organization with the power to influence policy changes. To choose the right organization, here are some suggestions that nurses can ask themselves about the organization:
- meets professional growth needs
- aligns with current role/specialty
- meets personal/professional advocacy efforts[6]
Below are some general facts regarding some major state and national nursing organizations.
State-level Nursing Organizations
Most nurses choose to be members of their state nursing society because state organizations are positioned to follow state-specific issues and laws. State organizations are inexpensive to join and provide their members with continuing education and advocacy information. For example, most state nursing associations follow proposed bills that may impact their state’s nurses, patients, or healthcare systems. State-level nursing organizations often have procedures in place to notify members when they believe widespread action (such as letter writing or phone call campaigns) is needed.
Additionally, state nursing associations often sponsor an annual professional Lobby Day. At these events, nurses (or nurse practitioners) gather each year to organize their efforts and meet with legislators to share their position on the current bills. For information about state nursing Lobby Days, visit your state Nursing Association’s website
(see the Utah Nursing Association’s or the Utah Nurse Practitioners association’s websites for more information).
National Nursing Organizations
The ANA
On the national level, there are many nursing associations. The ANA is one of the largest groups. This association focuses on providing its members with continuing education, mentoring, networking, and advocacy opportunities. One of the major advantages of the ANA is its collaboration with state nursing associations.[7]
Like state nurses’ associations, the ANA also has an annual Lobby Day, only this one is held in Washington, D.C. Each year, hundreds of nurses gather at Capitol Hill to meet with federal lawmakers to discuss major health issues. Like the state associations, the ANA also has systems in place to notify members if group action is needed.
For information about national nursing Lobby Days, visit the ANA’s website at nursingworld.org.
The NLN
Another important national nursing organization in the U.S. is the National League for Nursing (NLN)[9]. The NLN also focuses on building and strengthening the nursing profession, specifically through its focus on education. Like other organizations, the NLN publishes a yearly public policy agenda. In the NLN, members can also sign up to receive alerts about national policies that may affect nursing and, therefore, require their member’s action.
For more information about their policy goals, visit the Public Policy Advocacy Action Center website at https://www.nln.org/public-policy/advocacy-action-center
International Nursing Organizations
It is also important to note that several international nursing organizations exist. One of the major international nursing organizations is the International Council of Nurses (ICN)[10]; many other international organizations are specialty-specific. Many of these organizations exist to support nurses in countries where nursing organizations do not yet exist or are in their infancy.
Benefits of Membership
Membership in professional organizations offers nurses opportunities to advance the profession. Members also benefit from opportunities the organization provides for professional growth. Some ideas of ways nurses can get involved are listed below:
- Advocate for healthcare consumers’ rights, health, and safety
- Influence healthcare delivery by participating in, promoting, and using evidence-based knowledge and research findings to guide practice and decision-making
- Promote the ethical principles of research
- Identify barriers and opportunities to improve healthcare safety, equitability, and efficiency
- Critically review policies, procedures, and guidelines to improve quality
- Influence organizational policies and procedures to guide practice and promote interprofessional, evidence-based practices
- Advocate for resources that promote and support nursing practice [11].
In addition to serving the profession and improving the healthcare system, membership offers nurses many other professional benefits, including:
- Continuing education
- Specialty certification
- Best practices for nursing care
- Promoting the rights of nurses
- Synchronous and asynchronous webinars
- Face-to-face seminars and conferences
- Journal access
- Career resources, job boards
- Discounts on conferences and certification fees
- Personal benefits, such as discounts on car rentals, life insurance, professional liability insurance, and more[12]
Nurses can also benefit from serving within their organizations. Service helps nurses develop leadership skills that can benefit their careers in many ways. Some volunteer opportunities that nurses may find beneficial include:
- Participating on committees and task forces
- Holding a board position (see NOBC narrative below)
- Assisting with organization-sponsored conferences and community events
- Working on regional and national projects:
- Item-writing
- Review certification exams
- Work on legislative issues
- Serving as a regional director
- Working on an education committee [13]
Summary
Professional organization membership benefits everyone: patients, nurses, the nursing profession, and the entire healthcare delivery system. The professional growth and career opportunities associated with membership are endless. Membership offers networking opportunities with other healthcare professionals at conferences, involvement in Lobby Days and community events, serving on a board of trustees, and more. In addition, through organization membership, nurses can fulfill lifelong learning requirements to meet various needs and requirements, such as license and certification renewal, and incorporating evidence into practice. It is important to note that some membership dues can be costly, though some offer a student discount. However, nurses unable to join an organization can still benefit from visiting professional organization websites because many organizations offer resources that can be used regardless of membership status.[14]
Exercise
Now you will need to conduct an internet search (suggested sources include nursing journal articles from the WSU online library and nursing organization websites such as the American Nurses Association (ANA), National League for Nursing (NLN), National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculty (NONPF), American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), etc.) It is suggested that you identify at least 2 resources (in addition to the ones provided above) that will help you to educate new nurses on professional behaviors and membership in professional nursing organizations. Then you will be prepared to summarize what you have learned about professionalism, advocacy, and membership in professional nursing organizations in an infographic* (IG). The infographic should educate and encourage new nurses about why they should belong to a professional nursing organization.
Media Attributions
- Networking is licensed under a CC0 (Creative Commons Zero) license
- Volunteer is licensed under a CC0 (Creative Commons Zero) license
- Echevarria, Ilia, PhD, MS, RN, CCRN-K & NEA-BC, CENP. (2018). Make connections by joining a professional nursing organization. Nursing, 48, 35-38. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.NURSE.0000547721.84857.cb ↵
- Sherman, R. O. (2015, December 8). Boosting your influence. American Nurse Today, 10(12). https://www.myamericannurse.com/boosting-influence/ ↵
- Echevarria, Ilia, PhD, MS, RN, CCRN-K & NEA-BC, CENP. (2018). Make connections by joining a professional nursing organization. Nursing, 48, 35-38. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.NURSE.0000547721.84857.cb ↵
- American Nurses Association. (2015). Scope and standards of practice (3rd ed.). https://www.nursingworld.org/ ↵
- American Nurses Association. (2015). Code of ethics for nurses with interpretive statements. https://www.nursingworld.org ↵
- Echevarria, Ilia, PhD, MS, RN, CCRN-K & NEA-BC, CENP. (2018). Make connections by joining a professional nursing organization. Nursing, 48, 35-38. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.NURSE.0000547721.84857.cb ↵
- American Nurses Association. (n.d.). Join ANA and your state. nursingworld.org. ↵
- American Nurses Association. (2023). Nurse professionals need advocacy (video). https://youtu.be/PRsemEC-czk ↵
- National League for Nursing. (2022). Your exclusive source for resources, training, events, news, and recognition. https://www.nln.org/membership ↵
- International Council of Nurses. (2023). Who we are. https://www.icn.ch/who-we-are ↵
- Echevarria, Ilia, PhD, MS, RN, CCRN-K & NEA-BC, CENP. (2018). Make connections by joining a professional nursing organization. Nursing, 48, 35-38. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.NURSE.0000547721.84857.cb ↵
- Echevarria, Ilia, PhD, MS, RN, CCRN-K & NEA-BC, CENP. (2018). Make connections by joining a professional nursing organization. Nursing, 48, 35-38. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.NURSE.0000547721.84857.cb ↵
- Echevarria, Ilia, PhD, MS, RN, CCRN-K & NEA-BC, CENP. (2018). Make connections by joining a professional nursing organization. Nursing, 48, 35-38. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.NURSE.0000547721.84857.cb ↵
- This chapter is a Derivative of: Murphy, J. (2020). Transitions to Professional Nursing Practice. SUNY Delhi. https://courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-delhi-professionalnursing. CC BY: Attribution ↵
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pressbooks
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2025-03-22T05:09:06.023036
|
09-4-2024
|
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"title": "Professionalism in Nursing Leadership",
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"subject": "Nursing, Politics and government"
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|
https://uw.pressbooks.pub/quicktips/chapter/overview-of-accessibility/
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1 Overview of Accessibility
LEARN
Why is accessibility important? Who is accessibility for?
Accessibility acknowledges that not everyone interacts with their environment in the same manner, whether this be due to a physical or cognitive difference. When someone with a visual impairment such as blindness uses a computer, they will often use a “screen reader” to make the content accessible to them. Similarly, someone with an auditory impairment, such as deafness, can use the captioning on a video in order to know what is being said. Someone using a wheelchair, on the other hand, may need desks to be at a particular height or bookshelves to be appropriately spaced for them to navigate through them. Because of this, it is important that we design both digital and physical environments with the knowledge that there is a wide spectrum of individuals with both visible and invisible disabilities that are impacted by those design choices.
Who is impacted by accessible design choices?
While our primary concern with accessibility is to provide access to those with disabilities, it is also helpful to realize that the concepts of “universal design” mean that these features can be used by anyone who may find them preferable. Video captioning can be helpful for those with auditory processing disorders, for example, in addition to those who have limited hearing. Something important to remember, however, is that it is almost impossible for one solution to actually fit the needs of every single person, and to instead prioritize offering accommodations to those that need them, and flexibility in design so that people can choose what works best for them.
What does it mean to be accessible?
The UW Libraries have made a commitment to be accessible, and this means that, as employees of the UW Libraries, we need to do our work in a manner that ensures equivalent availability of resources to those with disabilities. For digital objects, this means ensuring that all of the elements are properly labeled on the computer side, so that assistive technologies (such as screen readers) can appropriately translate the content. For physical spaces, this means following our policies and guidelines about things such as mobility devices and service animals.
Make accessibility part of your daily work
If you make accessibility reviews part of your everyday process, it will help prevent you from having to go back and fix it later. Doing simple things, like choosing the Request Accessible Content option in Microsoft Outlook can help remind people to consider the many different ways in which people will be interacting with the things we create, and help to ease that interaction for everyone.
Use accessibility checkers
Accessibility checkers are built in tools, such as in Microsoft Office products, which will help identify issues in your work that may prevent people from being able to fully access it. Accessibility checkers find accessibility issues and provide a list of suggestions and tips to help you make your content more accessible.
APPLY
Inspect this email
Use the image below and click on the hotspots to see which content might be an accessibility issue.
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pressbooks
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2025-03-22T05:09:06.033785
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08-24-2024
|
{
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"url": "https://uw.pressbooks.pub/quicktips/chapter/overview-of-accessibility/",
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"title": "Quick Tips for Accessibility",
"author": "Perry Yee, Deepa Banerjee, Kira Wyld, Artemis L., Jinny S.",
"institution": "University of Washington",
"subject": "Accessibility in web and digital design, Library and information services"
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https://uw.pressbooks.pub/quicktips/chapter/digital-accessibility/
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2 Everyday Digital Accessibility
LEARN
Consistent structure
An easy way to ensure that things such as emails and documents are accessible is to make sure that the structure of each document is clearly labeled for assistive technologies to navigate them. This means using preset structures like document headings, tables, lists and slide templates as they are built so that computer tools can read these structures. These features have been tested with a variety of assistive technologies and are integrated into the application to cut down on the amount of accessibility work required of you.
Use headings
Headings help to organize a document, provide consistency of information and improve navigability. For users of screen reader tools, headings are an important method of identifying which blocks of text are headings and what level each heading occupies in the hierarchy of the document. This provides better navigation and allows screen reader users to skim the page by jumping from heading to heading. Headings can also be customized to ensure that your entire document is in the same style.
Example
This book is formatted using headings. In this chapter, “LEARN” is written in “Heading 1” style, and “Use headings” is a “Heading 2”, while “Example” is “Heading 3”. We always want to use headings in order, without skipping any, in order for the structuring to be consistent. If we wanted one of the headings to display a different way, we can choose that text and modify the formatting without changing the fact that it’s labelled as a heading!
Use lists
Lists are used to contextualize and organize items for easier usability and understanding. They provide a way for linear content to appear in a structured manner and are more accessible than using simple tables to convey similar information. Ordered (numbered) and unordered (bulleted) lists also enable screen reader tools to provide more context to users.
Example
- Lists break up long blocks of text
- This list is unordered
- It’s still capable of complex structure though!
Use meaningful hyperlinks
Meaningful and descriptive hyperlinks provide context and clarity to otherwise messy URLs. By including language that conveys relevant information about the link’s destination, users will have a clear understanding behind the meaning and intention of the hyperlink.
Example
Perhaps we want to direct people to this book. Here are a few ways we could do that:
- We could tell people to read the online ebook Quick Tips for Accessibility
- In this case, it is clear what the link is leading to, and we also used some additional text to tell people what kind of link it was (to an ebook). It is especially important to let people know what kind of link it is if it’s an automatic download, so they know to expect that!
- We could include the full URL: https://uw.pressbooks.pub/quicktips/
- In this case, most of the relevant information is communicated by the URL (the fact it’s a Pressbook, it’s from the UW, and a brief overview of the title) but it’s still a somewhat messy way to include the information. However, sometimes it is not possible to include a hyperlink (such as for a plain text email, or a printed out piece of paper), in which case including a short and descriptive URL (either by editing the URL or generating one) is necessary.
- We could tell people to click here
- In this case, people have to assume what the link is leading to, and if someone were to make a list of all links (as screenreader software often does!) then they wouldn’t have the context to make a reasonable assumption!
Include alt text
Alternative text (alt text) provides non-sighted users an opportunity to understand the context of an image and the message it is trying to convey. It also provides additional description when images break and do not appear as intended. More information about alternative text can be found at WebAIM: Alternative Text
Example
There are infinite ways that one could describe this picture in the alt text. Here are some options:
- A black and white tuxedo cat wears a red garment, and is perched on a couch looking off to the side.
- My cat wearing a hoodie I knit for her!
- A red couch with a gold and red patterned pillow, in front of which is a black and white cat wearing a red item of clothing.
The exact alt text you should use depends on what the purpose of the image in your work is. If this image was being put on a personal crafting website, for example, it would make sense to include the information that I knit the hoodie and perhaps the pattern name. For the purposes of this book, a brief and more objective summary makes more sense!
Check color contrast
If our colors are too similar, or don’t take color blindness into consideration, people may not be able to actually read the information presented. We can use tools such as WebAIM’s Contrast Checker to see if materials meet accessibility guidelines. We do not want to use color as the only method for distinguishing information. Consider pairing color with another visual indicator (like boldface type or increasing the font size).
Example
This text is accessible. The font is a dark blue that with a white background, providing enough contrast for readability.
This text is not accessible. The font is a dark blue, but with a dark green background, and two colors are too similar for easy readability.
Consider your layout
Keep lots of white space in the document to aid readability. Use consistent fonts, and stick to readable sans serif options such as Veranda, Ariel or Helvetica. Ensure font size large enough to be readable, with at least 10 points for documents and at least 24 font for presentations. Use lists, either bulleted or numbered.
Example
This book uses the standard layouts of Pressbooks, with some choices about when to use capitalization. What aspects of this formatting make it more readable to you? What might you change?
A note about tables
If we have data that needs to be displayed via a table, there are a couple of important things to consider in ensuring that the table will be navigable by accessibility software. First, we should be sure to designate a header row and column so that each cell is clearly labeled as to what the data is correlated with. We should also try to keep it to one bit of data per cell, and not merge cells or otherwise disrupt the table structure in such a way that makes it unclear about where the header and column are assigned.
Example
| Unordered Lists | Alt-text | Headings | |
| HTML tag | <ol> | <alt =””> | <h1>, <h2>, etc. |
| Explained in this chapter? | Yes | Yes | Yes |
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{
"license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
"url": "https://uw.pressbooks.pub/quicktips/chapter/digital-accessibility/",
"book_url": "https://uw.pressbooks.pub/quicktips/front-matter/introduction/",
"title": "Quick Tips for Accessibility",
"author": "Perry Yee, Deepa Banerjee, Kira Wyld, Artemis L., Jinny S.",
"institution": "University of Washington",
"subject": "Accessibility in web and digital design, Library and information services"
}
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https://uw.pressbooks.pub/quicktips/chapter/accessibility-topics-for-public-service-points/
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3 Accessibility Topics for Public Service Points
LEARN
This chapter will address specific accessibility issues that may come up for you at public service points. We will cover the following topics:
- Service animals
- Mobility devices
- Accommodation requests
Service Animals
“You do not need to approach a person with an animal unless the animal is misbehaving or there are complaints from other users about the animal’s presence.” (UW Libraries Staffweb)
Service Animals vs. Therapy Animals
Service animals are allowed in the UW Libraries. Service animals can be “any dog or miniature horse that is individually trained to perform tasks for an individual with a disability, including physical, sensory, mental, psychological, intellectual, or other mental disabilities.” (Disability Services Office). Service animals may or may not have outward designations (vests, paperwork, collars, etc). Please note that service animals are working, so do not approach service animals to pet them or interact with them. Remember that the library user needs the service animals as an accessibility tool, and they are just trying to live their lives. Having said that, if the library user invites you to talk about their service animal/interact with them, you can do so based on your own comfort level.
Therapy animals (or emotional support animals, comfort animals, or passive support animals) are not considered service animals. Library users with these animals may have accommodations from the DSO. If there are further questions, ask your supervisor!
Approaching Patrons with Service or Therapy Animals in the Libraries
If you must approach a library user with a service or therapy animal, check in with your supervisor first! They might have more information on the situation and guidance.
For context: there are only two questions that may be asked about a service animal:
- “Is this a service animal required because of a disability?”
- “What tasks has this animal been trained to perform?”
If a patron answers “yes” to the first question, you usually will not need to ask the 2nd question. Do not ask any other questions about a service animal other than the two mentioned. Examples of questions you should not ask:
- Any verification of training
- Documentation of disability
- Demonstration of trained tasks
Service Animals – Questions & Answers
- What do we do if a service animal is causing a disruption?
- Check in with your supervisor or a lead! If no supervisor is available and you must approach the library user with a service animal, you may ask them the two allowed questions:
- “Is this a service animal required because of a disability?”
- If the patron answers “no” to this first question, let the patron know that while service animals are allowed in the building, other companion animals must remain outside of the building.
- If the patron says “yes” to this first question and the animal is under control, thank them and leave.
- If the patron says “yes” to this first question but the animal is not under control, or is causing a disruption, you may ask the patron to leave the building with the animal until it can be brought under control. If the patron refuses, talk to your supervisor.
- “What tasks has this animal been trained to perform?”
- “Is this a service animal required because of a disability?”
- Your supervisor’s next steps will be to reach out to UWPD (Seattle) or Campus Safety (Bothell & Tacoma) for assistance and to log the incident.
- Check in with your supervisor or a lead! If no supervisor is available and you must approach the library user with a service animal, you may ask them the two allowed questions:
- A patron asks why there is an animal in the building – how should you respond?
- Thank them for letting you know, and let them know that service animals are welcome in the libraries.
- You do not need to confirm for the user that the animal is a service animal.
- If they ask how you know that that is a service animal, you may let them know that service animals are not required to display any outward paperwork or designations.
- If the patron has further questions about service animals, refer them to your supervisor!
- A patron lets you know that they have an allergy to a service animal – how should you respond?
- Help the user with the allergy find a different location in the library to study.
- If you are unable to help them find another space, talk to your supervisor.
- Be kind in your responses to all queries to both the patron asking the question and the library user with the service animal.
Mobility Devices
Unlike other wheeled devices, mobility devices are allowed in the UW Libraries, as you can see in the Code of Conduct below.
“INDIVIDUALS WILL NOT[…] Disturb or disrupt the academic pursuits of other library users. Prohibited behaviors include, but are not limited to: […]Using motorized or non-motorized wheeled devices inside the libraries, including the use of bicycles, skateboards, hoverboards, scooters, and shopping carts that are larger than a small, wheeled luggage cart. These restrictions do not apply to Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) mobility devices or medical assistive devices, baby strollers, or to university staff and contractors in the course of their work.” (UW Libraries Code of Conduct)
Mobility devices are diverse in their appearance and function. If you aren’t sure if a wheeled device should be inside the library or not, check in with your supervisor.
- What does this mean? If you see someone come in with something you recognize as a bicycle, skateboard, or hoverboard, it would be reasonable to assume these are not mobility devices.
- Be kind and err on the side of believing the patron! However, it is important to let your supervisor know about the interaction so that they may follow up if needed.
- Patrons with unusual or newer mobility devices often have paperwork that they will present to you.
Responding to Accommodation Requests
A patron approaches you with an accommodation request. What should you do?
- Short answer: Get your supervisor involved!
- Longer answer:
- If the request is easy to carry out, not disruptive, and reasonable, we will likely simply do it.
- For more complicated or longer term accommodations: We would help the patron to the best of our abilities in the moment, but we would also refer the library user to additional resources on campus. Each campus has a Disability Resources for Students (DRS) office, which are linked below under “Resources”, and UW staff & faculty can also gain additional help from the Disability Services Office (DSO). These offices can often purchase or provide equipment for students and staff that specific spaces/units may not be able to! Examples: Chairs with specific features or ergonomic support; reserved spaces with low lighting for migraines, etc.
Again: be kind, be understanding, and err on the side of believing the library user. You can’t go wrong by being kind.
- If your supervisor is not available and you have to make an “in the moment” call, be sure to follow up with your supervisor via email immediately.
Resources
- Disability Services Office, Services Animals guide
- Disability Resources for Students – Seattle
- Disability Resources for Students – Tacoma
- Disability Resources for Students – Bothell
- UW Libraries Staffweb, Service Animals guide (UW Libraries use only)
- UW Libraries Staffweb, Accessibility Portal (UW Libraries use only)
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pressbooks
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08-24-2024
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{
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"url": "https://uw.pressbooks.pub/quicktips/chapter/accessibility-topics-for-public-service-points/",
"book_url": "https://uw.pressbooks.pub/quicktips/front-matter/introduction/",
"title": "Quick Tips for Accessibility",
"author": "Perry Yee, Deepa Banerjee, Kira Wyld, Artemis L., Jinny S.",
"institution": "University of Washington",
"subject": "Accessibility in web and digital design, Library and information services"
}
|
https://uw.pressbooks.pub/quicktips/chapter/accessibility-tools-in-the-libraries/
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4 Accessibility Tools in the UW Libraries
LEARN
As part of our commitment to accessibility, the UW Libraries are working to ensure that we have accessibility tools available within our physical spaces. An updated list of all of our resources is publicly posted on our Accessibility at the Libraries page, but this chapter will go into some more depths on what we provide.
In the Libraries
Software
All Windows computers in Odegaard Undergraduate Library and most in Suzzallo Library have Zoomtext (screen enlargement) software installed. Specific stations at Suzzallo, Odegaard, Health Sciences libraries, and other locations run more extensive access software suites.
For UW Bothell employees, use this resource for Adaptive Technology Workstation Specifications and Locations.
For UW Tacoma employees, you can find a a list of ADA Computer locations on your campus.
Adjustable height workstations
Most of our branches have some number of computer workstations on adjustable height desks. These desks can be used by anyone, but are specifically meant to ensure that those with various access needs (such as using a wheelchair instead of one of our provided chairs) can use our resources in a more convenient manner.
Accessibility Kits
At the UW Libraries, each library location has an accessibility kit (including Tacoma and Bothell, but excluding Gallagher Law Library and Friday Harbor Library) containing the following items for on-site use.
For more detail on how to use these items, see the Staffweb page, Accessibility Kits (UW Libraries use only).
Items available for checkout:
Trackball Mouse: Trackball mice are highly useful tools for those with dexterity and fine motor skill impairments, including carpal tunnel syndrome or arthritis. This mouse allows people to use differing or fewer muscles in their hands and wrists.
Pocket-Hearing Loop: This small personal amplifier is for one-on-one communications, and can be used at a service desk, when walking with a person to the stacks, or in a library classroom. Pocket loops are like a “focused headset”.
Lapboard: Lapboards can be placed on the lap or across the arms of a wheelchair or mobility scooter. Lapboards effectively provide a desktop space for a mouse and keyboard (or laptop) while improving reach and comfort for individuals with whom using a standard desk is impractical.
High-Contrast Large Type Keyboard: The large type and high contrast of these keyboards assist individuals with low vision by reducing eye strain. These keyboards also make typing easier for those with limited fine motor skills by eliminating multi-function keys. Note: Due to funding, the High-Contrast Large Type Keyboards are currently available only at UW Tacoma, UW Bothell/Cascadia College, Health Sciences Library, Odegaard Undergraduate Library and Suzzallo and Allen Libraries.
Items available without checkout:
Magnifier Bars: Magnifier bars can be used by those with low vision to enhance the size of text and reduce eye strain caused by small print.
Disposable Noise-Reduction Earplugs: Disposable earplugs are useful for those with cognitive or learning disabilities. Earplugs allow for more focused concentration in spaces with additional noise. Available until supply runs out.
Assistive technology tools
When creating content, which could be anything from email to a slideshow, it is important to consider the different ways in which people may be accessing your content. Someone blind, for example, may be using a software that will read to them (commonly called a “screen reader”), whereas someone deaf will need anything with an audio component to have that information also communicated visually.
If you have time, consider watching the video below featuring Hadi Rangin, Information Technology Accessibility Specialist, who gave a presentation about testing with screen readers during an event for the Accessible Technology Webinar Series at the University of Washington.
Video runtime: 1 hour, 19 minutes
More resources
Visit the UW Accessibility websites below to understand how accessibility and technology interact at our institution:
Learn more about assistive technologies and screen readers at the American Foundation for the blind.
APPLY
Knowledge Check
Use the arrows to tab through the questions below!
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2025-03-22T05:09:06.081613
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08-24-2024
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{
"license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
"url": "https://uw.pressbooks.pub/quicktips/chapter/accessibility-tools-in-the-libraries/",
"book_url": "https://uw.pressbooks.pub/quicktips/front-matter/introduction/",
"title": "Quick Tips for Accessibility",
"author": "Perry Yee, Deepa Banerjee, Kira Wyld, Artemis L., Jinny S.",
"institution": "University of Washington",
"subject": "Accessibility in web and digital design, Library and information services"
}
|
https://uw.pressbooks.pub/quicktips/chapter/captioning/
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5 Video Captioning
LEARN
Captioning
Closed captioning of a video allows someone the option to turn on captioning for a video, and is a clear and effective way to make a video more accessible, reach out a larger audience, and enhance user experience. It allows disabled people such as deaf or hard of hearing people to understand the contents of the video. It also provides a resource for English learners, students or general viewers by making the content more engaging, comprehensible and interesting. In addition, search engines crawl closed captioned videos more easily to make them visible on the web.
Zoom captioning
Captions can be added to Zoom for both live and recorded events. Zoom uses automatic speech recognition technology that can be enabled by meeting hosts during meetings or webinars. If a Zoom webinar or meeting is saved to the cloud, captions can be generated for the archived video. Generally, captions generated using automatic speech recognition do not meet a level of accuracy that is suitable as an accommodation for people who depend on captions. Either edit your captions (recorded) or look into third-party captioning services (live) when an accommodation is requested.
Recorded videos
Automation
Generate auto-captions through an online tool. Both YouTube and Panopto have built in methods but there are also exterior tools such as Amara.org, DotSub.com, or Subtitle Horse. These automatically generated captions will inevitably have many errors in them, and you will need to review and edit them for accuracy.
Transcription services, such as those provided by UW-IT (for certain types of videos) will create high quality captions.
Accuracy
- Transcribe content as close to verbatim as possible without making captions difficult to read
- Spelling should be 99% correct, including names
- Communicate non-speech sounds
- Edit the captions so that they match what is actually being said
- Rewatch the video with the updated captions to catch any missed errors
- Update the caption file on your video to ensure it is the corrected version, and not the auto-captions
Formatting
- Use a non-serif font style, if given the option
- Use 1-3 lines of text with no more than 32 characters per line
- Sentence case should be used for readability
- Consider using speaker labels
- Minimum duration of a caption should be 1 second
- Captions should be placed in the lower third of a screen or re-positioned if it will obscure onscreen text
- Consider downloading the captions to create a standalone transcript
External Resources
Read the DCMP Captioning Key. Focus on the Elements of Quality Captioning, Language Mechanics, Sound Effects and Music, Speaker Identification, Special Considerations and the Appendix on Numbers.
This quick overview of Closed Captioning & Subtitling Standards from 3PlayMedia gives guidance on maximum length of captions per frame and how long captions should be displayed on the screen.
APPLY
Knowledge check
Use the arrows to tab through the questions below!
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pressbooks
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2025-03-22T05:09:06.093406
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08-24-2024
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{
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"url": "https://uw.pressbooks.pub/quicktips/chapter/captioning/",
"book_url": "https://uw.pressbooks.pub/quicktips/front-matter/introduction/",
"title": "Quick Tips for Accessibility",
"author": "Perry Yee, Deepa Banerjee, Kira Wyld, Artemis L., Jinny S.",
"institution": "University of Washington",
"subject": "Accessibility in web and digital design, Library and information services"
}
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https://iu.pressbooks.pub/resourceconveniencestore/chapter/canvas-commons-iupui/
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1 Canvas Commons: Shared Canvas Resources from IU and Beyond (IUPUI)
What is Canvas Commons?
Commons allows instructors to find and share learning resources. The learning resources in Canvas Commons spans all of the tools Canvas offers from modules, quizzes, and assignments to full courses. Commons is a great tool to use if you are looking for specific files, such as an article you’d like students to read, or if you’d just like some ideas for how to set up your online class on Canvas.
You can use the advanced search feature to select for materials created by IU colleagues, or by type of material you are looking for – ie grading rubrics etc. Any material found here can be imported into your Canvas courses.
https://iu.instructure.com/accounts/98865/external_tools/135244?launch_type=global_navigation
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pressbooks
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2025-03-22T05:09:06.102582
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01-31-2022
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{
"license": "Creative Commons Zero - Public Domain - https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/",
"url": "https://iu.pressbooks.pub/resourceconveniencestore/chapter/canvas-commons-iupui/",
"book_url": "https://iu.pressbooks.pub/resourceconveniencestore/front-matter/introduction/",
"title": "Resources for Teaching: Inspiration and Sources from IUPUI and Beyond",
"author": "Rachel Wheeler",
"institution": "",
"subject": "Teaching skills and techniques"
}
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https://iu.pressbooks.pub/resourceconveniencestore/chapter/canvas-studio-iupui/
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2 Canvas Studio: Design Elements (IUPUI)
What is Canvas Studio?
Canvas Studio is great for importing Canvas Page templates, icons, banners, and design elements to create Canvas Pages, and assignments with a more professional look.
The link below will take you to the Canvas Studio IU Expand website. When you “enroll” in the Expand course, it will show up in your Canvas dashboard, thus providing easy access to the design elements.
In their own words: “What will you create today? The Canvas Studio is a resource filled with templates, ideas, and pro tips for creating online Canvas courses. It is designed to provide you with a repertoire of thoughtful recommendations, customizable components, and usable examples to get your Canvas course started—or to enhance an existing Canvas course.”
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pressbooks
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2025-03-22T05:09:06.111861
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{
"license": "Creative Commons Zero - Public Domain - https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/",
"url": "https://iu.pressbooks.pub/resourceconveniencestore/chapter/canvas-studio-iupui/",
"book_url": "https://iu.pressbooks.pub/resourceconveniencestore/front-matter/introduction/",
"title": "Resources for Teaching: Inspiration and Sources from IUPUI and Beyond",
"author": "Rachel Wheeler",
"institution": "",
"subject": "Teaching skills and techniques"
}
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https://iu.pressbooks.pub/resourceconveniencestore/chapter/course-test-drive-iupui/
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3 Course Test Drive: Preview Online Courses (IUPUI)
What is Course Test Drive?
Course test drive allows non-students to look at real IUPUI online courses from the perspective of a student. “You can also preview real IU Online courses and gain first-hand experience with the different learning activities you’ll complete online. These online activities, which include notes and recordings, quick checks, flashcards, quizzes, and more, are designed to mimic the interactions you would have in a face-to-face classroom or an in-person lecture.” This can help professors in creating their own online Canvas course.
https://expand.iu.edu/courses/preview-iu-online-course-test-drive
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pressbooks
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2025-03-22T05:09:06.120872
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01-31-2022
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{
"license": "Creative Commons Zero - Public Domain - https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/",
"url": "https://iu.pressbooks.pub/resourceconveniencestore/chapter/course-test-drive-iupui/",
"book_url": "https://iu.pressbooks.pub/resourceconveniencestore/front-matter/introduction/",
"title": "Resources for Teaching: Inspiration and Sources from IUPUI and Beyond",
"author": "Rachel Wheeler",
"institution": "",
"subject": "Teaching skills and techniques"
}
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https://iu.pressbooks.pub/resourceconveniencestore/chapter/google-at-iu-iupui/
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4 Google at IU: How to Use Google Drive for Your Course (IUPUI)
What is Google at IU?
“Google at IU makes apps in Google’s G Suite for Education available at no fee to Indiana University students, faculty, staff, and affiliates…For managing projects and other types of group activities, Google at IU groupspaces provide a collaborative workspace with access to multiple integrated Google tools, including calendar, mailing list, wiki, embedded docs, etc.”
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pressbooks
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2025-03-22T05:09:06.130091
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01-31-2022
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{
"license": "Creative Commons Zero - Public Domain - https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/",
"url": "https://iu.pressbooks.pub/resourceconveniencestore/chapter/google-at-iu-iupui/",
"book_url": "https://iu.pressbooks.pub/resourceconveniencestore/front-matter/introduction/",
"title": "Resources for Teaching: Inspiration and Sources from IUPUI and Beyond",
"author": "Rachel Wheeler",
"institution": "",
"subject": "Teaching skills and techniques"
}
|
https://iu.pressbooks.pub/resourceconveniencestore/chapter/quick-check-iupui/
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5 Quick Check: An Alternative to Pop Quizzes (IUPUI)
What is Quick Check?
Instructors might choose Quick Check as an alternative to pop quizzes to ensure that students have comprehended assigned readings, etc.
“Quick Check is a tool for creating inline assessments in Canvas, allowing instructors to integrate frequent low-stakes assessments into their courses. Providing a mix of higher and lower stakes assessments can help instructors get to know students’ work, create multiple opportunities for feedback, and deter cheating.”
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pressbooks
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2025-03-22T05:09:06.141711
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01-31-2022
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{
"license": "Creative Commons Zero - Public Domain - https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/",
"url": "https://iu.pressbooks.pub/resourceconveniencestore/chapter/quick-check-iupui/",
"book_url": "https://iu.pressbooks.pub/resourceconveniencestore/front-matter/introduction/",
"title": "Resources for Teaching: Inspiration and Sources from IUPUI and Beyond",
"author": "Rachel Wheeler",
"institution": "",
"subject": "Teaching skills and techniques"
}
|
https://iu.pressbooks.pub/resourceconveniencestore/chapter/tool-finder-iupui/
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6 Tool Finder: A Database of Online Tools (IUPUI)
What is Tool Finder?
Tool finder is a useful database of online tools compiled by IU that can help you find tools for a number of specific purposes. You can filter results to find tools that you can use for communication, storage, assessment, and/or collaboration, among other helpful categories!
Click here to find a tool!
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pressbooks
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2025-03-22T05:09:06.154466
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01-31-2022
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{
"license": "Creative Commons Zero - Public Domain - https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/",
"url": "https://iu.pressbooks.pub/resourceconveniencestore/chapter/tool-finder-iupui/",
"book_url": "https://iu.pressbooks.pub/resourceconveniencestore/front-matter/introduction/",
"title": "Resources for Teaching: Inspiration and Sources from IUPUI and Beyond",
"author": "Rachel Wheeler",
"institution": "",
"subject": "Teaching skills and techniques"
}
|
https://iu.pressbooks.pub/resourceconveniencestore/chapter/voicethread-iupui/
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7 VoiceThread: Comment on Images and Videos Using Audio (IUPUI)
What is VoiceThread?
“VoiceThread is a learning tool for enhancing student engagement and online presence. With VoiceThread, instructors and/or students can create, share, and comment on images, Microsoft PowerPoint presentations, videos, audio files, documents, and PDFs, using microphone, webcam, text, phone, and audio-file upload.”
https://uits.iu.edu/voicethread
The following link from CTL’s Andi Stracklejahn explains how to comment and reply in VoiceThread.
https://lor.instructure.com/resources/e7c2e3fd8e6744528320e2ddd0dbd55a?shared
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pressbooks
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2025-03-22T05:09:06.163697
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01-31-2022
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{
"license": "Creative Commons Zero - Public Domain - https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/",
"url": "https://iu.pressbooks.pub/resourceconveniencestore/chapter/voicethread-iupui/",
"book_url": "https://iu.pressbooks.pub/resourceconveniencestore/front-matter/introduction/",
"title": "Resources for Teaching: Inspiration and Sources from IUPUI and Beyond",
"author": "Rachel Wheeler",
"institution": "",
"subject": "Teaching skills and techniques"
}
|
https://iu.pressbooks.pub/resourceconveniencestore/chapter/zotero-iupui/
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8 Zotero: Collect and Organize Bibliographies Online (IUPUI)
What is Zotero?
Zotero is a research tool that is used to manage, organize, and cite bibliographic information. According to the Zotero website, “Zotero is a free, open-source research tool that helps you collect, organize, and analyze research and share it in a variety of ways. Zotero includes the best parts of older reference manager software — the ability to store author, title, and publication fields and to export that information as formatted references — and the best aspects of modern software and web applications, such as the ability to organize, tag, and search in advanced ways.”
https://lor.instructure.com/resources/4587afea398c417ea2c94ed155303189?shared
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pressbooks
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2025-03-22T05:09:06.174496
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01-31-2022
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{
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Primary Navigation
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Book Contents Navigation
Introduction: Resource Convenience Store
1. Canvas Commons: Shared Canvas Resources from IU and Beyond (IUPUI)
2. Canvas Studio: Design Elements (IUPUI)
3. Course Test Drive: Preview Online Courses (IUPUI)
4. Google at IU: How to Use Google Drive for Your Course (IUPUI)
5. Quick Check: An Alternative to Pop Quizzes (IUPUI)
6. Tool Finder: A Database of Online Tools (IUPUI)
7. VoiceThread: Comment on Images and Videos Using Audio (IUPUI)
8. Zotero: Collect and Organize Bibliographies Online (IUPUI)
9. Zoom: Learn More About Using Zoom (IUPUI)
10. Digital Teaching Toolkit: Tools and Approaches to Digital Learning (External)
11. Group Annotation: Collaborative Annotation through Hypothesis (External)
12. Flipgrid: Video Discussion Board (External)
13. Improving Breakout Room Discussions with Collaborative Documents: Facilitating Discussions (External)
14. Kahoot: A Fun Trivia Study Tool (External)
15. Kialo: Learn How to Map Argument Structure (External)
16. Netiquette: Teach Students How to Communicate Respectfully (External)
17. Online Teaching Techniques and Tips: Using Apps in Your Course (External)
18. Polling Software: Engage Students with Polls (External)
What Makes a Great Instructional Video (External)
19. Active Listening Exercise: Self-Evaluation through Discussion Posts (IUPUI)
20. Introduce Yourself Discussion w/ Video (IUPUI)
21. Using Social Media in Assignments: Example (IUPUI)
22. 4 Lessons from Moving a Face-to-Face Course Online: Exploring Helpful Tools (External)
23. Discussions/Discussion Alternatives for Asynchronous Courses (External)
24. Online Group Work: Tips for Promoting Collaboration (External)
25. Padlet: A Visual Discussion Board (External)
26. Talia Vestri Teaching Tips: Weekly Communication, Asynchronous Courses, and Repurposing Slideshows(External)
27. Teaching American History Online: Examples of Online Class Assignments (External)
28. Tips from HASTAC: How to Move an In-Person Class Online (External)
29. Zoom: In-Class Activities/Assignments (External)
30. Clio: An Alternative to Traditional Research Papers (External)
31. Podcasts (IUPUI)
Appendix
This Pressbook created by UITS offers some helpful tips for active learning through Zoom!
Previous/next navigation
To the extent possible under law, Rachel Wheeler has waived all copyright and related or neighboring rights to Resources for Teaching: Inspiration and Sources from IUPUI and Beyond, except where otherwise noted.
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https://iu.pressbooks.pub/resourceconveniencestore/chapter/digital-teaching-toolkit-external/
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10 Digital Teaching Toolkit: Tools and Approaches to Digital Learning (External)
NYU Shanghai’s Digital Teaching Toolkit provides recommendations for tools and approaches to digital teaching. “On the site you will find a guide to a wide range of digital tools and approaches we recommend for faculty seeking to deliver quality distance learning to students.”
Find out more here.
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pressbooks
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2025-03-22T05:09:06.201756
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01-31-2022
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https://iu.pressbooks.pub/resourceconveniencestore/chapter/group-annotation-external/
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11 Group Annotation: Collaborative Annotation through Hypothesis (External)
What is Hypothesis?
Hypothesis is a group annotation tool that allows multiple students to engage with a text at once. “Are you interested in increasing student engagement, expanding reading comprehension, and building critical-thinking and community in classes? Collaborative annotation makes reading active, visible, and social, enabling students to engage with their texts, teachers, ideas, and each other in deeper, more meaningful ways.”
Quick Start Guide to Hypothes.is
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2025-03-22T05:09:06.210779
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https://iu.pressbooks.pub/resourceconveniencestore/chapter/flipgrid-video-discussion-board-external/
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12 Flipgrid: Video Discussion Board (External)
What is Flipgrid?
Flipgrid is a video discussion board that can interface with Canvas. “In Flipgrid, educators post prompts for their class and learners respond with short videos, forming an asynchronous video discussion around educator-defined topics.” The following blog, The Flipgrid Blog, provides information on how to use Flipgrid in an educational environment.
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pressbooks
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01-31-2022
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https://iu.pressbooks.pub/resourceconveniencestore/chapter/improving-breakout-room-discussions-with-collaborative-documents/
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13 Improving Breakout Room Discussions with Collaborative Documents: Facilitating Discussions (External)
The following blog post by Dr. Dennis Lowe, a professor of Psychology at Pepperdine University, gives advice about facilitating discussions in Zoom breakout rooms.
Improving Breakout Room Discussions in Online Teaching by Using Collaborative Documents
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2025-03-22T05:09:06.228364
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https://iu.pressbooks.pub/resourceconveniencestore/chapter/kahoot-external/
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14 Kahoot: A Fun Trivia Study Tool (External)
What is Kahoot?
Kahoot is basically a trivia night app. It is an effective and fun alternative to a pop reading quiz.
Find Kahoot here:
This blog post from Adriel Trott, Professor of Philosophy at Wabash College, gives some tips on how to use Kahoot in the classroom.
Adriel Trott: https://adrieltrott.com/2020/08/27/using-kahoot-in-the-college-classroom/
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pressbooks
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2025-03-22T05:09:06.237236
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https://iu.pressbooks.pub/resourceconveniencestore/chapter/kialo-external/
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15 Kialo: Learn How to Map Argument Structure (External)
What is Kialo?
Kialo is an online tool that lets students map their arguments and follow the logical structure of a discussion. “With clear visualization of arguments and with powerful, easy to use navigation tools, Kialo is the perfect resource to help students master critical thinking and reasoning skills…Kialo Edu allows educators to curate spaces for students to work through complex subjects together, while giving students the space to ask questions, discuss, and evaluate new ideas.”
For more information about Kialo visit this website.
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pressbooks
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2025-03-22T05:09:06.246002
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01-31-2022
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https://iu.pressbooks.pub/resourceconveniencestore/chapter/netiquette-external/
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16 Netiquette: Teach Students How to Communicate Respectfully (External)
What is Netiquette?
Netiquette consists of the proper and acceptable ways to communicate online. Acquainting students with the rules of Netiquette may help them understand how to respectfully communicate with one another.
The following guide to Netiquette is an excerpt from Netiquette by Virginia Shea.
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pressbooks
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2025-03-22T05:09:06.254799
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https://iu.pressbooks.pub/resourceconveniencestore/chapter/online-teaching-techniques-and-tips-external/
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17 Online Teaching Techniques and Tips: Using Apps in Your Course (External)
Ashlee Espinosa is an acting coach who recently taught at UC Irvine. The following video is one of many in a series in which she provides online teaching tips. In this video, she recommends apps to those teaching online.
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2025-03-22T05:09:06.263282
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https://iu.pressbooks.pub/resourceconveniencestore/chapter/polling-software-external/
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18 Polling Software: Engage Students with Polls (External)
The following links lead to polling websites and descriptions of how to use each polling website.
Polling Software
Zoom: https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/213756303-Polling-for-meetings
Mentimeter: https://www.mentimeter.com/
Socrative: https://www.socrative.com/
Slido: https://www.sli.do/
Poll Everywhere: https://www.polleverywhere.com/
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https://iu.pressbooks.pub/resourceconveniencestore/chapter/what-makes-a-great-instructional-video/
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What Makes a Great Instructional Video (External)
This video, created by Prezi a presentation tool, gives tips for creating an engaging instructional video for online teaching.
This video, created by Prezi a presentation tool, gives tips for creating an engaging instructional video for online teaching.
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pressbooks
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2025-03-22T05:09:06.282166
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https://iu.pressbooks.pub/resourceconveniencestore/chapter/active-listening-exercise-iupui/
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19 Active Listening Exercise: Self-Evaluation through Discussion Posts (IUPUI)
The following assignment was created by Audrey Ricke, Professor of Anthropology at IUPUI.
Description:
This discussion post is designed to promote undergraduate students’ self-evaluation of their active-listening and note-taking skills and provide peer advice and tools to support mastery and growth. It asks students to practice active-listening while doing some form of note recording, e.g. jottings, drawings, mental notes, or typed notes, during a live or recorded presentation. Students type and post more formal notes with one question based on the presentation material, do a self-evaluation of their formal notes, reflecting on the challenges of doing active-listening, and provide advice for another student. The exercise can be used with live or prerecorded presentations and thus is applicable to in-person, online synchronous, and online asynchronous learning.
Some of the benefits of using this activity as a discussion post is that it targets a skill that is needed to be successful in university courses and qualitative research, as well as in business and personal relationships. It helps students assess their own active-listening and note-taking skills and encourages peer support and problem-solving while also ratifying that every student has something important to share to help others. The discussion post activity has the potential to foster discussion about technical and social issues surrounding active-listening and its challenges as well as on how to effectively conduct certain types of qualitative research, such as interviews and participant observation.
https://lor.instructure.com/resources/d9b6511a3b504bb9be58eae1ff9f4103?shared
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pressbooks
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2025-03-22T05:09:06.291603
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https://iu.pressbooks.pub/resourceconveniencestore/chapter/introduce-yourself-discussion-w-video-iupui/
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20 Introduce Yourself Discussion w/ Video (IUPUI)
This assignment asks students to introduce themselves to other members of the class by recording and posting a short video about themselves to a discussion post. This assignment allows students to interact and get to know each other in a way they might not otherwise be able to in an online class.
https://lor.instructure.com/resources/f687ab697b6a49edbf0d4873e85ab219?importing=true
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pressbooks
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2025-03-22T05:09:06.300241
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01-31-2022
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https://iu.pressbooks.pub/resourceconveniencestore/chapter/using-social-media-in-assignments-example-iupui/
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21 Using Social Media in Assignments: Example (IUPUI)
The following assignment was created by Kelly Hayes, Professor of Religious Studies.
Description:
This is an undergraduate-level assignment that uses Instagram to help students understand and use theoretical concepts from the course by applying them to examples taken from the world around them. It helps teach critical thinking.
https://lor.instructure.com/resources/8407fa98db4a4616b5d04b2fef98df30?shared
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pressbooks
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2025-03-22T05:09:06.309227
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01-31-2022
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https://iu.pressbooks.pub/resourceconveniencestore/chapter/4-lessons-from-moving-a-face-to-face-course-online-external/
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22 4 Lessons from Moving a Face-to-Face Course Online: Exploring Helpful Tools (External)
This article was written by Kevin Gannon, Professor of History and Director of the Center for Excellence in Teaching & Learning at Grand View University. In this article, Professor Gannon discusses his transition from in person to online teaching and provides examples of what tools he uses in his classroom to ensure his students are just as engaged.
https://chroniclevitae.com/news/2176-4-lessons-from-moving-a-face-to-face-course-online
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pressbooks
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2025-03-22T05:09:06.317777
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01-31-2022
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https://iu.pressbooks.pub/resourceconveniencestore/chapter/discussions-discussion-alternatives-external/
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23 Discussions/Discussion Alternatives for Asynchronous Courses (External)
The following discussion guidelines were written by Dr. Vanessa Dennen, a professor of Instructional Systems and Learning Technologies at Florida State University.
Discussion Board Guidelines by Vanessa Dennen / vdennen@fsu.edu
Feel free to modify for personal use. Attribution and a linkback always appreciated.
Asynchronous Discussion Guidelines
Grading Overview:
Graded discussions will occur during XX weeks of the course. You may earn up to X discussion grade points per week, with your final discussion grade comprised of your weekly grades for the highest X weeks (X points multiplied by X weeks = XX points, total). In other words, I will discard your lowest X weekly discussion grades when calculating final grades. No makeups or late participation will be counted. You have X weeks to be absent from discussion or do as you wish. There is no need to send an excuse for the week you are absent. Just take the break when you need or want to. You are adult learners – you can self-regulate!
Timeline:
The discussion period for each week begins on Monday (12:00 am EST) and ends on Sunday (11:59 pm EST). Contributions made after the clock ticks over from Sunday into the next Monday do not count.
Expectations:
You are expected to be an active participant in each weekly discussion. You have a full week to participate and can choose the days/times when you participate. Barring a major emergency or illness, there should be no reason for you to be unable to participate.
You are expected to be a learner. Your discussion contributions are your opportunity to explore and build on the readings, thereby learning in the process. Posts should not be viewed as busywork, nor as summative assessments. Instead, discussion posts offer opportunities for practice and engagement. In the discussion, you get to practice using key terms and concepts related to the course through articulation and reflection. You are writing posts that will be read and responded to by others, which will challenge you to have something worthwhile to write about and to be clear and precise in your language and examples.
You are expected to engage in dialogue with your classmates throughout (i.e., on multiple occasions) the week. Do not jump on the discussion board on Sunday night at 10 pm, write four posts in 30 minutes, and expect full points for your participation. You also will not get full points for writing all of your posts during 1 hour on Wednesday morning. If I wanted you to do that, I would call the activity Message Posting rather than Discussion. You cannot be an effective dialogue partner if you jump in once, post a bunch of messages, and leave.
Dialogue requires an exchange between people. With that in mind, you should:
- Remember that your audience for your posts is your class, not just the instructor.
- Write messages that invite others to respond. Ask your classmates if they agree with you, if they have similar examples to share, or if they agree with your interpretation of a difficult concept.
- Return to the discussion to see if anyone has responded to your earlier messages, and further the conversation.
- Read your classmates’ posts with a plan to respond. Think about what you can ask them or share with them. Build on their examples, or even play devil’s advocate.
You are expected to write high quality posts. Participation is a matter of BOTH the number of posts written (having a presence) and the quality of posts written (having something worthwhile to contribute).
What constitutes high quality participation in an online discussion? For this class, I will be looking for posts that:
- Relate to the course content. In your posts, you should use the concepts and terms we have been learning in class, and incorporate or respond to ideas from the learning materials.
- Are substantive in content. While it is nice to give brief feedback like thanks and good idea to your classmates, and such messages are not discouraged. However, they do not count toward your graded contributions.
- Invite dialogue. There is no pressure to be the authority on a topic, and you should not write mini-essays or monologues. In fact, those types of posts tend to reduce dialogue.
- Are thoughtful and well-composed. Take the time to gather your thoughts before writing. Formal language is not required, but you should use complete sentences, and pay attention to spelling and grammar.
- Are responsive either to the initial question or to another post. Each week you should be engaged in dialogue with others, not just replying to the initial discussion question. If everyone only responds to the initial question, the discussion will not go far.
- Extend the conversation in meaningful ways. Do not just repeat what others have said, but make a new point, provide a new piece of evidence, or ask an insightful question. Remember that you do not have to extend the conversation by being an expert (you’re a learner here!). A timely and well-phrased question can be just as meaningful and valuable as a post that offers up knowledge!
It should go without saying, but I will say it anyway: Differences of opinion are fine, but you must treat everyone with respect at all times.
Frequently Asked Questions:
- 1. How many posts do I have to write each week?
You should have at least XX posts meeting the above criteria each week. - 2. If I have the right number of posts, will I get full points?Not necessarily. When grading, I will not only at the number of posts you write, but also at the substance and timing of your posts.
- 3. Is there an ideal word count for posts?
No. Instead of word count, you should focus on being a substantive dialogue partner. You probably won’t be able to say anything of substance in a few words or a single sentence, although an insightful question can be quite substantive. At the same time, I’m not expecting you to write an essay. Most people write between 1-3 paragraphs per post, depending on the topic and how much they have to say. - 4. Will I lose points if I get something wrong in a post?
No. You’re a learner, and the discussion forum is a place to practice applying newly learned concepts and terms. If you don’t understand something, say so. Ask someone to help you out with an example. If your post contains a factual inaccuracy or demonstrates a limited perspective, someone may come in and offer a gentle correction or alternate point of view. However, those events will not affect your grade.
- 5. There are five discussion topics posted this week. Do I have to respond to each one?
No, you do not have to respond to every thread or topic that I start. You may concentrate on only one thread or topic if you like. You are an adult learner with personal interests and learning goals. As a result, you get some choice. You may start new threads or topics, too. - 6. Do I have to complete all of the week’s readings before participating in the discussion that week?
No. You will want to refer to the readings in your posts, but it is acceptable to complete one of the readings and then jump in and discuss it while still tackling other readings. - 7. Do I need to formally cite the readings in my posts?
I do not expect you to provide formal citations with complete references for assigned readings on the discussion board. We are discussing, not writing papers. It will suffice to make informal reference to a reading (e.g., In the Smith chapter that we read this week … or Chen raised the issue of …). In other words, treat references in the written discussion just like you would in an in-class discussion. If you refer to readings or materials outside of those assigned to the class, you should provide full information so that someone else can locate the item to which you refer. If the item is online, providing a link to it will suffice.
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2025-03-22T05:09:06.332740
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01-31-2022
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https://iu.pressbooks.pub/resourceconveniencestore/chapter/online-group-work-external/
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24 Online Group Work: Tips for Promoting Collaboration (External)
The following articles were written by Debbie Morrison, founder of Online Learning Insights and educator at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles, give tips on how to facilitate group work online.
Five Elements That Promote Learner Collaboration and Group Work in Online Courses
Five Essential Skills Instructors Need to Facilitate Online Group Work & Collaboration
Student Perceptions of Online Group Work: What They Really Think and How to Make It Work
|
pressbooks
|
2025-03-22T05:09:06.342219
|
01-31-2022
|
{
"license": "Creative Commons Zero - Public Domain - https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/",
"url": "https://iu.pressbooks.pub/resourceconveniencestore/chapter/online-group-work-external/",
"book_url": "https://iu.pressbooks.pub/resourceconveniencestore/front-matter/introduction/",
"title": "Resources for Teaching: Inspiration and Sources from IUPUI and Beyond",
"author": "Rachel Wheeler",
"institution": "",
"subject": "Teaching skills and techniques"
}
|
https://iu.pressbooks.pub/resourceconveniencestore/chapter/padlet-external/
|
25 Padlet: A Visual Discussion Board (External)
What is Padlet?
Padlet is basically a visual discussion/bulletin board. You can send students a link to a Padlet that you have created and provide them with a prompt. They can directly add photos, texts, quotes, recordings, etc.
The Padlet introduction and tutorial teaches you how to use Padlet and provides some ideas for instructors.
Padlet Introduction: https://padlet.com/drjodietaylor/padlet101
Padlet Tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UkBnwPqaIjA&feature=youtu.be
|
pressbooks
|
2025-03-22T05:09:06.351625
|
01-31-2022
|
{
"license": "Creative Commons Zero - Public Domain - https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/",
"url": "https://iu.pressbooks.pub/resourceconveniencestore/chapter/padlet-external/",
"book_url": "https://iu.pressbooks.pub/resourceconveniencestore/front-matter/introduction/",
"title": "Resources for Teaching: Inspiration and Sources from IUPUI and Beyond",
"author": "Rachel Wheeler",
"institution": "",
"subject": "Teaching skills and techniques"
}
|
https://iu.pressbooks.pub/resourceconveniencestore/chapter/talia-vestri-teaching-tips/
|
26 Talia Vestri Teaching Tips: Weekly Communication, Asynchronous Courses, and Repurposing Slideshows(External)
The following blog posts were written by Dr. Talia Vestri, a professor of English Literature. In the following sources, she discusses the importance of weekly communication with students and suggests sending weekly letters to students, 3 ways to structure asynchronous discussions, and how to repurpose slideshows for discussions rather than lectures.
Teaching Tips
https://www.taliavestri.com/post/weekly-letter?fbclid=IwAR3OhQ1zpOcs4DiD4sRxeCW8yhY5Mf5PF3WQIyAM5iR4-mafxvQaJVJUbwQ
“Asynchronous Discussion”
Slideshows for Discussions
https://www.taliavestri.com/post/slideshows-for-discussions
|
pressbooks
|
2025-03-22T05:09:06.361830
|
01-31-2022
|
{
"license": "Creative Commons Zero - Public Domain - https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/",
"url": "https://iu.pressbooks.pub/resourceconveniencestore/chapter/talia-vestri-teaching-tips/",
"book_url": "https://iu.pressbooks.pub/resourceconveniencestore/front-matter/introduction/",
"title": "Resources for Teaching: Inspiration and Sources from IUPUI and Beyond",
"author": "Rachel Wheeler",
"institution": "",
"subject": "Teaching skills and techniques"
}
|
https://iu.pressbooks.pub/resourceconveniencestore/chapter/teaching-american-history-online-external/
|
27 Teaching American History Online: Examples of Online Class Assignments (External)
The following article by Karin Wulf, Professor of History at the College of William & Mary, explains how she made the transition to online classes and provides examples of assignments.
http://karinwulf.com/centering-the-archives-of-early-america-or-teaching-vast-early-america-in-a-covid-19-semester/
|
pressbooks
|
2025-03-22T05:09:06.370164
|
01-31-2022
|
{
"license": "Creative Commons Zero - Public Domain - https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/",
"url": "https://iu.pressbooks.pub/resourceconveniencestore/chapter/teaching-american-history-online-external/",
"book_url": "https://iu.pressbooks.pub/resourceconveniencestore/front-matter/introduction/",
"title": "Resources for Teaching: Inspiration and Sources from IUPUI and Beyond",
"author": "Rachel Wheeler",
"institution": "",
"subject": "Teaching skills and techniques"
}
|
https://iu.pressbooks.pub/resourceconveniencestore/chapter/tips-from-hastac-external/
|
28 Tips from HASTAC: How to Move an In-Person Class Online (External)
The following blog post by Jacqueline Wernimont, Associate Professor of Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at Dartmouth College, gives some tips as to how to move a class online. The three main tips she discusses are talking to students about expectations, embracing asynchronicity, and seeking out external resources.
|
pressbooks
|
2025-03-22T05:09:06.378823
|
01-31-2022
|
{
"license": "Creative Commons Zero - Public Domain - https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/",
"url": "https://iu.pressbooks.pub/resourceconveniencestore/chapter/tips-from-hastac-external/",
"book_url": "https://iu.pressbooks.pub/resourceconveniencestore/front-matter/introduction/",
"title": "Resources for Teaching: Inspiration and Sources from IUPUI and Beyond",
"author": "Rachel Wheeler",
"institution": "",
"subject": "Teaching skills and techniques"
}
|
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