Catalog

Polyphony is a functional, creative, and radical resource for facilitating critical conversations about multilingualism, the politics of language, and linguistic justice in the first-year writing classroom. Moving away from conventional textbooks and composition handbooks, this book emphasizes open pedagogy, collaboration, and “polyphonic” approaches to first-year writing. The Reader includes key texts (written, audio, and video) that reflect diverse perspectives on themes like silencing/voicing, language extinction and reclamation, (in)visibility, translation, agency, and validation, among others. The Explorations section includes reading, writing, discussion, and research activities designed around each text in the Reader, and range from shorter in-class activities to longer plans that could span a week or two of class meetings. Designed for use by both instructors and students, this book is meant to be used in a variety of combinations and highlights multiple modes of writing, including personal narrative, textual analysis, argumentation, reflection, and research. Embracing a “polyphonic” approach to first-year writing, this book presents connections between texts, authors, and ideas that actively engage students and instructors in critical conversations about language, education, and the institutionalization of both.

• El Niño Entero es un libro de texto que ofrece una visión general del desarrollo, desde el útero de la madre hasta los ocho años. Comienza con una mirada a las perspectivas de la primera infancia, incluida la forma en que se ha visto a los niños tanto históricamente como transculturalmente. Hay una descripción completa de los teóricos importantes que han ayudado a profundizar y aportar claridad sobre cómo se desarrollan los niños. Estas teorías incluyen la teoría psicodinámica, conductual, cognitiva social, teoría cognitiva, humanista, inteligencia múltiple, mentalidad de crecimiento y la taxonomía de Bloom. Comprender las implicaciones de cada teoría es un conocimiento fundamental importante para el estudio del desarrollo. Los dominios del desarrollo en cada etapa se examinan junto con hitos importantes. Se da importancia a la biología del cerebro. En este texto también se incluyen algunos de los muchos factores que influyen en el desarrollo de un niño pequeño.
• The Whole Child is a textbook that gives an overview of development, beginning in the mother’s womb through the age of eight. It starts with a look at perspectives of early childhood, including how children have been viewed historically as well as cross-culturally. There is a complete overview of the important theorists that have helped to deepen and bring clarity to how children develop. These theories include psychodynamic, behavioral, social cognitive theory, cognitive theory, humanistic, multiple intelligence, growth mindset, and Bloom’s taxonomy. Understanding the implications of each theory is important foundational knowledge for the study of development. Developmental domains at each stage is examined alongside important milestones. The biology of the brain is given important consideration. Some of the many factors that influence a young child’s development are also included in this text.

This resource is written for an introductory or intermediate-level college genetics course. The work begins with an exploration of DNA and genome structure, including landmark experiments that contributed to our early understanding of the relationship between DNA, genes, and traits. It continues with the central dogma of molecular genetics: the molecular mechanisms that allow cells to use the information stored in DNA. It also discusses the cause and effect of mutation. The molecular processes are then linked back to classical transmission genetics experiments.

Transmission genetics, including traditional topics like multigenic inheritance, linkage, and pedigree analysis, is explored with an understanding that the relationships between genotype and phenotype depends on the molecular processes affecting gene expression. This work concludes with topics that synthesize information from both transmission and molecular genetics, including epigenetics, cancer biology, and evolution.

Science is meant to be an impartial field of study, but it is nonetheless influenced by social factors that drive which research questions are pursued and that color how results are interpreted or acted upon. In this text, the fundamental concepts of genetics are described in the context of the historical and social pressures that affect the work. Examples of how these concepts are applied in human medicine, agriculture, and ecology are also explored, along with conversations of the relationship between genetics and society.

This resource has been prepared for one semester of an introductory-level college biology course with foundational themes of evolution, ecology, and comparative body systems. The first unit explores the origins and defining characteristics of living things and compares the earliest and simplest life forms with more complex cellular life. One of the common features of all life is that it requires energy; the next section explores the why and how of energy acquisition and relationships between the metabolic pathways. After a primer on photosynthesis and energy production via respiration, the next few sections delve into the form and physiology of plants and animals, focusing on water and food transport in plants, and in the respiratory, circulatory, digestive and reproductive systems of diverse animals. These systems were selected to serve as an introduction to animal physiology because they can be easily interleaved with other core course concepts such as energy flow and nutrient cycling through ecosystems, population genetics, bioenergetics, or speciation. The final sections of the text provide a basis for understanding evolutionary change, biodiversity, and the history and relatedness of life on Earth.

Understanding Organisms is an adapted textbook remixed from a variety of openly licensed sources, with additional content introduced by the author. Throughout the chapters, embedded media and special content boxes linking a diverse collection of web-based resources (e.g., popular science articles, podcasts, interactive tutorials, simulations, etc.) promote engagement and independent learning. Many of these highlight the work of biologists from diverse backgrounds or make connections between the biology content and real-world concerns. Chapter content was adapted to improve accuracy and inclusivity in topics such as sexual reproduction, sex determination, and sexual selection. Each section includes interactive H5P content in the form of no-stakes practice activities with instant feedback that allows students to self-check their understanding while engaging with the text.

The Data Renaissance  is a comprehensive exploration into the pivotal role of data in shaping our contemporary society. This book, a collaborative effort with significant student involvement under expert guidance, delves into the intricate and often opaque world of data practices across various industries. With a focus on the guarded nature of these practices, as exemplified by platforms like TikTok, it offers a rare glimpse into the mechanics behind the algorithms that drive user engagement and business success.

The book is designed to function as a living document, changing and growing with every iteration of the course it is meant to accompany. With the quick advancements in the world of digital data, this dynamic method guarantees that the content is current and relevant. It is a helpful tool for teachers and students alike since it is more than just a list of facts and theories—rather, it is a guide filled with real-world knowledge and experiences.

Central to the book’s narrative is the exploration of how data is wielded and its profound implications across different disciplines. It addresses the challenges inherent in studying data practices, especially when these practices are closely guarded as proprietary secrets by corporations and businesses. The ethical ramifications of these acts are critically examined throughout the book, especially in light of contemporary digital platforms and technologies.

Further, the text takes a deep dive into the practical applications and implications of data in various domains. From the influence of data on consumer behavior and business strategies to its role in shaping public opinion and social dynamics, the book covers a broad spectrum of topics. It goes beyond mere theoretical discussion, offering practical insights and real-life examples that illustrate the pervasive impact of data on our daily lives.

In summary, anyone wishing to comprehend the intricate relationship between data, industry, and society should read this book. It is a useful tool for both individual study and classroom instruction since it provides fundamental insights that can inspire more research and conversation. By presenting a nuanced view of the digital data landscape, the book encourages readers to critically engage with the topic and consider the far-reaching implications of data in our interconnected world.

Why Do I Have to Take This Course? A Guide to General Education developed out of many years of thinking about general education courses and curriculums. We, as university personnel, do not always succeed in explaining why we have certain requirements. Even though these courses make up a significant percentage of our college careers, there is not often time set aside to talk about general education and explore its purpose and goals. When we do not know the reason why we are doing something, it can sometimes lead to apathy and even resentment. Once we have an idea of the purpose, then we can start to appreciate and learn. It is worthwhile to spend some time thinking about these purposes, both “official” and personal ones, in order to maximize student learning.

This textbook helps students systematically study how general education requirements are developed, their history, post-graduation value, etc. It emphasizes exploration of the significance of individual learning outcomes, especially through the lens of John Lewis’ philosophy of “good, necessary trouble.” For instructors adopting this book, it is designed to assign in its entirety or in parts as instructors can choose to emphasize relevant learning outcomes. It is also designed for use by advisors, especially with advisees who express concerns over taking certain requirements.

Maura Reilly defines curatorial activism as “the practice of organizing art exhibitions with the principle aim of ensuring that certain constituencies of artists are no longer ghettoized or excluded from the master narratives of art.” We can expand that definition to include not only “art” but also “cultural heritage” more broadly. When first-year writing students engage in curatorial activism, they directly address marginalization and related issues, giving them an opportunity to explore not only the heritage of these issues but their own stances, experiences, and beliefs while also delving into curation and exhibit-making. More importantly, this approach emphasizes how writing can address those issues and seek to rectify exclusions from cultural heritage spaces. Students can begin to understand the impact that their writing can have on others and what they can convey when they write both effectively and passionately.

This textbook, Heritages of Change: Curatorial Activism and First-Year Writing, includes principles of writing and information literacy through the lenses of curatorial activism, cultural heritage, and curation/exhibition. Heritage topics that students are introduced to include (but are not limited to): anti-racism, #MeToo, indigenous peoples, women/gender/LGBTQIA+, climate change, etc. They gain a broader understanding of cultural heritage and heritages of change, particularly disability heritage, in general in order to apply the concepts through their writing. This textbook presents these topics, but more specifically how to communicate about and research them.

This book is written for anyone who could benefit from learning more about health, wellness, and fitness. Throughout the text, readers will learn about health and wellness, setting goals, physical activity and exercise, cardiovascular fitness, muscular strength and endurance, body composition, flexibility, nutrition, stress management, as well as self-care and sleep. In addition to providing important information about the above topics, the text also includes self-assessment assignments and self-reflection opportunities. These components allow readers to identify personal strengths and weaknesses, and utilize the information given in the chapter to determine any further course of action they would like to make.

Health, wellness, and fitness are important for everyone. This text, while applicable to all individuals from high level athletes, to non-athletes, was written with the aim to focus primarily on the latter and demonstrate how we can all make improvements, whether those be around physical activity, exercise, fitness, nutrition, self care, or sleep. Small changes over time can lead anyone in the direction of greater wellness. We are all dealt different hands in life, and we all have our history and our own experiences, but one thing we all have in common is that we can start now from wherever we are and make small changes to improve our health, wellness, and fitness.

The authors of this book adapted homework problems to improve accessibility and promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in the introductory statistics course they teach at Fitchburg State University. The purpose of this book is to share these updated problems with other instructors. The problems originated on WeBWorK, an open-source online homework platform in which students answer questions in an interactive manner. We have incorporated the updated problems into our existing problem sets on WeBWorK, which can be used as a companion to the OpenStax textbook Introductory Statistics by Barbara Illowsky and Susan Dean or any other textbook for a semester-long introductory statistics course. For a fuller experience for you and your students, we encourage you to contact us for help accessing the problem sets on WeBWorK. On that platform, students will engage more fully with the questions, and a slightly different version of the same problem will be generated for each student.

Literary Studies for a Sustainable Future: An Introductory Course with Social Justice and Ecocriticism Intersections propels readers into the 21st century by providing intellectual spaces for both learners and educators within the realism of the web of life. Learners have opportunities to become virtuosos in ecocriticism and literary studies.

Inspired by Black feminist and legal theorist Dr. Kimberlé Crenshaw’s work on intersectionality, Indigenous storyteller and novelist Leslie Marmon Silko, and American biologist Rachel Carson, learners navigate traditional and innovative literary studies approaches to critique and understand ancient world mythology and Indigenous literature, folklore since Aesop’s Fables to the Arabian Nights, Sappho’s poetics and the feminist romance, and early modern satirical theater of Ben Johnson and William Shakespeare.

Teaching and learning experiences throughout the book challenge readers to approach the study of nature in texts as literary criticism known as ecocriticism. The aim of ecocriticism is to decenter typical anthropocentric interpretative tendencies. Learners are more informed in literary studies as a multifaceted academic journey into how texts represent human communities within landscapes and lifeforms.

This textbook opens with role models in the literary world to introduce innovative ecocritical interpretative approaches in Black, Chicano, and Indigenous Studies. Its introductory sections provide different literary texts and modalities like short film clips, folk songs, and poetry that are informed by key terms and inquiries on the correlations between the environment and instances of social injustices. These learning opportunities potentially unveil an intersectionality between literary studies and concerns with social justice that are important to every community, like those identified in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Following these initial sections on critical theory, the book is organized in three parts with formative and end of chapter assignments for both in-class and online instruction.