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Mark Abajian, Ph.D. from California State University, San Marcos
eTextbook: Principles of Economics from OpenStax College
Course Description:
The economy is the subject of study in this course. Includes gross domestic product, inflation, unemployment, interest rates, monetary policy, fiscal policy, budget deficits, trade deficits, international trade, exchange rates, business cycles, expectations, and a comparison of different macroeconomic schools of thought.
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"I felt that one of the obstacles facing some students in the class is that they were not able to afford the textbook and thus were at a disadvantage when trying to maximize their potential in the class."
Jose N. Martinez, Ph.D. from California State University Dominguez Hills
eTextbook: Principles of Microeconomics for AP Courses by OpenStax College
Course Description:
A consideration of individual development with the goal of increasing knowledge of self and others within the University. Topics include self-knowledge and assessment, learning to learn, career development, and making the best use of university resources.
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"As the instructor for this course, I received feedback from students in the form of several small surveys, exams, and quizzes applied in class regarding the learning and retention of materials covered in class. I was then able to compare the results to the results obtained from my other microeconomics principles courses that use a typical textbook and resources. Overall, student learning and retention were significantly higher in this type of course."
Abbas P. Grammy, Ph.D. from California State University, Bakersfield
eTextbook: Principles of Economics from OpenStax College
Course Description:
Introduction to economic analysis. Topics covered include microeconomic theory and application and macroeconomic theory and policy. Also, an in-depth study of into selected topics and current events.
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"Because most of my students come from low-income families, I wanted to help save them money on the textbook. My department chair recommended the textbook to me. The faculty at my institution are adopting a policy of using e-textbooks in introductory and principles of economics courses."
Daniel MacDonald, Ph.D. from California State University, San Bernardino
eTextbook: Principles of Microeconomics by OpenStax College
Course Description:
Introduction to the economic principles which govern production, exchange, the pricing of goods, services and resources and the distribution of incomes in competitive and noncompetitive markets.
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"There is no doubt that the new textbook has raised student interest in the material and provided them with a more reliable reference point. Instead of buying earlier editions of proprietary textbooks that might be outdated or have inadequate contemporary examples, students get a high-quality learning resource."
Brian Evans from Foothill College, CA
eTextbook: Principles of Microeconomics by OpenStax College
Course Description:
Micro-analysis of economic life. Allocation of resources. Consumer behavior. Pricing and output decisions. Distribution of wealth and income. Nature and characteristics of business enterprises. International trade. Comparative economic systems. ECON 1A and ECON 1B may be taken in either order.
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"Any resource that lowers barriers to access for students is good. I use my own online homework sets and tests but am continually looking out for new free resources. This quarter I found some excellent youtube videos that I have incorporated."
Richard Gearhart, Ph.D. from California State University, Bakersfield
eTextbook: Microeconomics by S. Greenlaw and T. Taylor from Openstax.org
Course Description:
Value and distribution theory, including the theory of household behavior, the theory of the firm, and the pricing of factors of production. Emphasis on tools of economic thinking and the historical development of these tools.
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"The main reason for the adoption of the textbook was to save students money. An additional reason was that similar, higher priced books, had similar content, and were not superior to this textbook. This allows students to use technology in the classroom (iPads, computers, etc.) to access the book, on any device."
Craig Kerr, Ph.D. from California State Polytechnic University at Pomona
eTextbook: Principles of Microeconomics from OpenStax College
Course Description:
Introduction to microeconomics. How an economic system works to solve the problems of choice among alternative allocations, utilizations, and distributions of resources. Applications of economic principles to domestic and international economic problems.
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"The main motivation for adoption was to undermine the textbook industry's ability to charge over $200 for "updated" books that are no different in theoretical content than they were in their first edition. A secondary consideration was the e-book format with hyperlinks to additional information."
Matthew J. Holian from San Jose State University, CA
eTextbook: Principles of Microeconomics by Rittenberg and Tregarthen
Course Description:
Allocation of resources and distribution of income as affected by the workings of the price system and by government policies. Notes: May be taken concurrently or prior to Econ 1A. Meets the general education requirement for social science – human behavior, Area D-1.
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"A major motivation for me was certainly the desire to save students money. However I also want to make the material easy to access, for example, by sending students PDF documents, or by copying and pasting sections of the text into emails and so on. So it is not just that the books are free but they are also easy to access."
David Olson, Ph.D. from California State University, Bakersfield
eTextbook: International Business: Opportunities and Challenges in a Flattening World from Saylor.org
Course Description:
An examination of contemporary issues related to managerial training, political structure, and foreign receptivity to United States business, cultural factors, organizing, and controlling the international firm.
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"This text provides good coverage of the material and is easily accessed for all students with a laptop or smartphone. The material is available in pdf and can be downloaded so students have access at all times."
Mary Totton, Ph.D. from California State University, Sacramento
eTextbook: Two Chapters from Boundless Marketing
Course Description:
The purpose of the course is for students to understand the social and economic implications of marketing for profit and nonprofit institutions; market structure and behavior; marketing institutions; channels of distribution for consumer and industrial goods; marketing costs; pricing; and public relations.
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"The main motivation for adopting these two chapters of the open textbook is to provide students with quality and updated marketing education with low to no additional costs."
Yann Abdourazakou, Ph.D. from California State University, Dominguez Hills
eTextbook: Mastering Strategic Management, by D. Ketchen and J. Short
Course Description:
An integrating capstone course dealing with problems of business management; uses actual business cases for analysis and decision-making.
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"The main motivation for adopting the open textbook was saving students' money."
Gavin Deare, M.A. from San Francisco State University
eTextbook: Business Communications for Success by S. McLean
Course Description:
Written and oral fundamentals of business communication; hands-on experience creating common formats of written and oral communication at the standard expected of business professionals; ethical and legal implications of business communication.
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"Initially, I was concerned that some students would resist a free textbook and dismiss its accuracy/authority, but after using it for an entire semester, I don't think that was the case at all; students actually read the text each week and their writing and course performance improved for the vast majority of them. "
Ruth Guthrie, Ph.D. from California State Polytechnic University at Pomona
eTextbook: Management Information Systems for Business and Beyond by D. Bourgeois
Course Description:
Management and development of information systems in modern businesses from the customer and the MIS perspective. Information as a strategic asset. Acquisition, analysis, integration, presentation of internal and external information. Information management in international and multinational enterprises. Ethical, social impacts.
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"The faculty on the selection committee were committed to finding a free book and making it work. Part of our proposal was to create new materials to supplement what we thought was missing."
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