Surveying the Landscape: Exploring STEM Instructors' Selection Criteria for Instructional Materials
- Conference
- Location
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Portland, Oregon
- Publication Date
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June 23, 2024
- Start Date
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June 23, 2024
- End Date
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July 12, 2024
- Conference Session
- Tagged Division
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Engineering Libraries Division (ELD)
- Tagged Topic
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Diversity
- Permanent URL
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https://peer.asee.org/48043
Paper Authors
Elizabeth Dawson
Northern Arizona University
orcid.org/0000-0001-8345-1306
Elizabeth Dawson is earning her Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction at Northern Arizona University. Her research focuses on the intersection of Open Education and academic libraries. Her interests encompass instructional library resources with an emphasis on STEM, library identity and campus leadership, and student belonging in the library. She is the Technical Services Librarian at Arizona Western College.
Susan Wainscott
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
orcid.org/0000-0001-9994-0956
Susan Wainscott is the Engineering Librarian for the University of Nevada, Las Vegas University Libraries. She holds a Master of Library and Information Science from San Jose State University and a Master of Science in Biological Sciences from Illinois State University.
Abstract
Required and supplemental instructional material selection is a key component for the design of college courses. Our research explores the criteria that college instructors use when choosing books, videos, news items, and other instructional materials for students in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medical science (STEM) courses. We surveyed college and university STEM instructors to determine if they were utilizing Open Education Resources (OER) and Open Access (OA) books, articles, or other resources. We also asked whether instructors are selecting materials based on accessibility, diversity of format types, representation of a variety of identities within STEM professions, or other criteria. We asked what information resources are consulted when instructors select instructional materials. Using qualitative coding analysis of free text responses, we identified several themes in the data that will help librarians and publishers to find, curate, and advertise more useful materials for STEM course instructors. We add the voices of these instructors to the literature on how science, engineering, and technology college instructors are selecting resources. We discuss what engineering and other STEM librarians can do to increase resources from diverse perspectives, OER, and other OA resources used in these courses, which may make the coursework more accessible to additional students.
Dawson, E., & Wainscott, S. (2024, June), Surveying the Landscape: Exploring STEM Instructors' Selection Criteria for Instructional Materials Paper presented at 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Portland, Oregon. https://peer.asee.org/48043
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