Faculty Showcase Adoption title

Purpose: to help other instructors teaching the same course

Common Course ID: [Operating Systems]
CSU Instructor Open Textbook Adoption Portrait

Abstract: This open educational resource is being utilized in a [discipline] course for undergraduate or graduate students by Hailu Xu at California State University Long Beach. The open textbook provides fundamental concepts and design in computer operating system areas. The main motivation to adopt an open textbook was reduce students’ financial burden. Most student access the open textbook in Merlot via zero cost.

Course Title and Number
Brief Description of course highlights:  This course will cover an exciting range of materials from the broad field of operating systems, including basic operating system structure, file systems and storage servers, memory management techniques, process scheduling and resource management, threads, distributed and peer-to-peer systems, and a few other “hot” topics.

Student population: The enrollment is usually around 120.

Course Prerequisites: Data Structure, System Programming. 

Learning or student outcomes: 

1. Outline the basic of computer system, operating system architecture and operations. 2. Summarize the design and functions of process, threads, synchronization, deadlock, CPU, memory, file system, I/O, etc. 3. Implement and design functions in Linux kernel. 4. Design or optimize the functions of CPU, memory, and other aspects of various systems

Syllabus and/or Sample assignment from the course or the adoption [optional]: To illustrates how the open textbook is used in the course.

Textbook or OER/Low cost Title: Operating System Concepts, 10th Edition

Brief Description: The tenth edition of Operating System Concepts has been revised to keep it fresh and up-to-date with contemporary examples of how operating systems function, as well as enhanced interactive elements to improve learning and the student's experience with the material. It combines instruction on concepts with real-world applications so that students can understand the practical usage of the content. End-of-chapter problems, exercises, review questions, and programming exercises help to further reinforce important concepts. New interactive self-assessment problems are provided throughout the text to help students monitor their level of understanding and progress.

Please provide a link to the resource  https://archive.org/details/operating-system-concepts-10th

Authors: Abraham Silberschatz, Peter B. Galvin, Greg Gagne

Student access:  external server or OER repository such as MERLOT, or online printing services or mobile device. 

Supplemental resources: List resources including online homework systems, interactive study guides for students, and faculty-only resources such as solutions and slides that are available.

Provide the cost savings from that of a traditional textbook. $89.95

License: Creative Commons license

OER/Low Cost Adoption Process

Provide an explanation or what motivated you to use this textbook or OER/Low Cost option. Try to save students money and improve the learning experiences.

How did you find and select the open textbook for this course? Browsed OER sites, and read peer reviews.

Sharing Best Practices: The sustainability of open education relies on sharing with others. Please give suggestions for faculty who are just getting started with OER or Low Cost options.  List anything you wish that you had known earlier.

Please try low cost option, it will greatly save student’s money as many undergraduates need to work outside to pay their tuition.

Describe any key challenges you experienced, how they were resolved  and lessons learned. 

It is always difficult for students to find proper articulation or evaluation samples for their course work.

Instructor Name: Hailu Xu
Please provide your title and your institution. I am an assistant professor at the CSULB. I teach Operating Systems, Advanced Operating Systems, Network and Distributed Computing.

Please attach a photo of you: https://www.xuhailu.com

Please provide a link to your university page. https://www.xuhailu.com

Please describe the courses you teach (Operating Systems, Advanced Operating Systems, Network and Distributed Computing.)

Describe your teaching philosophy and any research interests related to your discipline or teaching. Teaching students with their intellectual development is one of the most rewarding aspects of my future academic career. Without a doubt, the success that I can enjoy in the classroom is my great contribution to the mission of campus and school. I enjoy teaching and guiding diverse groups of undergraduates and graduates, which provides me valuable experience.