Douglas Sainsbury BIOL 1610: Principles of Biology I OER Project
Douglas Sainsbury BIOL 1610: Principles of Biology I OER Project
Curricular changes:
Instead of having a textbook full of chapter that we wouldn’t cover, I used an OER textbook that I could cater the only the content we would cover. This allowed students to focus on the course curriculum and not tangential information. Additionally, I focused more information on the scientific process and experimental design.
Teaching and learning impacts:
The students seemed to like the ease in which they could access the OER material and having it accessible on Canvas and online. As for teaching it helped me see other forms of material to get across difficult biological content.
OER Adoption Process:
I wanted to provide students in my class with a cost saving material that would also focus specifically on the content that we cover in my class.
Student feedback about using OER:
Multiple students mention how they liked in canvas I created a Module for each chapter, which included; OER chapter content, Chapter Power Point, and Chapter Quiz. This made it easy for them to have access to all the material they needed to be successful in the class.
Instructor Name: Douglas Sainsbury
Douglas Sainsbury, MS has been a valued member of the Utah Tech University community for 12 years. With eight years of experience as an academic advisor, they specialized in guiding pre-med students, helping them explore career paths, and connecting them with meaningful internships in healthcare and biotechnology.
Mr. Sainsbury has served as an Instructor of Practice in the Department of Biology for the past 4 years, where they also coordinate the Biotechnology program. Their primary teaching responsibilities include courses such as Principles of Biology, Principles of Microbiology, Fundamentals of Biotechnology, and the Life Science Internship.
Mr. Sainsbury earned their graduate degree from Mississippi State University, where their academic interests centered on microbiology and virology. Their organism of choice is HIV, reflecting a passion for studying complex biological systems and advancing knowledge in biotechnology.
Dedicated to student success, Mr. Sainsbury fosters a hands-on, skill-based learning environment, preparing students for thriving careers in life sciences.