Dr. Florence Elizabeth Bacabac ENGL 2010 Intermediate Writing 

For my English 2010: Intermediate Writing course in fall 2025, I used the Open Education Resources (OER) textbook Becoming a Confident Reader: Developing Interactive Reading, Writing, and Thinking Practices for College by Dr. Susannah M. Givens, which focuses on essential reading, writing, and thinking skills for college success. 

The textbook is openly available online and can be accessed through this link: https://pressbooks.nvcc.edu/ede10/. 

Using this open educational resource resulted in cost savings for the students because they may access it at any time they needed it to compose their multiple synthesis essays, eliminating the need to purchase a traditional textbook.

Curricular changes: 

As a result of using OER, I made several curricular changes to strengthen student engagement with readings and to better support their writing development. Previously, I had students complete chapter quizzes to review key textbook information, but this semester I eliminated those quizzes and instead asked students to submit reading responses on Canvas. This shift allowed students to focus more deeply on interpreting the texts and expressing their own ideas, which promotes active engagement with the reading rather than simply memorizing facts. Students then used their reading responses as the basis for discipline‑specific multiple synthesis essays, helping them make more meaningful connections between readings and their own research and writing processes. This change replaced low‑stakes quizzes with more authentic, reflective work that matches the course’s literacy and research goals.

Teaching and learning impacts: 

Using OER on this course has had a positive impact on both student learning and my own teaching practice. With the open textbook and related materials, students have access to up‑to‑date content that they can refer to anytime, supporting their engagement with the readings without the barrier of textbook cost. Also, it has encouraged students to think more critically about texts and articulate their own ideas, which has led to richer participation and preparation for the multiple synthesis essays and researched writing assignments. Overall, the shift to OER has supported more meaningful interactions with course readings and strengthened both student learning and my instructional approach.

OER Adoption Process

My main motivation for using an OER in this course was to promote writing and reading across the curriculum through a textbook that supports foundational literacy skills, such as multiple source synthesis and critical thinking skills. I was also motivated to make a change this semester because the traditional textbook I had been using was outdated and did not reflect the more current readings that I wanted to emphasize in class. Using OER in teaching English 2010 provided me the flexibility to customize materials to better align with specific learning goals, such as reinforcing strong reading and writing in the disciplines, that support equity without financial barriers for all learners.

Student feedback about using OER:  

• It's free; I can use it minimally without feeling like I wasted $100 on a 4 lbs. book that the class looks at maybe 6 times, and it’s easily accessible. 
• They were super helpful to complete class assignments.
• Easier to access and easier to afford.
• I was more engaged rather than having my nose in a textbook
• It was online making it easier rather than having to find it within the actual textbook; it is the material I need and nothing else
• It made me synthesize and learn about new ideas and things I would have otherwise never looked into. Bravo

Instructor Name:

Dr. Florence Elizabeth Bacabac

I have been teaching professional and technical writing courses in English at Utah Tech University since 2008. I have a PhD in Rhetoric and Writing from Bowling Green State University, and I currently serve as coordinator of the department’s English Composition Program.