Jazz in American Culture MUS 1560
Jazz in American Culture MUS 1560
Purpose: to help other instructors teaching the same course
Course name/number: MUS 1560
CSU Instructor Open Textbook Adoption Portrait
Abstract: This open textbook is being utilized in an undergraduate Music course for undergraduate or graduate students by Dr. Adam Snow at Cal State LA. The open textbook provides a chronological overview of jazz history and is supplemented by instructor-developed Canvas modules featuring curated song recordings, concert footage, documentary excerpts, and other materials corresponding to each chapter. The main motivation to adopt an open textbook was to eliminate textbook costs and ensure equitable access for all students. Most students access the open textbook in e-book format through the Cal State LA Library and the course Canvas site.
Jazz in American Culture MUS 1560
Brief Description of course highlights: The course surveys the development of jazz from its African and African American roots through contemporary styles, with attention to the musicians, landmark recordings, and social and cultural forces that have shaped the music. Course readings are reinforced through focused listening, concert footage, documentary excerpts, and other multimedia materials that help students develop critical listening skills and an understanding of jazz terminology, improvisation, and stylistic evolution.
Student population: MUS 1560 is a lower-division General Education course that fulfills the Arts requirement. The student population consists of a mix of students from different majors across campus.
Learning or student outcomes:
- Survey the history of jazz.
- Explore the lives and works of major figures from each era.
- Track social and cultural changes associated with jazz eras and styles.
- Develop critical and active listening skills.
OER/Low-cost Title: History of Jazz by Ted Gioia
Brief Description: Ted Gioia’s The History of Jazz, published by Oxford University Press, provides a chronological and culturally grounded survey of jazz from its African American roots through contemporary developments. The text combines historical narrative, musician profiles, stylistic analysis, and discussion of landmark recordings, emphasizing the relationship between musical innovation and its broader social and cultural context. Although the book does not include problem sets or an integrated assessment platform, instructor-developed Canvas modules supplement each chapter with guided listening, curated recordings, concert footage, documentary excerpts, homework, and listening assessments. Students access the e-book at no cost through the Cal State LA’s Library.
Please provide a link to the resource https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/csla/reader.action?docID=689294&c=RVBVQg&ppg=1
Authors: Ted Gioia
Student access: Students access all course materials through Canvas. The e-book is linked within the course modules and accessed online through the Cal State LA Library using the student’s university credentials. Supplemental recordings, concert footage, documentary excerpts, and other audiovisual resources are embedded in or linked through Canvas, primarily using YouTube. Materials may be accessed on a computer, tablet, or mobile device at no cost to the student.
Supplemental resources: Supplemental resources are provided through instructor-developed Canvas modules and include chapter-based homework, study and review materials, curated song recordings, concert footage, documentary excerpts, and additional readings. Canvas quizzes and listening assessments reinforce historical concepts, musical terminology, stylistic identification, and critical listening.
Provide the cost savings from that of a traditional textbook. Students pay $0 for the required e-book through the Cal State LA Library. Compared with the current retail price of approximately $29.99 for the paperback or $18.99 for the commercial e-book, this represents a savings of approximately $19–$30 per student, excluding any additional savings from the no-cost supplemental materials provided through Canvas.
License*: Ted Gioia’s The History of Jazz is copyrighted material published by Oxford University Press and is not licensed under Creative Commons. Student access is provided through Cal State LA’s institutional library license. Supplemental recordings and videos remain subject to the licenses and terms of their respective copyright holders and hosting platforms. Instructor-created Canvas materials are also copyrighted and used exclusively for educational purposes within the course.
OER/Low-Cost Adoption Process
Provide an explanation or what motivated you to use this textbook or OER/Low-Cost option. My primary motivations were to eliminate textbook costs, provide equitable access to course materials from the beginning of the semester, and improve the connection between historical study and active listening. Gioia’s text offers a comprehensive and accessible foundation, while the flexibility of Canvas allows me to supplement each chapter with carefully selected recordings, concert footage, documentary excerpts, and other resources tailored to the course’s learning objectives.
How did you find and select the open textbook for this course? Through my own research and experience as a jazz historian, I discovered this free resource in the Cal State LA library.
Sharing Best Practices: Begin by consulting with your campus librarians, who can help identify existing e-books, OER, and other no-cost resources that support your learning objectives. Faculty do not need to redesign an entire course at once; a strong library-licensed text can serve as the foundation while carefully selected open or freely available materials address specific topics. Organize resources clearly in the course management system, use stable library links, verify off-campus access, review licensing and accessibility, and periodically check external links and videos. I wish I had recognized earlier how effectively library resources and instructor-curated multimedia could replace a traditional textbook while also creating a more flexible and engaging course.
Describe any challenges you experienced, and lessons learned. The primary challenge was the lack of publisher-provided ancillary materials, which required creating and organizing supplemental content in Canvas. I also learned the importance of regularly checking library access, external links, and video accessibility.
Instructor Name - Adam Snow
I am an associate professor of music at California State University, Los Angeles.
Please provide a link to your university page.
https://www.calstatela.edu/faculty/adam-snow
Please describe the courses/course numbers that you teach. I teach courses in jazz history, music education, and applied percussion, as well as direct the Jazz Ensemble and Percussion Ensemble. My teaching includes the historical and cultural development of jazz, critical listening, ensemble performance, and individual instruction in orchestral, contemporary, drum set, and world percussion.
Describe your teaching philosophy and any research interests related to your discipline or teaching.
My teaching philosophy emphasizes active listening, curiosity, cultural context, and learning through direct musical experience. I encourage students to develop strong technical skills while becoming versatile, thoughtful musicians who can connect ideas across styles and traditions. My research interests include jazz and percussion pedagogy, improvisation, rhythmic perception, polyrhythm, and shifting concepts of pulse, particularly as expressed through West African, Afro-Caribbean, Brazilian, and contemporary American music.