MGMT 3020.60 Organizational Behavior      (Spring 2022)

Purpose: to help other instructors teaching the same course

Common Course ID:  MGMT 3020.60 Organizational Behavior
CSU Instructor Open Textbook Adoption Portrait

Abstract: This open textbook is being utilized in a Management course for undergraduate students by Dr. Craig Seal at California State University, San Bernardino. The open textbook provides access via their website and a downloadable PDF of the text, along with supplemental material for instructors (including test bank, instructor’s manual, and PPTs).  The main motivation to adopt an open textbook was student cost. Most student access the open textbook through the website (https://openstax.org/details/books/organizational-behavior?Book%20details).  But they can also download the app (OpenStax + SE, off Apple Store or Google Play) or even purchase a printed copy off Amazon for $31.19.

Management 3020.60 Organizational Behavior 
Brief Description of course highlights:  This course is designed to cover the theory, research, and practice of organizational behavior. Students will be exposed to concepts associated with individual, group, and organizational levels of analysis in the context of dynamic and diverse work environments and organization types. Topics will include personality, motivation, group and team dynamics, leadership, and organizational culture.

Student population:  The class enrollment is set at 60 students (although I generally permit in a couple of additional students).  The majority of students (2/3) are juniors as this is one of the required major courses for the BA in Administration (with 80+% in BA Admin).  They are a diverse group in terms of gender, age, cultural background and work experience which helps to enrich the course dynamics.  There is no prerequisite, other than junior standing.
Learning or student outcomes:  

The specific class learning outcomes for students, include:
Students can describe the three levels of analysis (individual, group, and organization).

1. Students can apply organizational behavior theories to their own real-world experiences.
2. Students will develop their critical thinking skills.
3. Students will develop their communication skills.
4. Students will learn to work collaboratively within a group.

Key challenges faced: The main challenges are creating and customizing supplemental materials, such as quizzes, PPT on your own, and for my class, the supplemental TedTalks and VoiceThreads.

Syllabus from the course:  Course Syllabus - MGMT 3020 - Spring 2022.docx 

Organizational Behavior by OpenStax (Free)
Publish Date:  Jun 05, 2019. 

Brief Description: This OpenStax resource aligns to introductory courses in Organizational Behavior. The text presents the theory, concepts, and applications with particular emphasis on the impact that individuals and groups can have on organizational performance and culture. An array of recurring features engages students in entrepreneurial thinking, managing change, using tools/technology, and responsible management. The relevant issues were cost (free), content coverage (meeting the needs of the course), and resources (including the test bank, PPTs, and instructors manel).

Contributing Authors include:
J. Stewart Black, INSEAD
David S. Bright, Wright State University
Donald G. Gardner, University of Colorado-Colorado Springs
Eva Hartmann, University of Richmond
Jason Lambert, Texas Woman’s University
Laura M. Leduc, James Madison University
Joy Leopold, Webster University
James S. O’Rourke, University of Notre Dame
Jon L. Pierce, University of Minnesota-Duluth
Richard M. Steers, University of Oregon
Siri Terjesen, American University
Joseph Weiss, Bentley University

Student access:  We now use Canvas as our Learning Management System (LMS), and all course materials (readings, assignments, etc.) are self-contained in the LMS.  In addition, to access the FREE Organizational Behavior Textbook, you can view online (through the link below), download the app (OpenStax + SE, off Apple Store or Google Play) or download the PDF (also included in Canvas under Syllabus and Modules).

Organizational Behavior by OpenStax (FREE).  Publish Date:  Jun 05, 2019.
https://openstax.org/details/books/organizational-behavior?Book%20details
Print:     ISBN-10: 1-947172-71-9 / ISBN-13: 978-1-947172-71-5

Digital:  ISBN-10: 1-947172-72-7 / ISBN-13: 978-1-947172-72-2
You can also order a print copy off Amazon for $31.19.
Cost Savings: A prior comparable downloadable text would cost students $85.80 from a traditional publisher. So, at 60 students per sections, that means $5,148 in savings per class section!

OER/Low Cost Adoption Process

Provide an explanation or what motivated you to use this textbook or OER/Low Cost option. To be honest, I never considered the cost of textbooks before. I would use texts based on my relationship with the publisher, the textbook content, supplemental resources, and familiarity. However, I had a few of my graduate students comment on the cost of text in my classes, which prompted me to re-think my approach. For my graduate classes, I generally move away from texts, in favor of source articles. For the undergraduate class, I found a free online textbook (Organizational Behavior by OpenStax, FREE, Publish Date: Jun 05, 2019) that although not perfect, covers the majority of topics I need and which I supplement with additional resources (including Ted Talk Videos and Instructor Generated Voice Thread Presentations).

How did you find and select the open textbook for this course? I started browsing Open Access and to be blunt perhaps got lucky in finding the current textbook! I did look at several low cost or free resources, and you have to find content that is quality, aligns with the needs of your class, and that you are comfortable supplementing. It is more work to use OER, but it is certainly worth it!

Sharing Best Practices: I freely share my resources with colleagues, and hope more will adopt OER.  I have gone ‘all in’ with use of rubrics, supplemental materials, and a focus more on discussions, writing assignments, short quizzes, and team assignments in lieu of a traditional midterm and final exam.  I also make sure all content that I can control is accessible (100%), and provide multiple content and assessment types for students.

Craig Seal  
Business Professor
California State University, San Bernardino

https://www.csusb.edu/pace/degrees/mba-online-executives/meet-your-faculty/craig-seal

My next project, as we look to the future of teaching & learning, is the development of a true Hybrid Flexible Course where face-to-face, online synchronous and online asynchronous modalities exist in tandem, and where students can self-determine their own pathway, and even change pathways seamlessly from week to week.   This would provide the greatest flexibility for learners, based on their own learning style and their unique situation, while leveraging and integrating best classroom and online teaching practices.   This project proposal will look to develop and assess a fully flexible-hybrid course that provides students the opportunity to self-determine their learning pathway.