English Composition 1

Purpose: to help other instructors teaching the same course

Common Course ID:  English Composition 1
CSU Instructor Open Textbook Adoption Portrait

Abstract: “They Say, I Say” and Lumen Learning Courses are being utilized in an English course for undergraduate or graduate students by Professor Renée Grodsky at CSULA. These open textbooks provide templates to help students express their ideas in writing more clearly. The main motivation to adopt an open textbook was to cut down on costs. Most students access the open textbook in PDF on our class reading list or by clicking on the site link.

Course Title and Number:  English Composition 1

Brief Description of course highlights:  First course in two term sequence (1005AB) focused on reading and writing to develop and communicate ideas. Instruction in strategies for planning, composing, and revising college writing that incorporates authorities, examples, arguments, and facts to write developed, supported texts. Graded ABC-/NC.

Student population: This first-year writing course is a general education course required for all incoming freshman who opt for stretch composition. Successful completion of both ENGL 1005A and ENGL 1005B satisfies the General Education Written Communication requirement (GE A2).
Learning or student outcomes:  Upon completion of the ENGL 1005A/B series, YOU will be able to:
1. Apply fundamental rhetorical strategies used to produce university-level writing:
a. modify content and form according to rhetorical situation, purpose, and audience;
b. appropriately use authorities, examples, facts, and other forms of persuasive
evidence to support an argument or position;
c. vary stylistic options to achieve different effects.
2. Think critically to analyze a rhetorical situation or text and make thoughtful decisions
based on that analysis, through writing, reading, and research.
3. Develop an effective writing process that includes flexible strategies for generating,
revising, editing, and proof-reading.
4. Incorporate textual evidence through quotation, summary, and paraphrase into their
essays and appropriately cite their sources.
5. Develop knowledge of genre conventions ranging from structure and paragraphing to tone and style.
6. Control such surface features as syntax, grammar, punctuation, and spelling.
 7. Use electronic environments for drafting, reviewing, revising, editing, and sharing texts 

Key challenges faced and how resolved: Many students prefer reading on their e-devices and uploading the book online helps students use those electronic devices to annotate, highlight and easily transfer texts to use in their persuasive writing.
Syllabus and/or Sample assignment from the course or the adoption [optional]: To illustrates how the open textbook is used in the course.

Instructor Name:  Renée Grodsky
I am an English professor at the California State University Los Angeles. I teach English 1005a/b, 1010, 2030, and 1050 regularly.
Please provide a link to your university page.
https://www.calstatela.edu/faculty/renee-grodsky

Please describe the courses you teach.
I primarily teach first year writing courses that focus on rhetorical strategies for crafting persuasive writing supported by research.

Describe your teaching philosophy and any research interests related to your discipline or teaching.  Teaching writing inspires me to reflect on my own process and work harder to try to find ways to make writing more of a journey of discovery rather than merely an assignment to be completed. I like to ask for anonymous feedback from students and colleagues. As an instructor, I want to continue learning and collaborating with peers. Creating new curriculum based off what worked or didn’t from the previous unit is a cornerstone to my teaching. Whatever I teach, I strive to make it equitable and easily accessible. Part of my teaching philosophy is the ability for me to reflect and grow after each semester. In addition to my own self-evaluation of my methods, I offer students supportive feedback that pushes them towards independence and confidence in their writing.  While my teaching philosophy is still developing, I know that I want my students to leave class feeling supported and empowered as evolving writers.

OER/Low Cost Adoption Process

Provide an explanation or what motivated you to use this textbook or OER/Low Cost option. In the past, CSULA used a writing handbook that cost around $60 new. I realized a lot of our students were not purchasing the book and wanted to offer a free option.

How did you find and select the open textbook for this course? I found the resources for this course through peer suggestions and the help of the humanities librarian.

Sharing Best Practices: The sustainability of open education relies on sharing with others. At first, I was worried that I’d have to completely overhaul my entire curriculum but I was able to add new resources and find other open options that fit into some of my previously imagined units. I wish I knew how easy it was to make the switch to open educational resources sooner.

Describe challenges you experienced, and lessons learned. I found if I wanted to use a particular text, there was most likely a repository that housed it. 

Textbook or OER/Low cost Title: Lumen Learning: English Composition 
Brief Description:“They Say, I Say” is divided by chapters that address the foundations of creating necessary context to build persuasive arguments. It challenges students to reimagine their concept of writing as being part of a larger academic discourse.Students use the texts to create slideshows of how they’ve incorporated the writing templates into their own papers and then share their experiences with the class.

Please provide a link to the resource: https://courses.lumenlearning.com/englishcomp1/
https://calstatela.instructure.com/courses/88550/external_tools/3918
Multiple Authors
Student access:  Students have access to the textbook through canvas, our course management system.

Supplemental resources: Students use the texts to create slideshows of how they’ve incorporated the writing templates into their own papers and then share their experiences with the class.
Provide the cost savings from that of a traditional textbook. I used to use "The Everyday Writer" which costs $105.75 new. So, that's a savings of over $100!
License:   The material is copyrighted for “They Say, I Say” but the Lumen Learning courses are an open resource. For the Lumen resource, "This courseware includes resources copyrighted and openly licensed by multiple individuals and organizations. Click the words "Licenses and Attributions" at the bottom of each page for copyright and licensing information specific to the material on that page."