Modern Art, Art 312

Purpose: to help other instructors teaching the same course

Common Course ID:   Modern Art, Art 312
CSU Instructor Open Textbook Adoption Portrait

Abstract: These zero-cost course materials are being utilized in an Visual Arts course for undergraduate students by Rose Adams at CSU Fullerton. The main motivation to adopt an open textbook was to reduce course costs and incorporate more art works and perspectives from outside the traditional Euro-centric Modern Art canon. 

Course Title and Number:  Modern Art, Art 312
Brief Description of course highlights:  The history of painting, graphic arts and sculpture from late 19th century to World War II.  

Student population:Prerequisite: ART 101, ART 201A or ART 201B. General ed, mostly art majors since required for the degree.
Learning or student outcomes: 

a. Gain visual literacy through the scholarly observation of culturally and historically significant art with an emphasis on the endeavor of the artist/creator.
b. Cultivate an understanding of a work of art the embodies an objective as well as subjective response to the aesthetic experience,

defend an informed opinion and communicate their view to others.
c. Relate the arts to significant social problems.
d. Understand the broad, unifying themes in the arts from a wide array of perspectives.
e. Deepen previously acquired artistic appreciation and understanding through participation either in making or performing of art

forms or through the experience of such a process by direct observation
Key challenges faced and how resolved:  Finding the appropriate level of resource that would be appropriate for non-majors while also expanding upon the traditional art history canon. 

Textbook or OER/Low cost Title: 
Brief Description: Museum websites, journal articles, chapters from books, websites, documentaries, short videos. I typed up an intro summary for every chapter that we covered. This helped to establish a solid foundation for the material as well as bring together all the readings and their relevance.

Please provide a link to the resource  Introduction to the History of Modern Art, The Art Story, SmartHistory

Student access:  Canvas. Readings, videos, weblinks, images, are all posted through links on Canvas.

Supplemental resources: Students formed groups and created a Padlet that was shared with others in the group. 

Provide the cost savings from that of a traditional textbook.  $159.99/student for H.H. Arnason and Elizabeth C. Mansfield, History of Modern Art, 7th ed.
License: Many of the OER used were CC licenses, but some materials like those on The Art Story are all rights reserved

OER/Low Cost Adoption Process

Provide an explanation or what motivated you to use this textbook or OER/Low Cost option. Save students money, explore available OER, show them where/how to obtain reliable information for research. Encourage them to see the information available to them.

How did you find and select the open textbook for this course? Michaela was an incredible resource and help. Faculty recommendations from others who have taught the course. I look for websites that would present the information in an approachable manner and not difficult to read.

Sharing Best Practices: It is definitely a time commitment the first time around. My students responded very well to OER, and several mentioned that they enjoyed getting the information from different sources instead of just one (like a textbook) on the SOQs. It is important to be specific with students about how much of something they are required to read, for some websites contain a lot of information. Checking that links are still good is important, as many become inactive after a period of time.

Describe any challenges you experienced, and lessons learned. Finding OER that focuses specifically on what I was teaching about the material. For example, just because an artwork is well-known doesn’t mean that information can be easily found when discussed within a specific context. There are also some websites that have good information, but unfortunately, because they are OER, have a lot of ads and distractions that may make it difficult for the student to get through the material quickly.  

Instructor Name:  Rose Adams
I am a Part-Time faculty, Visual Arts.  I am a lecturer of Art History at California State University, Fullerton.  

Please provide a link to your university page. https://www.fullerton.edu/arts/art/
 Please describe the courses you teach.  Classes on specific art movements and introductory art appreciation
Describe your teaching philosophy and any research interests related to your discipline or teaching.  Rose believes that some of life’s most important learning takes place outside of the classroom and effectively combines academics with service learning opportunities and cultural exchange