Instructional Materials and Resources Best Practices

What Is It?

This addresses the variety of materials and material formats instructors choose to present course content and enable students to meet relevant learning outcomes and, when possible, the affordability of chosen course materials.

Who Can Use It?

Montana Tech Instructors

How do I do it?

1. Provides students with adequate time and notice to acquire course materials.
   1. In your syllabus or elsewhere on your course site, include a list of materials and texts required for the course.
   2. Give students instructions on how to locate supplies and textbooks that do not require coming to campus. Amazon is one option. Another popular option is Chegg at https://www.chegg.com/books. Required software can be found at a discount at https://www.academicsuperstore.com/ and https://www.journeyed.com/ to name two of many.
   3. Information on required materials that will be needed at the beginning of the class should be emailed to students in time for them to acquire their materials before the course starts.
2. The course uses a variety of instructional material types and perspectives, while not relying too heavily on one content type such as text.
   1. Where it is useful, use articles or other resources that show competing or conflicting points of view so that students are exposed to multiple perspectives on ideas and approaches.
   2. Use a variety of media in courses to present information in different ways. This might include PowerPoint, video, text, as well as simulations and content from textbook resources. The idea is to provide students with an opportunity to engage with the content in multiple ways.

Ideas:

• When sending a welcome message to students prior to the beginning of your course, include information on where they can get their textbooks as well as any required software or materials. Provide direct links to purchase the items if possible.
• Consider using open educational resources (OER) in your classes to reduce student textbook cost and provide quick access to texts.  The Open Textbook Library (https://open.umn.edu/opentextbooks) and The OER Commons (https://www.oercommons.org/) are examples of locations to look for freely available textbooks and materials.