“When I started teaching in 2017, I took the traditional route most professors do: assign a textbook students need to buy or rent, along with primary sources to purchase. When the textbook offered a digital option a couple years later, it seemed it would be a benefit to my students (less expensive, more resources, access no matter where they were). However, it was actually this that caused a complete rethink for me about materials I assign. Issues with student access to the text and billing problems were not something I expected and definitely not what I hoped my students would experience.

Seeming almost like fate, around the same time I attended a professional development session that spoke about open educational resources and found out my university library had a website where I could start! From there I inspected a number of textbooks already openly published and selected one that I felt represented my classes well. In addition to this, I searched for websites that offered free versions of primary source materials I wanted to assign. By Fall 2020, I was able to offer my students a course that did not require the purchase of any textbooks or materials.

One of the biggest benefits I’ve found in using open educational resources is the ability to flex my sources and provide multiple options for my students. I don’t have to feel married to a source all semester if it doesn’t make sense before I assign it or something happens in the world that a different source may shed light on. I also have the ability to find sources in multiple types of media to offer my students the opportunity to learn the way they think best: print, digital, or audio. It’s not often one has students thanking you for your material choices, but it happens to me often! In my college years I was a student who struggled to afford textbooks and always looked for ways to cut those costs to the bone. Being able to provide access to materials free of charge to my students is one of my proudest achievements as a professor!”

I am an Associate Adjunct Professor in the Department of History at the University of Northern Iowa. Both my Masters and Bachelors degrees were achieved at UNI, so I’ve had the unique opportunity of being a student, graduate student & assistant, and teacher there. I concentrated on Early Modern Britain & Ireland during my education, but I offer classes in many different time periods and locations. Classes I teach are often both History and general education requirements, so I get the pleasure of seeing students from all over campus each semester. Because of all of this, serving the needs of the many is essential to me!

In addition to work in the classroom, I serve as a representative on the executive board for United Faculty (UNI’s faculty union) and beginning this fall semester will serve as faculty advisor for two student organizations. Outside of my work at University of Northern Iowa, I judge and coach competitive gymnastics and love to spend time with family. My husband and I are recently empty nesters, as our three children are in their 20s and off on their lives. We share our empty nest with three cats.