Barbara Illowsky, PhD
illowskybarbara@fhda.edu @DrBSI
De Anza College and
California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office

Collaborative Statistics &
Introductory Statistics
 Co-author – Susan Dean
 Connexions version in BC OpenTextbook
listings
http://cnx.org/content/col10522/latest/
http://open.bccampus.ca/open-textbook-101/
 OpenStax College version – new!!
http://openstaxcollege.org/textbooks/introductory-
statistics
 WebAssign & other resources available with
both versions

A bit of history
 Early 1990s – Searching for textbook
that:
 Incorporated technology into teaching and
learning
 Included multicultural activities
 Used collaborative learning pedagogical
approach
 Focused on understanding statistical
concepts, not solving for variables
 Encouraged writing in it by being low cost

More history
 Our baby steps:
 Wrote technology instructions
 Wrote labs and projects; made videos
 STUDENTS asked for book format
 Signed contract with publisher
 Publisher sold off to another publisher
 Textbook cost increased
 We purchased back copyright
 Self-published: low cost through 2007 when
became involved with OER

Adaptations
 Students & faculty provided feedback
and suggestions
 Focus groups with faculty
 Put textbook “out there”
 Developed very, very, very thick skin!!!
 Used many suggestions
 Encouraged and developed
communities of practice with faculty
 Skin thickened even more!

FOCUS
 Increased student access
 Increased student learning
 Increased student completion
It’s all about the students!!!

Experience
 “It’s a wild ride!”
 Interview by Dr. Beck Pitt, OER Research Hub:
http://tinyurl.com/qfuvz7l
 Benefits surpassed all expectations:
 Introductory Statistics by OpenStax College – team
approach to improving the learning experience
 Students appreciate no/low costs
 Students appreciate us appreciating their input
 Faculty collaboration from all around the world
 Saved De Anza College students over
$1,000,000 US

Faculty Role
 Start from what is already available – many
repositories
 Combine OER to fit your needs
 Collaborate with your discipline colleagues
 Collaborate with your librarians
 Be honest with your students – ask for
feedback and use that feedback
 Use data (i.e. money that can be saved) to
gain administrative support
 Share what you create