Dr. Christie Liu
from JMU Libraries and Dr. Elizabeth
Johnson from Geology and Environmental Science were awarded a Course Redesign Grant
in the amount of $16,145.00 through Virtual Library of
Virginia (VIVA). The VIVA Course Redesign Grant’s goal is to make textbook
and course materials free to students by empowering faculty with
the resources and time they need to redesign their curricula using
open, library, or no cost resources.
Dr. Liu and her team will create an interactive microscopy
textbook for use in geoscience courses, including petrology. The text, which
has the potential for wide adoption across the state, will include a guide for
student learning activities and will include the use of the microscope to take
measurements and identify minerals and rocks using different measurement
techniques.
Their application was highlighted for its, "excellent
awareness of the mounting costs of course materials in higher
education and a creative commitment to developing Open Educational Resources
that will be accessible to students across Virginia.”