2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Developing an open textbook on introductory thermodynamics

Presented at Mechanical Engineering Division (MECH) Technical Session 1: Diversity, Inclusion, and Accessibility

As the cost of university textbooks continue to rise, students are increasingly hesitant to purchase required course materials. Affordability and accessibility have become undeniable barriers that have a negative impact on the academic performance of students, in particular, those from low-income families. The economic downturn during the COVID-19 pandemics further exacerbates the situation, challenging institutions to continue working on innovative approaches to affordable and equitable higher education. To address the issue of textbook affordability, many universities in the US and Canada are developing incentive programs that support faculty to develop and adopt open educational resources (OER). This paper documents the author’s journey of writing and publishing an open textbook, Introduction to Engineering Thermodynamics. It addresses the essential elements of open authoring and shares the author’s practical experience. The open textbook has been adopted by an engineering class as a supplementary text, and the survey results indicate positive feedback from students.

Authors

Dr. Claire Yu Yan University of British Columbia, Okanagan [biography]

Dr. Claire Yu Yan is an associate professor of teaching in the School of Engineering, Faculty of Applied Science, University of British Columbia, Okanagan. She received her B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees from Xi'an Jiaotong University, China and Ph.D. degree from the University of Strathclyde, UK. At UBC, Dr. Yan teaches core engineering courses in the field of thermofluids, such as thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, fluid machinery, and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC). Over the past years, she has taught several thousands of students of diverse backgrounds. She has a strong passion for teaching innovations, in particular, active learning strategies, engagement pedagogies, and open education. Dr. Yan strives to make sustained contributions to support holistic student success and wellbeing through her teaching practices and scholarship of teaching and learning. She is an active contributor to UBC, professional societies, and the broader communities through her K-12 outreach program and committee work within and beyond UBC. Dr. Yan is a registered P.Eng. with EGBC (Engineers and Geoscientists BC), and a member of CEEA (Canadian Engineering Education Association) and ASEE (American Society for Engineering Education).

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