Textbook Affordability Project Administered by the University Library

About Jose Ponce

Mr. Jose Heribeto Ponce is a native of Brownsville, Texas raised across the border in Matamoros, Mexico. He learned English as a second language and obtained a GED by age 17. He graduated with a Bachelor's in Computer Science and a Master's in Mathematics from the University of Texas at Brownsville (UTB). After completing a second Master's in Applied Mathematics at Iowa State University (ISU), he started teaching at Del Mar College in Corpus Christi, Texas, and eventually at UTRGV beginning in 2015. Currently, he is a Lecturer III at the School of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences (SMSS). He created bilingual math courses (College Algebra, Elementary Statistics, and Precalculus), and he has coordinated the Elementary Statistics courses since 2018.

Course Redesign Project and Experience

Mr. Ponce redesigned his Precalculus course in a bilingual format to align with the University’s B3 initiatives. He integrated the OpenStax Precalculus textbook as the main teaching material because it is free to access online, students can download a PDF copy, and it is available in both English and Spanish. While redesigning the course he created all new learning content including lecture notes, activities, and projects. All of these open materials and resources were provided so students could access their assigned readings at no cost. His course also includes a homework platform for enhanced student engagement and learning. Mr. Ponce partnered with McGraw Hill to obtain a special low price for our UTRGV bilingual students to use the ALEKS courseware to complete course assignments. This bilingual courseware allows students to complete homework, exams, and other assignments. By advocating for his students he was able to have his course within the university’s low-cost designation.

Student Feedback

Each of Mr. Ponce’s students saved hundreds of dollars with the new implementation of affordable course materials. Basic monolingual Precalculus textbooks, usually priced at $280, are now free in my course because of the OpenStax open textbooks. Mathematical courseware (ALEKS) for students to complete practice problems usually cost $80 per course per semester and is available for half the price, $40 because of Mr. Ponce's advocacy for his students. His students were glad they didn't have to stress about buying a textbook and could jump right into studying the materials free of such worries.

Reflections

Overall, Mr. Ponce believes it was a rewarding experience knowing his inclusive practices created opportunities for more students to succeed in STEM. Utilizing Open Educational Resources is a valuable option for teaching courses at our institution. Students value our efforts, feel included, and thrive in an open and safe learning environment. In addition to the course's affordability and accessibility, by being directly involved in the instructional design, we can ensure the quality of the courses we offer at UTRGV.

He would like to thank the affordability project and library staff who were involved in the design of these courses. Collaboration with university resources and interdisciplinary efforts are essential to achieve inclusive and quality instruction at UTRGV.