Mathematics Research Guide: Open Educational Resources (OER) for Mathematics

A course pack for supplementing Calculus 1 with algebra, geometry, trigonometry, and precalculus topics, including reading material, activities, and practice problems assembled from various OER texts.

Linear Transformations on Vector Spaces serves primarily as a textbook for undergraduate Linear Algebra courses. While standard Linear Algebra books begin by focusing on solving systems of linear equations and associated procedural skills, our book begins by developing a conceptual framework for the topic using the central objects, vector spaces and linear transformations. It covers the same concepts, skills, and, applications as conventional texts in a one-semester course, but students walk away with a much richer and more useful mastery of the topics. The book is structured to facilitate the implementation of the flipped classroom. The text features a continuous narrative to illuminate the big picture of the material and is written to help students develop their textbook reading skills. Also, there are “Explorations” scattered throughout each section; these are quick first examples intended for students to complete while reading before class meetings. Additional materials include section overview homework assignments and worksheets that can be used for in-class practice.

The authors of this book adapted homework problems to improve accessibility and promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in the introductory statistics course they teach at Fitchburg State University. The problems are showcased in this book, but we have also incorporated them into our existing problem sets on an open-source online homework platform called WeBWorK. The problems can be used as a companion to the OpenStax textbook "Introductory Statistics" by Barbara Illowsky and Susan Dean or any other textbook for a semester-long introductory statistics course.

This Open Educational Resource (OER) carries a significant responsibility by presenting statistics through an equity lens. The metaphor of a lens is used intentionally–as the glasses one wears can have a profound effect on what one sees. The book encourages further inspection of the ways in which data is collected, interpreted, and analyzed on a variety of social justice issues, such as health disparities, hunger and food insecurity, homelessness, behavioral health (mental health and substance use), and incarceration of males of color. It also attempts to reveal how the misuse of data can reinforce inequities, for example, by stigmatizing people and labeling neighborhoods as high poverty, violent, and having poor educational opportunities. Whether an intended or unintended consequence, irresponsible data use can contribute to racist impressions of people and communities. "The statistical expertise/prowess of the author, coupled with the examples chosen to highlight and bring to life how one can use data to bring light to disparities and then drive change to mitigate them, is meritorious."--Dr. Marianne Pugatch