Our open textbook collection continues to group. We have added 7 new open textbooks to our collection in the subject areas of Accounting, Computer Science, Philosophy, English and Communications. These 7 books brings our collection of open textbooks to 27.
If you are a BC educator and would like to review these textbooks, a call for reviewers was issued on Monday, October 7, 2013. If you would like to review one of these textbooks, please submit your application prior to November 12th, 2013.
The textbooks are:
Introduction to Financial Accounting
Based on International Financial Reporting Standards, this 13 chapter textbook written by Athabasca University’s David Annand, EdD, MBA, CA, Professor of Accounting in the Faculty of Business. The textbook includes a glossary and problems & exercises. An instructors manual is also available upon request.
forall x: An Introduction to Formal Logic
forall x is an open access introductory textbook in formal logic. It covers translation, proofs, and formal semantics for sentential and predicate logic. forall x was written by P.D. Magnus, an associate professor at the University at Albany, State University of New York. Magnus received his PhD from UC San Diego.
Open Data Structures
There are plenty of books that teach introductory data structures. Some of them are very good. Most of them cost money, and the vast majority of computer science undergraduate students will shell out at least some cash on a data structures book.
Information Systems
Students need to understand systems and the systems concept, and they need to understand the role of ICT in enabling systems. Students will learn the characteristics of good systems (e.g., intuitive, likable, error-resistant, fast, flexible, and the like). Knowing the characteristics of good systems will permit students to demand well designed systems and to suggest how existing systems should be changed. Students need to understand the affordances, directions, and limits of hardware, software, and networks in both personal and organizational dimensions. They also need to appreciate that, as technical capabilities change and new ones arise, more opportunities to apply ICT for efficiency, effectiveness, and innovation are afforded. They need to understand the process for developing and implementing new or improved systems and the activities of IS professionals in this process.
Communication Theory
This book is an introduction to communication theory — the theory of how humans share, encode, and decode what they know, what they need, and what they expect from each other.
Modern Philosophy
This is a textbook (or better, a workbook) in modern philosophy. It combines readings from primary sources with two pedagogical tools. Paragraphs in italics introduce figures and texts. Numbered study questions (also in italics) ask students to reconstruct an argument or position from the text, or draw connections among the readings. And I have added an introductory chapter (Chapter 0 – Minilogic and Glossary), designed to present the basic tools of philosophy and sketch some principles and positions. The immediate goal is to encourage students to grapple with the ideas rather than passing their eyes over the texts. This makes for a better classroom experience and permits higher-level discussions. Another goal is to encourage collaboration among instructors, as they revise and post their own versions of the book.
Writing for Success
Scott McLean’s Writing for Success is a text that provides instruction in steps, builds writing, reading, and critical thinking, and combines comprehensive grammar review with an introduction to paragraph writing and composition. Beginning with the sentence and its essential elements, this book addresses each concept with clear, concise and effective examples that are immediately reinforced with exercises and opportunities to demonstrate, and reinforce, learning.