Whittemore Library: Open Educational Resources (OER): ARTS AND HUMANITIES

Art & Music OER

Textbooks

American Encounters: Art, History, and Cultural Identity by Angela L. Miller, Janet Catherine Berlo, Bryan J. Wolf, & Jennifer L. Roberts
Publication Date: 2017

Provides a narrative of the history of American art that focuses on historical encounters among diverse cultures, upon broad structural transformations such as the rise of the middle classes and the emergence of consumer and mass culture, and on the fluid conversations between "high" art and vernacular expressions. The text emphasizes the intersections among cultures and populations, as well as the exchanges, borrowings, and appropriations that have enriched and vitalized our collective cultural heritage.
Art History I (Lumen) by LibreTexts
Art History I (Lumen) is shared under a not declared license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts. The LibreTexts libraries are Powered by NICE CXone Expert and are supported by the Department of Education Open Textbook Pilot Project, the UC Davis Office of the Provost, the UC Davis Library, the California State University Affordable Learning Solutions Program, and Merlot
Art History II (Lumen) by LibreTexts
Art History II (Lumen) is shared under a not declared license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.
Introduction to Art by Pamela Sachant & Peggy Blood
ISBN: 1940771293

Publication Date: 2016

PDF textbook. Offers a comprehensive introduction to the world of Art. Introduces such issues in art as its meaning and purpose; its meaning and purpose; its structure, material, and form; and its diverse effects on our lives. Its digital nature allows students to follow links to applicable sources and videos, expanding the students' educational experiences beyond the textbook.
The Bright Continent: African Art History by Kathy Curnow
A custom formatted PDF of Bright Continent: African Art History can be located at https://www.academia.edu/50969635/Bright_Continent_African_Art_History.

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Scholarly Books (Monographs)

Life Drawing: a Helpful Guide by Mahara Sinclaire
Publication Date: 2022

OER Textbook for life drawing by Mahara T. Sinclaire from Pasadena City College.Emphasizes gesture and planar analysis with attention to composition. Includes color theory.Provides rubric and supply list.
Technology, Design and the Arts - Opportunities and Challenges by Earnshaw, Rae (editor) Liggett, Susan (editor) Excell, Peter (editor) Thalmann, Daniel (editor)
Publication Date: 2020

This open access book details the relationship between the artist and their created works, using tools such as information technology, computer environments, and interactive devices, for a range of information sources and application domains. This has produced new kinds of created works which can be viewed, explored, and interacted with, either as an installation or via a virtual environment such as the Internet. These processes generate new dimensions of understanding and experience for both the artist and the public’s relationships with the works that are produced. This has raised a variety of interdisciplinary opportunities and issues, and these are examined.
The Path to Funding: The Artist’s Guide to Building Your Audience, Generating Income, and Realizing Career Sustainability by Zane Forshee; Christina Manceor; and Robin McGinness
Publication Date: 2022

"Based on coursework developed at Peabody Conservatory, this book breaks down the process of developing an artist mission statement, generating new ideas for creative projects, and creating an engaging project description. It also covers methods for artists to identify their audience, generate a comprehensive project budget, collect compelling work samples, and identify potential funders to support their creative work. Written by a team of active artists and educators, this resource provides creatives with tools and strategies to communicate passionately and effectively about their work and take control of their financial and artistic future."

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Textbooks

Digital Foundations: Introduction to Media Design with the Adobe Creative Cloud - Revised Edition by xtine burrough & Michael Mandiberg
Publication Date: 2017

Uses formal exercises of the Bauhaus to teach the Adobe Creative Suite. All students of digital design and production—whether learning in a classroom or on their own—need to understand the basic principles of design in order to implement them using current software. Far too often design is left out of books that teach software for the trade and academic markets. Consequently, the design software training exercise is often a lost opportunity for visual learning.
Digital Photography for Graphic Communications by Richard Adams and Reem el Asaleh, Martin Habekost, Jason Lisi, & Art Seto
Designed for a one-semester course.
Graphic Design and Print Production Fundamentals by Graphic Communications Open Textbook Collective
ISBN: 9781989623664

Publication Date: 2015

"This textbook — written by a group of select experts with a focus on different aspects of the design process, from creation to production — addresses the many steps of creating and then producing physical, printed, or other imaged products that people interact with on a daily basis. It covers the concept that, while most modern graphic design is created on computers using design software, the ideas and concepts don’t stay on the computer. The ideas need to be completed in the computer software, then progress to an imaging (traditionally referred to as printing) process. Keywords are highlighted throughout and summarized in a Glossary at the end of the book, and each chapter includes exercises and suggested readings."
Introduction to Design Equity by Kristine Miller
ISBN: 9781946135506

Publication Date: 2018

"Why do affluent, liberal, and design-rich cities like Minneapolis have some of the biggest racial disparities in the country? How can designers help to create more equitable communities? Introduction to Design Equity, an open access book for students and professionals, maps design processes and products against equity research to highlight the pitfalls and potentials of design as a tool for building social justice. "

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Scholarly Books (Monographs)

Hybrid Museum Experiences by Annika Waern (Editor); Anders Løvlie (Editor)
ISBN: 9789463726443

Publication Date: 2022

Discusses three forms of hybridity in museum experiences: incorporating the digital and the physical, creating social, yet personal and intimate experiences, and exploring ways to balance visitor participation and museum curation.
Practicing Decoloniality in Museums by Csilla Ariese; Magdalena Wróblewska; Magdalena Wróblewska
ISBN: 9789463726962

Publication Date: 2021

"The cry for decolonization has echoed throughout the museum world. Although perhaps most audibly heard in the case of ethnographic museums, many different types of museums have felt the need to engage in decolonial practices. Amidst those who have argued that an institution as deeply colonial as the museum cannot truly be decolonized, museum staff and museologists have been approaching the issue from different angles to practice decoloniality in any way they can."
Experimental Museology by Marianne Achiam (Editor); Michael Haldrup (Editor); Kirsten Drotner (Editor)
ISBN: 9781000405538

Publication Date: 2021

"Experimental Museology scrutinizes innovative endeavours to transform museum interactions with the world. Analysing cutting-edge cases from around the globe, the volume demonstrates how museums can design, apply and assess new modes of audience engagement and participation. Written by an interdisciplinary group of researchers and research-led professionals, the book argues that museum transformations must be focused on conceptualizing and documenting the everyday challenges and choices facing museums, especially in relation to wider social, political and economic ramifications."

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Textbooks

Fundamentals, Function, and Form by Andre Mount; Lee Rothfarb (Contribution by)
ISBN: 9781942341994

Publication Date: 2020

Provides its readers with a comprehensive study of the theory and analysis of tonal Western art music. Mount begins by building a strong foundation in the understanding of rhythm, meter, and pitch as well as the notational conventions associated with each. From there, he guides the reader through an exploration of polyphony—the simultaneous sounding of multiple independent melodies—and an increasingly rich array of different sonorites that grow out of this practice. The book culminates with a discussion of musical form, engaging with artistic works in their entirety by considering the interaction of harmonic and thematic elements, but also such other musical dimensions as rhythm, meter, texture, and expression.
Music Theory for the 21st-Century Classroom by Robert Hutchinson
Publication Date: 2017

This text is meant to take the student from the basics of reading and writing pitches and rhythms through twelve–tone technique and minimalism over the course of four semesters. Whenever possible, examples from popular music and music from film and musical theater are included to illustrate melodic and harmonic concepts, usually within the context of the phrase.
Open Music Thery: Version 2 by Mark Gotham; Kyle Gullings; Chelsey Hamm; Bryn Hughes; Brian Jarvis; Megan Lavengood; and John Peterson
Publication Date: 2021

"intended to serve as the primary text and workbook for undergraduate music theory curricula. OMT2 provides not only the material for a complete traditional core undergraduate music theory sequence (fundamentals, diatonic harmony, chromatic harmony, form, 20th-century techniques), but also several other units for instructors who have diversified their curriculum, such as jazz, popular music, counterpoint, and orchestration. This version also introduces a complete workbook of assignments."
Understanding Basic Music Theory by Catherine Schmidt-Jones
Publication Date: 2013

Although it is significantly expanded from "Introduction to Music Theory", this book still covers only the bare essentials of music theory. Music is a very large subject, and the advanced theory that students will want to pursue after mastering the basics will vary greatly. A trumpet player interested in jazz, a vocalist interested in early music, a pianist interested in classical composition, and a guitarist interested in world music, will all want to delve into very different facets of music theory; although, interestingly, if they all become very well-versed in their chosen fields, they will still end up very capable of understanding each other and cooperating in musical endeavors. The final section does include a few challenges that are generally not considered "beginner level" musicianship, but are very useful in just about every field and genre of music.
Unlocking the Digital Age by Kathleen DeLaurenti; Andrea Copland; Valerie Hartman (Editor); Christopher DeLaurenti (Editor)
ISBN: 9798218385873

Publication Date: 2024

Based on coursework developed at the Peabody Conservatory, this book serves as a crucial resource for early career musicians navigating the complexities of the digital era.

Onine Resources

International Music Score Library Project (IMSLP) by Petrucci Music Library
Sharing the world's Public Domain sheet music.

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Communication, Media and Performance OER

Textbooks

Communication in the Real World by University of Minnesota Libraries (Adapted by)
ISBN: 9781946135070

Publication Date: 2016

Overviews the time-tested conceptual foundations of the field, while incorporating the latest research and cutting-edge applications of these basics. Each chapter will include timely, concrete, and real-life examples of communication concepts in action.
Public Interest Communication by Jane Johnston and Robyn Gulliver
ISBN: 9781742723594

Publication Date: 2022

"Bringing together aspects of ethics, social and civil responsibility, advocacy and publics, this introductory textbook provides a new approach to communication theory and practice in the post truth era. In this book, students will examine fields that intersect with public interest frameworks to provide building blocks and strategies for effective communication. These include organisational listening, capacity building, partnerships and alliances, the role of social enterprises, the concepts of 'wicked problems' and 'discourse arenas', and the importance of participation and activism in generating democratic debate."
Public Speaking by Sarah Billington and Shirene McKay
Publication Date: 2022

Handbooks

Elements of Political Communication
An introductory wikibook for beginners who want to produce political messages in various media formats. It is not a rule book; rather, it is a set of guidelines to facilitate effective political communication. Its purpose is to bridge the gap between two distinct styles to create pragmatic, clear, and useful information to establish a consistent tone, style, and format between all of the messages you or your organization produces.

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Scholarly Books (Monographs)

Contemporary World Cinema by James Skidmore
Publication Date: 2022

An introduction to film that explores film structure and analysis, with attention being paid to film in its contemporary global context.
Difference, Power, and Discrimination in Film and Media: Student Essays by Students at Linn-Benton Community College
An open pedagogy project of student-authored essays to help readers, particularly high school and college students interested in movies and television, develop a better understanding of the ways that narrative media like movies and television represent issues of difference, power, and discrimination in American culture, both today and in the past.
Making Media Matter by Benjamin Thevenin
ISBN: 9780367524340

Publication Date: 2022

"This book is an essential resource for media educators working to promote critical thinking, creativity, and civic engagement through their teaching. Connecting theory and research with creative projects and analyses of pop culture, it models an integrated and practical approach to media education. In order to prepare learners to successfully navigate rapid shifts in digital technology and popular culture, media educators in both secondary and university settings need to develop fresh, innovative approaches. Integrating concepts and practices from the fields of media studies, media arts, and media literacy, this book prepares teachers to help their students make connections between their studies, uses of media, creative expression, and political participation."
Technology, Media Literacy, and the Human Subject by Richard S. Lewis
ISBN: 9781800641822

Publication Date: 2021

"What does it mean to be media literate in today’s world? How are we transformed by the many media infrastructures around us? We are immersed in a world mediated by information and communication technologies (ICTs). From hardware like smartphones, smartwatches, and home assistants to software like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat, our lives have become a complex, interconnected network of relations. Scholarship on media literacy has tended to focus on developing the skills to access, analyze, evaluate, and create media messages without considering or weighing the impact of the technological medium—how it enables and constrains both messages and media users..."
Understanding Media and Culture by University of Minnesota Libraries (Adapted by)
ISBN: 9781946135261

Publication Date: 2016

Written to squarely emphasize media technology. The author believes that an introduction to mass communication text should be a compelling, historical narrative sketching the *ongoing evolution* of media technology and how that technology shapes and is shaped by culture — and that is what he set out to deliver with his new textbook.

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Textbooks

Exploring Movie Construction and Production by John Reich
ISBN: 9781942341468

Publication Date: 2017

Contains eight chapters of the major areas of film construction and production. The discussion covers theme, genre, narrative structure, character portrayal, story, plot, directing style, cinematography, and editing. Important terminology is defined and types of analysis are discussed and demonstrated. An extended example of how a movie description reflects the setting, narrative structure, or directing style is used throughout the book to illustrate building blocks of each theme.
Actors and the Art of Performance by Susanne Valerie Granzer
The Performance Philosophy book series comprises monographs and essay collections addressing the relationship between performance and philosophy within a broad range of philosophical traditions and performance practices, including drama, theatre, performance arts, dance, art and music. The series also includes studies of the performative aspects of life and, indeed, philosophy itself. As such, the series addresses the philosophy of performance as well as performance-as-philosophy and philosophy-as-performance.
Theatrical Worlds (Beta Version) by Charlie Mitchell (Editor)
ISBN: 9781616101664

Publication Date: 2014

"From the University of Florida College of Fine Arts, Charlie Mitchell and distinguished colleagues from across America present an introductory text for theatre and theoretical production. This book seeks to give insight into the people and processes that create theater. It does not strip away the feeling of magic but to add wonder for the artistry that make a production work well." PDF textbook.
Moving Pictures: An Introduction to Cinema by Russell Sharman
Publication Date: 2020

An introduction to the art and science of moving pictures, offering in-depth exploration of how cinema communicates, and what, exactly, it is trying to say.

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English OER

Textbooks

Reading and Writing Successfully in College: A Guide for Students by Patricia Lynne
Publication Date: 2023

This text provides students with both principles for understanding the intellectual work of writing tasks and guided activities for improving their reading and writing skills. While the book was designed mostly with a first-semester composition course in mind, much of the text would be appropriate for a second semester course as well, including the chapters on writing process and on finding, evaluating, and using sources. FSU Faculty-Made!
Writing Guide with Handbook by Senior editors: Michelle Bachelor Robinson, Maria Jerskey, & Toby Fulwiler
ISBN: 9781711494852

Publication Date: 2021

Aligns to the goals, topics, and objectives of many first-year writing and composition courses. It is organized according to relevant genres, and focuses on the writing process, effective writing practices or strategies—including graphic organizers, writing frames, and word banks to support visual learning—and conventions of usage and style. The text includes an editing and documentation handbook, which provides information on grammar and mechanics, common usage errors, and citation styles.
Writing in College: From Competence to Excellence by Amy Guptill
Publication Date: 2016

Writing in College is designed for students who have largely mastered high-school level conventions of formal academic writing and are now moving beyond the five-paragraph essay to more advanced engagement with text. It is well suited to composition courses or first-year seminars and valuable as a supplemental or recommended text in other writing-intensive classes. It provides a friendly, down-to-earth introduction to professors’ goals and expectations, demystifying the norms of the academy and how they shape college writing assignments. Each of the nine chapters can be read separately, and each includes suggested exercises to bring the main messages to life.
Write Here, Right Now: An Interactive Introduction to Academic Writing and Research by Aaron Tucker & Paul Chafe
Publication Date: 2018

Utilizes PressBooks to create and host a writing e-textbook for first year university students that would effectively integrate into the flipped classroom model. The textbook could also be used for non-flipped classroom designs, as the embedded videos, diagrams and linked modules would act as an all-in-one multimedia textbook geared towards multiple learning styles and disciplines. The components of the textbook, including the embedded videos, could be swapped in and out in order to accommodate a professor’s best idea of his/her own course design

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Online Resources

Rams Write! by F.S.U. English Dept.
Created by FSU Faculty!
Rams Write is a grammar guide created by students in freshman-level English courses at Framingham State University.
Excelsior Online Writing Lab
Excelsior OWL is an online writing lab similar to Purdue OWL. Excelsior OWL is licensed with a creative commons attribution license, meaning you can do more with the content than just linking to it!

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Textbooks

American Literature I: An Anthology of Texts From Early America Through the Civil War by Edited by Jenifer Kurtz
Publication Date: 2019

The authors and texts here are representative of the many writers who were writing throughout the colonization and development of what we now consider the United States of America.
English Literature: Victorians and Moderns by Dr. James Sexton
ISBN: 9781989623640

Publication Date: 2014

In addition to providing annotated teaching editions of many of the most frequently-taught classics of Victorian and Modern poetry, fiction and drama, it also provides a series of guided research casebooks which make available numerous published essays from open access books and journals, as well as several reprinted critical essays from established learned journals.
Literature, the Humanities, and Humanity by Theodore Steinberg
ISBN: 9781942341031

Publication Date: 2013

"At a time when all subjects seem to be valued only for their testability, this book tries to show the value of reading and studying literature, even earlier literature. It shows students, some of whom will themselves become teachers, that literature actually has something to say to them. Furthermore, it shows that literature is meant to be enjoyed, that, as the Roman poet Horace (and his Renaissance disciple Sir Philip Sidney) said, the functions of literature are to teach and to delight..These chapters can not substitute for reading the actual works. Rather they are intended to help students read those works. They are attempts to demystify the act of reading and to show that these works, whether they are nearly three thousand or less than two hundred years old, still have important things to say to contemporary readers."
Open Anthology of Earlier American Literature by Edited by: Timothy Robbins
Initially created by Robin deRosa at Plymouth State University. Working with students, they collected public domain texts, edited them as necessary and created introductions for each to form the beginnings of a new, definitive anthology of Early American Literature. The project is now in the hands of Tim Robbins and the Rebus Community, who will expand the texts covered and source introductions to each section. Takes a distinctly socio-historical approach to introducing Early American literature. The anthology will allow students to engage with literature in exciting and dynamic ways.

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Directory of Open Access Books: Literature by DOAB
Browse by subject; use 'Literature' as your search term for a substantial collection of open access literary studies monographs.
English and Writing Collection by Massachusetts Community Colleges OER Hub
Collection of MA-created OER texts focused on Composition, Language, Grammar and Vocabulary, and Reading.
English Literature by BC Campus
English Literature Open Textbooks.
English Open Textbooks by Galileo Learning Materials
Brings together open educational resources throughout the University System of Georgia, including open textbooks and ancillary materials.
Literature & Literacy by LibreTexts
One collection within a multi-institutional collaborative venture to develop the next generation of open-access texts to improve post secondary education at all levels of higher learning.
Literature, Rhetoric, and Poetry Textbooks by Open Textbook Library
Open textbooks on literature, rhetoric, and poetry. This collection also includes open textbooks on technical writing and first-year writing.
Milne Open Textbooks by SUNY
A catalog of open textbooks authored and peer-reviewed by SUNY faculty and staff. Includes, poetry, english, creative writing, academic writing, literary criticism, & scholarly writing texts.
Writing and Editing Guides by PressBooks Directory
Filter your search by Subject: 'Writing and editing guides '
Writing Resources: Open-Access Textbooks by WAC Clearinghouse
An open-access publishing collaborative that is supported by the efforts of more than 170 scholars who serve in various editorial roles, including as journal and book series editors, editorial staff, reviewers, and editorial board members.

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Project Gutenberg
Project Gutenberg is a collection of free, mostly public domain ebooks.
Modern American Poetry by F.S.U. English Dept.
Created by FSU Faculty!
The Modern American Poetry Site is a comprehensive learning environment and scholarly forum for the study of modern and contemporary American poetry.
Kit Marlowe Project
Created by FSU Faculty!
The Kit Marlowe Project is created by students to offer accessible resources for learning about one of Shakespeare’s most influential contemporaries and collaborators, Christopher Marlowe.
Open Bookshelf by Digital Public Library of America
Public Domain E-Books form the Digital Public Library of America

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Free E-Book Access

Boston Public Library eCard
Anyone who works, studies, and/or lives in Massachusetts can get an eCard to the Boston Public Library! With an eCard, you can access all of the databases the Boston Public Library subscribes to, including the full JSTOR collection.
Ebsco Ebooks
EBSCO EBooks is a collection of Ebooks provided by Framingham State University. A majority of the Ebooks in this collection allow for unlimited simultaneous users.

Textbooks

20th Century Costume Pattern Design by Jennifer K. Smith
Publication Date: 2020

Learn flat pattern techniques as they apply to the design of 20th century clothing.

Online OER Collections

Fashion OER from OER Commons

Scholarly Books (Monographs)

Fashion Industry: An Itinerary Between Feelings and Technology by Beltramo, Riccardo (editor); Romani, Annalisa (editor); Cantore, Paolo (editor)
ISBN: 9781789841206

Publication Date: 2020

"Fashion is a lot more than providing an answer to primary needs. It is a way of communication, of distinction, of proclaiming a unique taste and expressing the belonging to a group. Sometimes to an exclusive group. Currently, the fashion industry is moving towards hyperspace, to a multidimensional world that is springing from the integration of smart textiles and wearable technologies. It is far beyond aesthetics. New properties of smart textiles let designers experiment with astonishing forms and expressions. There are also surprising contrasts and challenges: a new life for natural fibers, sustainable fabrics and dyeing techniques, rediscovered by eco-fashion, and "artificial apparel," made of wearable electronic components. How is this revolution affecting the strategies of the fashion industry?"
Designing Sustainable Clothing Systems by Vezzoli, Carlo Conti, Giovanni Maria Macrì, Luca Motta, Martina
Publication Date: 2022

Defines the features and scenarios of sustainable development, as well as the evolution of sustainability in research and practice of fashion design, addressing the strategies for the design and development of environmentally sustainable products. The authors describe the Life Cycle Design approach and the strategies and guidelines for integrating environmental requirements into product design for sustainable fashion.

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Scholarly Books (Monographs)

21st Century Queer Fashion Brands: Oral History Project by Kelly L. Reddy-Best; Dana Goodin; and Kyra Streck
Publication Date: 2020

"The purpose of this project is to document the history of each brand using the oral history method. We conducted oral histories with 24 brands with questions ranging from their own personal histories to how and why they started the brand. We are interested in the lives of the individuals who founded the brands in addition to the entire story of each brand from idea development to today so that way these stories can be documented as an important part of fashion and retail history."
Consumer Behavior - Practice Oriented Perspectives (Monograph) by Senay Sabah
ISBN: 9789535136200

Publication Date: 2017

At no time has consumption been considered to be as important as in today's world. It defines who we are, how well/perfect we perform our multiroles within the society (buying the most expensive clothes means being the best mom for instance), what symbolic meanings we attribute to our belongings, and how rich/clever/fashion conscious or innovative we are. Due to the multidisciplinary and multimethod character of the concept of consumer behavior, it is appropriate to study it holistically in order to understand the subject with its different aspects.
Dress, Appearance, and Diversity in U.S. Society by Kelly L. Reddy-Best
Publication Date: 2020

In the first part of the book, readers are introduced to concepts and theories related to fashion, clothing, dress, and/or accessories. In the second part, readers examine the role that fashion, clothing, dress, and/or accessories play in identity development for individuals in marginalized communities in the United States.
Fashion Myths (Monograph) by Roman Meinhold; John Irons (Translator)
ISBN: 9783839424377

Publication Date: 2014

"Besides products and services multinational corporations also sell myths, values and immaterial goods. Such 'meta-goods' (e.g. prestige, beauty, strength) are major selling points in the context of successful marketing and advertising. Fashion adverts draw on deeply rooted human values, ideals and desires such as values and symbols of social recognition, beautification and rejuvenation. Although the reference to such meta-goods is obvious to some consumers, their rootedness in philosophical theories of human nature is less apparent, even for the marketers and advertisers themselves. This book is of special interest for researchers and students in the fields of Cultural Studies, Media Studies, Marketing, Advertising, Fashion, Cultural Critique, Philosophy, Sociology, Anthropology and Psychology, and for anyone interested in the ways in which fashion operates."

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History OER

Textbooks

African American History and Culture by Florida State College at Jacksonville and Scott Matthews
Covers from antiquity to Reconstruction.
The American Yawp: A Massively Collaborative Open U.S. History Textbook by Joseph Locke & Ben Wright, editors
A collaboratively built, open American history textbook designed for general readers and college-level history courses. Over three hundred academic historians—scholars and experienced college-level instructors—have come together and freely volunteered their expertise to help democratize the American past for twenty-first century readers.
U. S. History by P. Scott Corbett; Volker Janssen; John M. Lund; Todd Pfannestiel; Pau Vickery
ISBN: 1938168364

Publication Date: 2014

Designed to meet the scope and sequence requirements of most introductory courses. The text provides a balanced approach to U.S. history, considering the people, events, and ideas that have shaped the United States from both the top down (politics, economics, diplomacy) and bottom up (eyewitness accounts, lived experience). U.S. History covers key forces that form the American experience, with particular attention to issues of race, class, and gender.

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Textbooks

Early World Civilizations by John McLean
Publication Date: 2021
Modern World History by Dan Allosso & Tom Williford
Publication Date: 2021

The textbook for an undergraduate survey course taught at all the universities and most of the colleges in the Minnesota State system. Similar courses are taught at institutions around the United States and the world, so the authors have made the text available as an open educational resource that teachers and learners can read, adapt, and reuse to meet their needs.
World Civilization (Lumen Learning)
Online Textbook 'courseware' from a Lumen Learning course.
World History by Eugene Berger; Brian Parkinson; Larry Israel; Charlotte Miller; Andrew Reeves; Nadejda Williams
ISBN: 9781940771106

Publication Date: 2014

Offers a comprehensive introduction to the history of humankind from prehistory to 1500. It covers such cultures, states, and societies as Ancient Mesopotamia, Ancient Israel, Dynastic Egypt, India’s Classical Age, the Dynasties of China, Archaic Greece, the Roman Empire, Islam, Medieval Africa, the Americas, and the Khanates of Central Asia.

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Textbooks

How History Is Made: a Student's Guide to Reading, Writing, and Thinking in the Discipline by Stephanie Cole (Editor); Kimberly Breuer (Editor); Scott W. Palmer; Brandon Blakeslee
ISBN: 9781648160066

Publication Date: 2022

"Learn what it means to think like an historian! Units on “Thinking Historically,” “Reading Historically,” “Researching Historically,” and “Writing Historically” describe the essential skills of the discipline of history. “Performing Historically” offers advice on presenting research findings and describes some careers open to those with an academic training in history."

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World Languages OER

Textbooks

JUNTXS: Introductory Spanish by Adriana Diaz
ISBN: 9781742723464

Publication Date: 2021

An open access educational resource which can be used in conjunction with a variety of approaches to support beginning learners of Spanish. This media-rich learning resource is designed to guide learners in their Spanish language learning journey through a critical and intercultural lens and to provide regular opportunities to explore, practise and improve their ability to read, speak, and understand this language as it is used across the Spanish-speaking world.
Let's Chat! Spanish by The Pathways Project
Publication Date: 2022

Features a collection of over 100 interpersonal speaking activities for novice and intermediate learners. Touching on a range of thematic topics such as free time activities, travel, daily routines, health, the environment, art and so much more, Spanish teachers are sure to find an activity to use in their courses.
+ JUNTXS: Intermediate Spanish by Adriana Diaz
ISBN: 9781742723471

Publication Date: 2021

Can be used in conjunction with a variety of approaches to support intermediate learners of Spanish. This media-rich learning resource is designed to guide learners in their Spanish language learning journey through a critical and intercultural lens and to provide regular opportunities to explore, practice and improve their ability to read, speak, and understand this language as it is used across the Spanish-speaking world.
Spanish I: Beginning Spanish Language and Culture by Matthew Dean
ISBN: 9781947112421

Publication Date: 2020

Downloadable PDF. Textbook designed for beginner students with a focus on grammar and vocabulary. Includes homework exercises, classwork activities, and embedded audio and video files.

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Textbooks

Introduction to French by Rita Palacios
Publication Date: 2017

A basic French language textbook designed to develop reading, writing, and speaking skills of college students in classrooms across Canada. Different topics will be used to support the use and development of correct grammar skills and vocabulary. The material is presented in a reader-friendly, AODA-compliant way, with audio files accompanying vocabulary lists to reinforce correct pronunciation.
Let's Chat! French by The Pathways Project Boise State University
Publication Date: 2022

Features a collection of nearly 100 classroom-ready interpersonal speaking activities for novice and intermediate learners. Touching on a range of thematic topics such as free time activities, food, daily routines, health, the environment, art and so much more, French teachers are sure to find an activity to use in their courses. These activities may be used as is or can easily be revised and remixed to fit the unique needs of individual classrooms.
Liberté by Gretchen Angelo, California State University
Publication Date: 2003

Aimed at a first-year college student, with aach chapter being built around communicative strategies.
Sons & Lettres: A pronunciation method for intermediate-level French by Stephen Walton
Publication Date: 2018

provides a set of classroom materials to train students to hear and produce the sounds of French and to recognize the regular spellings used to represent those sounds in print. The materials are inspired by a desire to help students feel more confident about their French pronunciation and more at home saying the many French words, familiar and unfamiliar, which they encounter in their studies, in French media and in their travels.

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Textbooks

Bate-Papo: An Introduction to Portuguese by Eduardo Viana da Silva, University of Washington
Publication Date: 2019

"The main focus of this edition is on Brazilian Portuguese. Occasionally, we highlight main differences between Brazilian Portuguese, Portuguese spoken in Africa and Asia, and European Portuguese."
ClicaBrasil: Portuguese Language and Culture for Intermediate Students by Vivian Flanzer
ISBN: 9781937963156

Publication Date: 2019

Link to PDF book. The lessons in ClicaBrasil integrate reading, writing, listening and reading comprehension, grammar, vocabulary, oral communication, and cultural activities. Numerous video clips (157, to be precise!) that show different Brazilians speaking about their lives, their culture, and their country support and enhance these activities.
Português Para Principiantes by Department of Spanish & Portuguese, UW-Madison
Publication Date: 2016

A time-tested text which can be used in conjunction with a variety of approaches to the teaching of beginning Portuguese. This media-rich text is designed to provide learners with a solid grammatical basis for using Brazilian Portuguese as well as regular opportunities to practice and improve their ability to read, speak, and understand the Portuguese language as it is used in contemporary Brazil.

Instructional Videos

Brazilpod: Conversa Brasileira by Dept of Spanish and Portuguese at U. of Texas at Austin
A compilation of brief video clips in which Brazilians talk about a whole series of different topics, everything from hobbies to shopping for friends who are coming over.

Podcast

Língua da Gente by Orlando Kelm
Audio podcasts, generally between 8-12 minutes. These include the presentation of a brief dialog, a line-by-line English translation, and more in-depth analysis of the pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and cultural content in the lesson. Discussion blogs also accompany each lesson, providing community interaction for comments and questions. In broad terms, the lessons are subdivided into three levels of difficulty: Beginning, Elementary, and Intermediate.

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Textbooks

Beginning Chinese by Lin Hong
Publication Date: 2018

Textbook for a year-long Beginning Chinese course. Chapters are available in word and pdf files. Powerpoint files available.
Chinese (Mandarin) by Wikibooks
the Mandarin Wikibook, a free Chinese textbook on the Standard Mandarin dialect. This page links to lessons using Simplified Han characters (used in mainland China, Singapore and Malaysia). There is also a Traditional Han Character Version available (used in Taiwan, Macau, and Hong Kong). NOTE: To use this book, your web browser must first be configured to display Chinese characters.
Elementary Mandarin by Carl Polley, Kapi‘olani Community College
Publication Date: 2019

Designed for learners with no background in Chinese. It introduces basic structures of the Mandarin Chinese language with emphasis on listening, speaking, reading and writing skills. Students will gain these four skills in standard Mandarin Chinese, attaining approximately the Novice-High level on the ACTFL-ETS (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages) proficiency scale. Topics of conversation include basic greetings, names, family, work, study, and hobbies.

Online Resources

Gateway to Chinese by Center for Open Educational Resources and Language Learning (COERLL) at U.T. Austin
"A collection of free interactive language learning resources for beginning Mandarin Chinese. Students now have the option to practice pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, listening, and reading skills at their own convenience."
Public Domain Chinese audio books by LibriVox
"LibriVox recordings are Public Domain in the USA."

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ASL OER

Let's Chat! American Sign Language (ASL) by Student authors & Amber Hoye; Kelly Arispe; and Thaïs Lacar (Editors)
Publication Date: 2023

"Features a collection of over 160 interpersonal activities for novice and intermediate learners. Touching on a range of thematic topics such as free time activities, resolving conflicts, daily routines, health, the environment, holidays and so much more, ASL teachers are sure to find an activity to use in their courses."
This is a free, online, Open Educational Resource

Online OER Subject Collections

ASL at OER Commons
Filtered search for ASL OER materials.

Instructional Videos

ASL 101 OER by Christopher Pinto
Google Doc containing instructional videos of original design. The document also offers media content from ASL instructors and creators across the Web. All materials are meant as a supplement to ASL instruction. These resources are in no way intended to replace the breadth of knowledge acquired from taking an ASL course.

Course Materials

ASL121: American Sign Language 1 by Washington State Board for Community & Technical Colleges
Publication Date: 2013

ASL course material files on a Google drive site.

ASL-122: American Sign Language 2
ASL-123: American Sign Language 3

Free Online Resources

(Not necessarily openly-licensed, but robust and free)

ASL University by Dr. William G. Vicars, Ed. D.
Publication Date: 1997

An online American Sign Language curriculum resource center. ASLU provides many free self-study materials, lessons, and information (as well as formal tuition-based courses). The program began as an effort to support parents of Deaf children living in rural or "outlying" areas without access to sign language classes. You are welcome to self-study from the various publicly available Lifeprint.com lessons for free.
American Sign Language (ASL) Stories/Songs by Center on Literacy and Deafness (Georgia State University)
"Center for Literacy and Deafness (CLAD) has created a variety of videos to help young children gain a foundation in American Sign Language (ASL). The short stories revolve around the daily activities of Miss Giggle and her students, while the songs teach vocabulary in a fun context. These videos are part of an early literacy intervention called Foundations for Literacy that builds foundational skills for all DHH children. The videos can be used with all children."

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Textbooks

Analyzing meaning: An introduction to semantics and pragmatics by Paul Kroeger
ISBN: 9783961100347

Publication Date: 2018

Provides an introduction to the study of meaning in human language, from a linguistic perspective. It covers a fairly broad range of topics, including lexical semantics, compositional semantics, and pragmatics. The chapters are organized into six units: (1) Foundational concepts; (2) Word meanings; (3) Implicature (including indirect speech acts); (4) Compositional semantics; (5) Modals, conditionals, and causation; (6) Tense & aspect.Most of the chapters include exercises which can be used for class discussion and/or homework assignments, and each chapter contains references for additional reading on the topics covered.
Essentials of Linguistics, 2nd edition by Catherine Anderson; Bronwyn Bjorkman; Derek Denis; Julianne Doner; Margaret Grant; Nathan Sanders; and Ai Taniguchi
ISBN: 9781927565490

Publication Date: 2018

This Second Edition of Essentials of Linguistics is considerably revised and expanded, including several new chapters, diverse language examples from signed and spoken languages, enhanced accessibility features, and an orientation towards equity and justice. While the primary audience is Canadian students of Introduction to Linguistics, it is also suitable for learners elsewhere, in online, hybrid, or in-person courses.
How Language Works by Michael Gasser
Publication Date: 2020

Looks at a range of introductory topics and themes related to linguistics, the science of language. It examines some of the biases we all have concerning language and uses this as a base for its exploration.

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