New and Noteworthy is the City Tech Library OER Team’s weekly roundup of new and noteworthy OER. We try to include at least one OER relevant to each school at City Tech in every post. At the end of the month, these resources will be compiled and distributed by the library liaison for your department. Please contact us if you know of new or particularly interesting OER to share with our colleagues or would like more information about OER initiatives at City Tech. 

Arts & Sciences 

  1. Modern World History, by Dan Allosso and Tom Williford, Minnesota Libraries Publishing Project (2021). License: CC BY-NC-SA.
    This textbook was created for a standard undergraduate modern world history survey course, and includes history ranging from Columbus to the Cold War and significant events in between. 

  2. Digging into Archaeology: A Brief OER Introduction to Archaeology with Activities, by Amanda Walcott Paskey and AnnMarie Beasley Cisneros, Academic Senate for California Community Colleges (2020). License: CC BY-NC.
    “This book is intended for use in a variety of introductory archaeology settings, such as in lectures and lab courses.” The book covers a variety of topics related to archeology, including excavation, dating methods, and new frontiers in archeology. 

Professional Studies

  1. A Mixed Course-Based Research Approach to Human Physiology, by Karri Haen Whitmer, Iowa State University Digital Press (2021). License: CC BY-SA.
    “The Biology 256 Fundamentals of Human Physiology Laboratory course was designed to provide students with hands-on access to modern techniques in human physiological analyses using the course-based research pedagogical approach. In this course, students will learn how to perform literature searches; generate research questions and hypotheses; design experiments; collect, analyze, visualize and interpret data; and present scientific findings to others. The Biol 256L curriculum offers a high-impact human physiology experience that fosters the critical thinking skills required to be a successful citizen in a modern world filled with misinformation.”

  2. Open Judicial Politics, by Rorie Spill Solberg, Jennifer Segal Diascro, and Eric Waltenburg, Oregon State University (2020). License: CC BY-NC-SA.
    “Open Judicial Politics is a compilation of new and original research in judicial politics, written specifically for the undergraduate audience, thus providing accessible examples of political science research that also address some of the more current concerns and controversies in our field. Additionally, every article is accompanied by some type of classroom activity from basic discussion questions to full-blown simulations that make it easier for instructors to adapt the material to their courses and enhance their courses with interactives. The chapters of the volume generally follow the well-worn path of most textbooks of judicial politics, making the volume an easy companion for adoption, and the material should fit seamlessly into the pre-established structures of most courses.

Technology & Design

  1. Bio-Inspired Sensory Systems, by Geoffrey Brooks, Florida State University (2021). License: CC BY-NC-SA.
    “Using natural sensory system concepts to develop and improve sensory systems will continue to thrive for many years to come. Technology advances rapidly (Moore’s Law) as does our understanding of biological principles and designs. These trends fuel the fertile grounds of bio-inspired sensory systems, a topic that is inherently multidisciplinary. This book will serve well as either an academic text on the subject or an introduction to the variety of proven bio-inspired designs. The focus is on sensory systems that interpret environmental stimuli. It introduces natural photo-, mechano-, and chemo-sensory systems across the animal kingdom and also summarizes various novel engineering ideas that glean ideas from these natural sensory systems.”

  2. Tutorials of Visual Graphic Communication Programs for Interior Design, by Yongyeon Cho, Iowa State University (2021).
    “This book is for the beginning level of both architecture and interior design students who learn computer graphic communication software. The author developed multiple tutorials to teach three computer graphic applications, AutoCAD, Revit, and Enscape. AutoCAD is an essential computer drafting software which is 2D drawing software. Revit is a Building Information Modeling software, which is 3D based modeling software. Lastly, Enscape is a real-time rendering, animation, and virtual reality plug-in for users’ 4D experiences.”


Cailean Cooney, Assistant Professor, OER Librarian: ccooney@citytech.cuny.edu
Joshua Peach, Adjunct Reference & OER Librarian: jpeach@citytech.cuny.edu
Joanna Thompson, Adjunct OER Librarian: jthompson@citytech.cuny.edu

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