OER/ZTC

Follow these five steps to adopt open materials for your class. Please also consider participating in the ZTC Grant to receive a stipend for ZTC adoption.

1. Browse OER Repositories
   Browse trusted OER repositories to find relevant materials. 
2. Evaluate and Select Materials
   Choose resources based on accuracy, quality, accessibility, and relevance to your course.
3. Customize
   Combine, edit, or reorganize materials to fit your teaching needs.
   Tools: BookBuilder, Connexions / OpenStax CNX.
4. Get Your Course Designated as ZTC
   Formally adopt OER/ZTC to ensure your course features the ZTC icon in the class schedule.
5. Share with Students and Spread the Word
   Upload to Canvas, share links, or coordinate with the campus bookstore for low-cost print copies.

There are many places to find open textbooks—and the list keeps growing!
Check the OER Resources section of this guide to start exploring.

When searching for open textbooks in repositories, think about what makes a resource a good fit for your course. You can create your own selection criteria or adapt those used by others.

Consider factors such as:

• Content quality and accuracy
• Relevance and timeliness
• Author credibility
• Depth and scope of coverage
• Writing style and reading level
• Accessibility and available formats (print, online, etc.)
• Copyright permissions for modification or reuse
• Cultural relevance — Make sure the material reflects and respects your students’ social and cultural contexts (e.g., race, ethnicity, language, nationality, gender, age, income, and occupation).

You can also check for professional reviews or endorsements from academic or professional organizations, which may indicate that the content meets recognized standards.

Most open textbooks won’t perfectly match your course needs—but that’s the beauty of OER! You can easily adapt and customize materials to fit your teaching style and your students’ learning goals.

Ways to modify an open textbook:

• Combine content from multiple open textbooks or OER.
• Rearrange chapters or sections to fit your syllabus.
• Add features such as glossaries, hyperlinks, or test banks.
• Update information to improve accuracy or currency.
• Ensure accessibility for students with visual impairments.

Tools for creating your own version:

• BookBuilder – Create a fully customized version of your chosen open textbook.

Approved by the Pierce College Academic Senate, these guidelines ensure a consistent approach to OER/ZTC adoption.

ZTC Definition

“Free Textbook” (ZTC) courses have no required costs for readings or textbooks, including software. Low-cost print options may be available.

Adoption Process

1. Notify your department chair if you use OER. Chairs will report to the bookstore and Academic Affairs so your class appears correctly as “Free Textbook” or “ZTC.”
2. Submit OER notification by the second galley.
3. Add a checkbox in your teaching assignment letter:
   “I plan to make this an OER course.”

College and State Resources

The easiest and most sustainable way to share your open textbook is digitally. Most students prefer online access, and digital sharing ensures that materials stay free, accessible, and easy to update.

Coordinate with your library, computer labs, or bookstore if students need help accessing or printing materials.

Share Your Materials

Digitally

• Embed in Canvas (Recommended): We recommend sharing OER content with students by embedding the course content directly into Canvas pages so that students don't have to leave the course website to complete their learning.
• Post a link to content: Share the website address of your open textbook with students by adding the link to your Canvas shell.
• Share a downloadable file: Save the textbook as a Word, OpenOffice, or PDF file and share it by uploading the file to your Canvas Shell, or sharing a link to a cloud storage service such as Microsoft OneDrive, Box, Google Drive, or Dropbox. Students can then read the textbook online or download a personal copy.

Print Options

If some students prefer print, provide clear instructions on appropriate use of campus printing services.

Campus Bookstore

• Save the textbook as a Word or PDF file.
• Coordinate with the campus bookstore for printing specifications and pricing.

Off-Campus Printing

• You can also use services like Blurb BookSmart® and work with a local print shop to create affordable printed copies.

Help Spread the Word

Many students aren’t aware of ZTC classes, so we’d appreciate your help spreading the word. Feel free to copy and paste any of the sample language below.

Syllabus Statement

You do not need to buy a textbook for this class. All of our readings and resources will be accessible online via Canvas for free. At Pierce, we call classes like ours "Zero Textbook Cost" (ZTC) classes. If you like the idea of not having to buy books for your classes, you can search for other ZTC classes offered at Pierce by choosing "Zero Textbook Cost (ZTC) - OER" from the "Class Search Type" dropdown in the schedule of classes.

Introductory Email

Free Textbook Zone!
You won’t need to purchase a textbook for our class. All readings and course materials will be available online in Canvas at no cost to you.

At Pierce, classes like ours are called Zero Textbook Cost (ZTC) classes. ZTC is a win-win for everyone: you don’t have to budget for an expensive textbook or wait for financial aid or shipping, and I can be confident that everyone has immediate access to the materials they need.

If you like the idea of not buying books for your classes, you can find more ZTC courses in the Pierce schedule of classes. Just select “Zero Textbook Cost (ZTC) – OER” from the Class Search Type dropdown.