03:21:00 Instructional Materials

Purpose

To define the process of selection and adoption of Instructional Materials.

Policy

I. Process

Instructional materials are adopted based upon the recommendation of faculty members and approval by the department head and/or academic deans prior to each term using the following steps:
 

1. Faculty identify need for new instructional materials through identified weakness(es) or regular examination cycle.
    
2. Dean or department head establishes committee for instructional materials review.
    
3. Committee chair (or designee) contacts vendors with course description and outcomes and requests appropriate instructional materials for review and accessibility documentation.
    
4. Committee reviews instructional materials, and accessibility documentation found in the AIMT Procurement Guide on TBR’s website (applying judgment standards or rubric when appropriate).
    
5. Committee narrows pool of instructional materials.
    
6. Limited pool of instructional materials is voted on by fulltime faculty who teach the course.
    
7. Vendor and bookstore are notified of selection.
    
8. Vendors, when possible, provide instructional materials to all faculty, library, and tutoring labs.
    

The results of this review are carried forward on the Departmental Adoption Form provided by the bookstore manager. This form includes the instructional material title with ISBN, author’s name, expected student enrollment, cost, any bundle packages, alternative delivery methods and accessibility conformance. In accordance with the TBR Fundamentals Features of accessibility Initiative, if the instructional materials do not meet accessibility conformance as stated by the vendor, the vendor is provided with a Remediation Form to complete with a timeline. Additionally, to maintain availability of instructional materials necessary for instruction during the remediation timeline, the department selecting use of non-confirming materials must complete an Alternate Access Plan for the selected materials. This plan is to be submitted to the Office of Academic Affairs and to the Coordinator of Instructional Design and Accessibility. Each instructional material’s ISBN is published at the bookstore’s website for student access before courses begin.

Instructional materials are adopted for a minimum period of two years with a mutual understanding that adoptions are contingent on cost efficiency and technological advancements. No change of instructional material should be attempted without serious consideration being given to the quality of the material, the appropriateness and the cost. As stipulated in TBR Policy 2:07:00, a copy of each instructional material is available for student use at no cost through the academic division or through the college library, provided that such instructional material is furnished at no charge by the publisher for this purpose. Desk copies for faculty are obtained by the academic division. Any exception to this policy must meet the approval of the vice-president for Academic Affairs.03/12; 05/16; 11/19