Course Materials Adoption Training Spring 2013

Course Materials Adoption TrainingSpring 2013

Prepared by the Textbook Operations DepartmentUniversity of Maryland University College

The course material adoption process is, by nature, complex—its many steps can be difficult to follow.

We want to help you navigate this process smoothly. We share mutual goals…

•To provide accurate course material information to our students

•To get the correct course materials to our faculty—on time

•To have a smooth adoption process which meets the State-mandated deadlines

Training Objectives

Through this training you will learn to:

• Use the Textbook Database

• Review and approve your desired course materials

• Specify which e-chapters should be posted to your classrooms

• Confirm the current edition and other information about your books

• Provide comprehensive desk copy request information

What We Will Cover

1. Adoption timeline

2. Using the Faculty Center Network

3. How to use the database

4. How to request e-chapters

5. How to send a desk copy request

6. Who to contact for help

Faculty Center Network

Verify ISBNs, current editions, and other crucial book information before submitting your textbook adoption list

http://www.facultycenter.net/cgi-fc/fcBookBrowse.mac/top

user name: 70715 password: rwe877 (case sensitive)

How to use Faculty Center network? (right-click this link)

The Course Material Adoption Timeline

UMUC must comply with deadlines set by the State of Maryland:

•Fall: May 1•Spring: December 1

These deadlines cannot be changed. So, we work backward from these dates…


MBS Direct—our virtual bookstore—requires six weeks to verify correct editions, buy inventory, and be ready to sell to our students when the state deadline hits.

How? Textbook Operations sends MBS a book list

•Academic and Program Directors must review and approve the book list first.•Textbook Operations reviews the approvals and coordinates the list with MBS and publishers.•This review and approval process=“adoption.”


• Fall: Posting Goes Live: May 1– Directors’ Review Period: 02/20-03/05/12– Textbook Ops Review Period: 03/06-03/20/12

• Spring: Posting Goes Live: Dec 1– Directors’ Review Period: 09/17-09/30/12– Textbook Ops Review Period: 10/01-10/14/12

• Summer: Posting Goes Live: March 20, 2013– Directors’ Review Period: 01/09-01/22/13– Textbook Ops Review Period: 01/23-02/05/13

How to Use the Textbooks Database

Grad: https://webapps.umuc.edu/gradtextbooks/login.cfm

Undergrad:https://webapps.umuc.edu/ugcm/login.cfm

Go to your “Academic Dir’s Inbox”


Let’s use Spring 2013 AMBA 600 as an example…

Step 1: Select semester, department, course, and status (status=“new” if you haven’t approved any books yet)


Step 2: Review every item.

-- Click the course name on the top left (arrow) if you need to edit anything on this page

How to Use the Textbooks DatabaseNotes about editing: Textbooks in a bundle

Please list the textbooks in a bundle as separate components—don’t list them as an “alternate format.” Note the error below:

Instead, here’s how it should look…


The custom text, ISBN 1256004448, is now listed as a separate component of the bundle. This is what we need to see.


If you don’t list textbooks separately from their respective bundle, it forces Textbook Operations to review almost 12,000 individual entries in order to pull out any e-chapters you request.

We post the e-chapters using the print versions. Help us find them quickly and easily!

How to Use the Textbooks DatabaseAnother note about editing:

Are you missing information for a particular book, or describing a special situation? MBS recommends entering the following in the “Title” and “ISBN” fields:

Title ISBN

No textbook required n/a

Textbook to be announced n/a

Materials available from the instructor n/a

So. Editing your book list is time-consuming, but so very necessary! Let’s look at specifics…


Step 3: Edit any incorrect or missing information.

-- Here’s a screenshot of a bundle open for editing…


Step 3 (cont’d): Edit any incorrect or missing information.

…And here’s one of its associated components


Step 3 (cont’d): Edit any missing or incorrect information.

-- Do you need e-chapters posted in your classrooms? We will post the three chapters which will be taught first. Enter them in the box shown below.


Step 3 (cont’d): Edit any missing or incorrect information.

-- Once you finish editing, click “Save” and then “Go to List”


Step 4: Back to the review page showing your list:• Click the circular radio buttons in front of each

item.• Scroll to the bottom and click “Approve”


Clicking “Approve” brings up this page. Use Cancel if you want to go back and edit.


Remember: Once you click “Approve” and then “OK,” you can no longer edit your textbook adoption list yourself--you’ll have to contact your Textbook Coordinator:

•Undergraduate: Karen Spitzer ([email protected])

•Graduate: Claudia Craig ([email protected])

The Desk Copy/Review Copy Process

•Never taught the class before? Eligible for a desk copy.

•Please ask your faculty to confirm & update their mailing address in PeopleSoft at the time you staff them

•Textbook Ops reviews the faculty report, orders books from publishers for direct shipment to faculty

•Textbook Ops can research shipment tracking numbers upon request

The Desk Copy/Review Copy Process

Special situations arise: Last-minute staffing change; book lost in transit; ordering errors; and other issues.

We will order a copy for express shipping to your affected faculty member. But we need some info first…

How to Send a Desk Copy/Review Copy Request

Email Justin Smith ([email protected]) the following about your faculty member:

•Full name•UMUC email address•Working phone number•Current mailing address (street address preferred; some carriers won’t deliver to P.O. boxes)•Term, course number, and section which this book is for•Title and/or ISBN of the book

(A lot of info, we know. We’re testing an online form now…)

Need Help?

1. Desk Copy Coordinator: Justin Smith ([email protected])

2. Undergraduate Textbook Coordinator: Karen Spitzer ([email protected])

3. Graduate Textbook Coordinator: Claudia Craig ([email protected])

4. E-chapter Technical Coordinator: Sheryl Hirsch ([email protected])

By working together to ensure an accurate, complete book list, we can help our students and faculty receive the right materials in a timely manner.

“Help us, help you”

Course Materials Adoption Training Spring 2013

Documents