Welcome to Pathways to College Success!
This open educational resource has been developed for use in CWI 101, a first-semester experience course at the College of Western Idaho. Most higher education institutions include similar orientation courses, and, fortunately, we’ve been able to rely on two previously existing OER textbooks developed for the same purpose: Blueprint for Success in College and Career and College Success. As with many OER textbooks, these two textbooks rely in turn on other material (details here). Each chapter includes details on the original source at the end.
Over time, our textbook will be updated with original content from students at our institution. New content will be clearly labeled.
Our Philosophy
Our textbook remixes these preexisting sources to fit the career pathways model of course learning developed by Liza Long, Department Chair of Integrated Studies, Amy Vassar, CWI 101 Coordinator, and the CWI 101 Advisory Committee. The purpose of a career pathways model is to provide a space for students to hone basic student success skills within the context of career exploration. Students who attend our college expect their education to be closely linked to their career goals, and the career pathways model ensures that alignment happens. We believe our model will foster academic, personal, and professional success for our students.
How You Can Use This Text
While the textbook has been developed for a career pathways model, this is also a “use-it-as-you-need-it” kind of text. In other words, you don’t have to read every word from beginning to end. Other instructors who wish to use our textbook may select individual chapters as needed.
Accessibility
Our textbook has been written with accessibility in mind. Instructors can upload the whole text to online learning systems, such as Blackboard, Canvas, and Google Classroom. However, we know that consistent WiFi is a problem in rural areas of Idaho, so the book can be downloaded in multiple formats including PDF and EPUB or MOBI files. It can also be accessed through text-to-speech readers provided through your learning institutions or other common text to speech tools, such as Read Aloud and Dragon. All videos have subtitles/closed captioning. We welcome feedback about ways that we can make our book more accessible.
A Note about Citations
This text includes a combination of chapters using MLA and APA, maintaining a single format consistency within that particular chapter. Using MLA and APA mimics real-world writing in which both formats are used extensively. While students would never want to combine formats within one paper (using a single format is important in that context), students should have knowledge of both formats that will be used throughout their college career.
Land Acknowledgement
We would like to acknowledge the traditional and ancestral lands of the Shoshone-Bannock, the Shoshone-Paiute, the Coeur d’Alene, the Kootenai, and the Nez Perce tribes on which we are teaching, learning and working today. The struggle for Indigenous rights is deeply connected to human rights. It is important that the stories and traditions from tribal nations are heard, celebrated, and protected.
Creative Commons Licensing
Unless otherwise stated, this book is licensed under a Creative Commons as CC BY 4.0
Cover Image by Bri Daniels, CWI Intern
