Transforming social work research methods education through open textbook adaptation

Authors

  • Matthew DeCarlo Saint Joseph's University
  • Amanda Parsons Virginia Polytechnic Institute
  • Courtney Crenshaw Radford University School of Social Work
  • Adam Fominaya School of the Art Institute of Chicago
  • Mary Mary Secret Virginia Commonwealth University School of Social Work
  • Mary Stewart Virginia Commonwealth University School of Social Work

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.55016/qzbp9112

Keywords:

BSW Education, open educational resources, social work research methods, student-engaged research, mixed methods research

Abstract

Researchers conducted a quasi-experiment over two academic years comparing undergraduate students using a customized and free (i.e., open) textbook with those using a commercial textbook in an undergraduate research methods class. Quantitative results indicated students using the open textbook demonstrated similar gains in research knowledge to those using a commercial textbook. Specifically, students using an open educational resource (OER) earned higher final grades but showed fewer gains in research knowledge from pre-test to post-test. Focus groups—conceptualized, facilitated, and analyzed by students on the research team—uncovered themes that demonstrate the importance of customization of open textbooks by faculty. Students using the customized open textbook reported greater engagement and comprehension of textbook content, describing it as easy to understand, tailored to the course, and less boring than they expected, based on prior textbooks.

Downloads

Published

2026-05-15

Issue

Vol. 4 No. 1 (2026): General Issue: Transformative social work through justice, education, embodiment, and action

Section

Original Articles

License

Copyright (c) 2026 Matthew DeCarlo, Amanda Parsons, Courtney Crenshaw, Adam Fominaya, Mary Mary Secret, Mary Stewart

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

CC BY-NC-SA: This license allows reusers to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator. If you remix, adapt, or build upon the material, you must license the modified material under identical terms.

 

CC BY-NC-SA includes the following elements:

BY  – Credit must be given to the creator
NC  – Only noncommercial uses of the work are permitted
SA  – Adaptations must be shared under the same terms