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Zero Textbook Cost

Zero Textbook Cost (ZTC) means you can take certain classes without having to pay for textbooks or required course materials. At Santiago Community College, classes marked ZTC use free resources, such as Open Educational Resources (OER), library materials, or instructor-created content, so you don’t have to purchase expensive books. This can save you hundreds of dollars each semester and ensures you have access to all required materials on the first day of class. ZTC classes are designed to maintain the same academic quality and learning outcomes as traditional courses, just without the added financial burden. To find ZTC classes, look for the ZTC icon next to the class in Self-Service.  

 

Zero-Textbook Cost Pathways

A Zero Textbook Cost (ZTC) Pathway is a complete sequence of courses, such as a certificate, degree, or transfer pathway, that can be completed without paying for textbooks. Take a look at SCC's current ZTC Pathways: Apprenticeship in Early Childhood AS, Child and Adolescent Development AA-T, Community Management Cert. of Proficiency, Early Childhood Education AS-T, Global Studies Cert. of Achievement, History AA-T, and Mathematics AS-T. This list is growing list, so please check back regularly for updates. Click on any program title below to view the course requirements for the ZTC Pathway. 

At Santiago Canyon College, Low Textbook Cost (LTC) courses are classes where the textbooks or required course materials cost less than $30 in total. Look for the LTC label in the schedule to find these classes. 

 

How to find these classes:

When registering for classes, scroll down until you see a menu on the left that looks like this and then select all the types of zero textbook costs sections.

ZTC Image

Click here for a quick link to all listed ZTC sections: Self-Service - All ZTC Sections

You can also browse through courses as usual, and look out for these labels on the sections that use ZTC.

ZTC Image 2  ZTC Image 3

 

General Education:

Are you looking for a General Education course that also has a ZTC? Feel free to take a look at this list of available ZTC courses:

ZTC Cal-GETC Formal List

Are you interested in using ZTC for your classes?  

That's great! There are many ways you can use ZTC for your class.

SCC OER/ZTC Training Course

Take SCC's OER/ZTC Training Course in Canvas: SCC Canvas Course link - Coming soon!

This course serves as an introduction to Open Educational Resources (OER) providing faculty with new options for selecting textbooks and other resources so they can make the best decisions for their students.

Faculty

ZTC Faculty Projects

As part of the ZTC Degree and Pathways Grant, we are offering faculty compensation for exploring and researching, piloting ZTC materials as funds are available.

  • Tier 1 - Identifying ZTC materials to pilot ($300) 
  • Tier 2 - Pilot the ZTC resource and modify as needed to be used in future terms, including labeling the section appropriately in Self-Service ($700)

Fill out the application for Faculty Projects Tier 1 and 2 here

There is also an opportunity for faculty to author zero-cost course materials, such as a textbook replacement, workbook, or lab manual. This includes the tasks involved in writing, developing, and creating open textbooks, as well as any accompanying supplemental materials such as lab manuals, course notes, and other related resources.

  • Tier 3, Category 1 - Curating/Creating a textbook, with the intention of full adoption, under the Creative Commons license to be shared with the OER community ($5,000 stipend - $2,500 for first draft, $2,500 for final draft) 
  • Tier 3, Category 2- Developing ancillary materials such as a workbook, lab manual, or course notes, under the Creative Commons license to be shared with the OER community ($2,500 stipend upon delivery)

Fill out the application for Faculty Projects Tier 3 here

Quick Start - ZTC Resources

Below are some resources for you get started and begin your exploration into ZTC! If you are thinking about authoring ZTC materials, then it is recommended that you enroll in the OER/ZTC Training Canvas course in addition to the resources provided below.

Materials and Resources for Faculty

You can begin by looking for materials under your discipline. Here are some useful websites and repositories below:

Labeling Your Section in Self-Service

ZTC Image 2ZTC Image 3

If your section is zero or low-textbook cost, then you can mark your section in Self-Service so that the icons above will display on the public view.

For help with labeling your section, feel free to use this document: XB12 Codes and Section Codes Crosswalk

🎥 You can also watch this video providing the same information: Video for Labeling ZTC/LTC Sections