February 2024 Textbook Hero - JR Smathers

Name:
JR Smathers

What are some of the classes you teach?
Photoshop Fundamentals, Typography Fundamentals, Motion Graphics, and Design Photography
How long have you been with CVTC?
2 years

How long have you been using low-cost and/or no-cost textbooks?
Since the start!

What is your favorite part of using low-cost and/or no-cost textbooks? A lot of the courses I teach focus on the Adobe software, which is updated frequently with a major update annually. With no-cost textbooks, students aren't forced to purchase something that'll be outdated in a few months. During my freshman year of college, I purchased a $100+ Adobe Photoshop CS4 textbook, only for the CS5 update to be released towards the end of my first semester. I'm happy that my students don't have to purchase materials that'll soon be outdated like I did!
Any estimated student cost savings from using low-cost and/or no-cost textbooks?
$60-100 per course

Fun fact:
In 2014, I was part of a team that made a documentary short, which was shown in a film festival in San Francisco.

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