Integrating Learning Sciences in STEM: The zyBooks Model

At zyBooks, we embrace the principles of learning sciences to create digital courseware that not only captivates students, but also significantly improves their academic performance.

Teaching IT Security – zyBooks case study

These best practices for teaching IT security will keep students engaged, excited and, most importantly, retaining what they’re learning.

Active Learning Approach to Operating System Concepts

30 years of teaching experience informs key concepts where…

Tracing Algorithms

Are animations helpful to student comprehension of complex concepts? See what Dr. Michael Goldwasser recommends and how zyBooks can help you deliver.

Tips for Teaching your Web Programming Course

Learning some of these facts about zyBooks might just help your course run more smoothly.

Experiences Teaching a CS1 Common Course across 7 Institutions

F. Vahid, A. Pang 2024

Towards Comprehensive Metrics for Programming Cheat Detection

A.Pang, F. Vahid, B. Denzler 2024

Incorporating Learning Sciences’ Best Practices Into STEM Courseware

C. Gordon, J. Snare, Y. Rajasekhar 2024

Literature Survey of How Students with Visual Impairments Interact with Engineering Course Materials

A. Rodriguez, L. Fogg, A. Clark, J. L. Welter, G. Sirokman, R. Barlow 2023

Reading participation and assessment of spreadsheet skills across multiple cohorts when using an interactive textbook

S. Yanosko, G. Valentine, M. W. Liberatore 2023

Clustering of Animation View Times in an Interactive Textbook for Material and Energy Balances

T. Hilsabeck, B. Crockett, A. Parsaei, K. S. Xu, M. W. Liberatore 2023

Reproducible High Reading Participation and Auto-Graded Homework Completion across Multiple Cohorts When Using an Interactive Textbook for Material and Energy Balances

S. Yanosko, M. W. Liberatore 2023

Student Earnestness in Online Circuit Analysis Textbook When Answer Is Available

M. Sarraf, M. Atkins, J. Welter, Y. Adibi, N. Sambamurthy, L. Fogg 2023

The use of 3D printed media to improve the accessibility of engineering

G. Sirokman, R. Barlow, A. Rodriguez, A. Clark, L. Fogg 2023

Student Engagement with Interactive Engineering Textbook Reading

C. Gordon, A. Rodriguez, A. Clark, B. Gambrel, L. Ratts, J. Welter, R. Barlow, Y. Rajasekhar, N. Sambamurthy, L Fogg, J. E. Loeber 2023

Student Engagement with Interactive Engineering Textbook Reading Assignments When Tied to the Grade

C. Gordon, A. Rodriguez, A. Clark, B. Gambrel, L. Ratts, R. Barlow, Y. Rajasekar, N. Sambamurthy, L. Fogg, J. L. Loeber 2023

The use of 3D printed media to improve the accessibility of engineering educational materials

G. Sirokman, R. Barlow, A. Rodriguez, A. Clark, L. Fogg 2023

Literature Survey of How Students with Visual Impairments Interact with Engineering Course Materials

A. Rodriguez, L. Fogg, A. Clark, J. L. Welter, G. Sirokman, R. Barlow 2023

Ultra-Lightweight Early Prediction of At-Risk Students in CS1

C. Gordon, S. Zhao, and F. Vahid 2023

Concise Graphical Representations of Student Effort on Weekly Many Small Programs

J.M. Allen, F. Vahid 2021

Impact of Several Low-Effort Cheating-Reduction Methods in a CS1 Class

F. Vahid, A. Pang, K. Downey, C. Gordon 2023

Experiences teaching coral before C++ in CS1

F. Vahid, K. Downey, L. Areizaga, and A. Pang 2023

ChatGPT and Cheat Detection in CS1 Using a Program Autograding System

F. Vahid, L. Areizaga, A. Pang 2023

Less Is More: Students Skim Lengthy Online Textbooks

C. Gordon, R. Lysecky, F. Vahid 2023

Animation analytics in an interactive textbook for material and energy balances

M. Liberatore, K. Xu 2022

High-Quality text descriptions of visual elements in online interactive versions of traditional print mechanical engineering textbooks

A. Rodriguez, O. Rios, R. Barlow, and J. Eakins 2022

Understanding and promoting earnest completion in online textbooks

C. Gordon, F. Vahid, and L. Lysecky 2022

Analyzing the use of auto-graded labs with a built-in simulator to learn assembly programming

C. Y. Leung, C. Gordon, E. Kazakou, Y. Rajasekhar 2022

Evaluating the benefits of adding interactive elements to traditional print mechanical engineering textbooks

R. Barlow, O. Rios, J. Eakins, A. Rodruiguez 2022

Detecting possible cheating in programming courses using drastic code change

N. Alzahrani, F. Vahid 2022

Programming learners struggle as much in Python as in C++ or Java

C. Gordon, R. Lysecky, F. Vahid 2022

Deliberate practice of spreadsheet skills when using copiable, randomized, and auto-graded questions within an interactive textbook

L. Gorbett, K. Chapman, and M. Liberatore 2022

Student success and attempts on auto-graded homework across multiple cohorts in material and energy balances

K. Chapman, M. Davidson, and M. Liberatore 2021

Theory to Practice: Closing the Gap in Undergraduate Math to Reduce Student Attrition

J. Kelly, J. Bruno, and A. Edgcomb

The rise of the zyLab program auto-grader in introductory CS courses

C. Gordon, R. Lysecky, and F. Vahid 2021

The Rise of Program Auto-grading in Introductory CS Courses: A Case Study of zyLabs

C. Gordon, R. Lysecky, F. Vahid 2021

Randomized, Structured, Auto-graded Homework: Design Philosophy and Engineering Examples

E. Kazakou, A. Edgcomb, R. Lysecky, F. Vahid, Y. Rajasekhar 2021

Student Usage of Auto-graded Activities in a Web-based Circuit Analysis Textbook

N. Sambamurthy, E. Kazakou, Y. Adibi 2021

Student usage of auto-graded activities in a web-based circuit analysis textbook

N. Sambamurthy, E. Kazakou, and Y. Adibi 2021

Coding Trails: Concise Representations of Student Behavior on Programming Tasks

F. Vahid, R. Lysecky, B. A. Miller, L. Vanderbeek 2021

The Shift From Static College Textbooks to Customizable Content: A case study at zyBooks

C. Gordon, L. Lysecky, and F. Vahid

An Analysis of Using Coral Many Small Programs in CS1

J. M. Allen F. Vahid 2021

An Analysis of Using Coral Many Small Programs in CS1

J.M. Allen, F. Vahid 2021

Using the free Coral language and simulator to simplify first-year programming courses

F. Vahid, J. M. Allen, A. Edgcomb, R. Lysecky 2020

Improving Pass Rates by Switching from a Passive to an Active LearningTextbook in CS0

D. McKinney, A. D. Edgcomb, R. Lysecky, F. Vahid 2020

Improving Pass Rates by Switching from a Passive to an Active Learning Textbook in CS0

D. McKinney, A. Edgcomb, R. Lysecky, F. Vahid 2020

Using the free Coral language and simulator to simplify first-year programming courses

F. Vahid, J. M. Allen, A. D. Edgcomb, R. Lysecky 2020

Animations for Learning: Design Philosophy and Student Usage in Interactive Textbooks

N. Sambamurthy, F. Vahid 2019

Student Usage of Digital Design Interactive Learning Tools in an Online Textbook

Y. Rajeskhar, A. D. Edgcomb, F. Vahid 2019

Coral: An Ultra-Simple Language For Learning to Program

A. D. Edgcomb, F. Vahid, R. Lysecky 2019

Animations for Learning: Design Philosophy and Student Usage in Interactive Textbooks

N. Sambamurthy, A. D. Edgcomb, F. Vahid 2019

Reading Anytime: Do Students Complete Missed Readings After the DueDate When Using an Interactive Textbook for Material and Energy Balances?

M. Liberatore, K. Chapman 2019

Weekly Programs in a CS1 Class: Experiences with Auto-graded Many-small Programs (MSP)

J. M. Allen, F. Vahid, D. Downey, A. Edgcomb 2018

Python Versus C++: An Analysis of Student Struggle on SmallCoding Exercises in Introductory Programming Courses

N. Alzahrani, F. Vahid, A. Edgcomb, K. Nguyen, and R. Lysecky 2018

A Systematic Literature Review of Misconceptions in Linear Circuit Analysis

N.Sambamurthy, A. D. Edgcomb 2018

Student Usage of Small Auto-graded MATLAB Coding Exercises

A. Edgcomb, N. Sambamurthy, D. Gulvady, S. Kasula 2018

An Analysis of Common Errors Leading to Excessive Student Struggle on Homework Problems in an Introductory Programming Course

N. Alzahrani, F. Vahid, A. D. Edgcomb, R. Lysecky, S. Lysecky 2018

Learning Materials for Introductory Embedded Systems Programming Using a Model-Based Discipline

F. Vahid, A. Edgcomb, B. Miller, T. Givargis 2016

New Web-Based Interactive Learning Material for Digital Design

F. Vahid, A. Edgcomb, S. Lysecky, R. Lysecky 2016

Introduction to Computing Technology: New Interactive Animated Web-Based Learning Content

F. Vahid, S. Lysecky, A. D. Edgcomb 2018

Simplifying a Course to Reduce Student Stress so Students Can Focus Again on Learning

A. Edgcomb, F. Vahid 2016

Will Students Earnestly Attempt Learning Questions if Answers are Viewable?

J. S. Yuen, A. D. Edgcomb, F. Vahid 2016

An Interactive Web Native Textbook for Material and Energy Balances

M. Liberatore 2016

Student Performance Improvement using Interactive Textbooks: A ThreeUniversity Cross-Semester Analysis

A. D. Edgcomb, F. Vahid, R. Lysecky, A. Knoesen, R. Amirtharajah, M. L. Dorf 2015

Students Learn More with Less Text that Covers the Same Core Topics

A. Edgcomb, F. Vahid, R. Lysecky 2015

How Many Points Should Be Awarded for Interactive Textbook Reading Assignments?

A. Edgcomb, F. Vahid 2015

Student Usage and Behavioral Patterns with ONline Interactive Textbook Materials

A. Edgcomb, D. de Haas, R. Lysecky, F. Vahid 2015

A Continual improvement Paradigm for Modern Online Textbooks

F. Vahid, D. de Haas, S. Strawn, S. Lysecky, R. Lysecky 2015

Effectiveness of Online Textbooks vs. Interactive Web-Native Content

A. D. Edgcomb, F. Vahid 2014