Acknowledgements
The Open Press
The Open Press combines TRU’s open platforms and expertise in learning design and open resource development. TRU Open Press supports the creation and reuse of open educational resources, while encouraging open scholarship and research.
Land Acknowledgement
Thompson Rivers University (TRU) campuses are situated on the traditional lands of the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc (Kamloops) and the T’exelc (Williams Lake) within Secwepemcúl’ecw, the traditional and unceded territory of the Secwépemc. The rich tapestry of this land also encompasses the territories of the St’át’imc, Nlaka’pamux, Tŝilhqot’in, Nuxalk, and Dakelh. Recognizing the deep histories and ongoing presence of these Indigenous peoples, we express gratitude for the wisdom held by this land. TRU is dedicated to fostering an inclusive and respectful environment, valuing education as a shared journey. The TRU Open Press, inspired by collaborative learning on this land, upholds open access principles, and freely accessible education for all.
Resource Development Team 2024
Author: Lian (Evangelia) Dumouchel, MBA
Publishing Manager: Dani Collins, MEd
Copy Editing: Kaitlyn Meyers, BA
Production: Jessica Obando Almache, BCS and
Vansh Sethi, BCS Co-op Student
Author’s Acknowledgements
Completing this book has been a journey, and I couldn’t have done it alone—though there were moments I considered running away to a beach instead! I owe a heartfelt thanks to my husband, Dr. Peter Tsigaris, for his honest (and occasionally too brutally honest) feedback, which kept me grounded and always striving for better. A special thank you also goes to my colleague, Dr. Yaou Hu, for her thoughtful insights and feedback on the early draft—it was invaluable and deeply appreciated.
I would also like to express my appreciation to my ever-patient and surprisingly insightful AI research assistants: Perplexity.ai and ChatGPT, for brainstorming, research, organization, and fact-checking at every step of the way. My gratitude also goes to Napkin.ai and Canva for helping transform my ideas into visuals that are both beautiful and effective. It turns out, even in writing a book, a bit of AI magic goes a long way!
A heartfelt thank you to my incredible editing team. To publishing manager Dani Collins, for her invaluable advice and guidance throughout this process, to Jessica Obando Almache in production, and to the amazing copy editor Kaitlyn Meyers, whose super speedy and meticulous work kept everything on track. This project also led me to new learning adventures, including mastering Pressbooks and navigating the world of Creative Commons licenses—skills I never imagined I would acquire but am now oddly proud of!
Lastly, I look forward to the feedback I will receive from my students when I test drive this book in the Winter 2025 semester. Their insights and perspectives will undoubtedly help refine and improve this work for future learners!
Lian Dumouchel
December, 2024
