Podcast Series Explores Impact of OER
A new podcast series examines all things open educational resources (OER) — from the changing role of content in the classroom to how OER is being used in courses and its impact on students.
The Journey to OER is a six-part podcast series produced by Cengage that features interviews with professors and instructional designers from the University of Hartford (CT), Onondaga Community College (NY), Cameron University and other colleges and universities. A former congressman also joins the discussion.
“Episode 1: What is OER and what’s driving interest,” released today, asks instructors what OER is to them and what was the driving force behind their interest in OER. One guest, Kim Grewe, an instructional designer at Northern Virginia Community College in the Washington, D.C. area who previously taught English for 15 years, comments on how OER is part of a larger movement of open education that empowers educators to customize the learning experience for students and gives everyone access. She notes the downside for instructors might be the time it takes to find what’s right for them or to revise the materials.
Another guest, Sheila Sicilia, a professor at Onondaga Community College in New York, says it is challenging to get resources for her low-income students. She talks about how OER is an option, but it’s far from perfect.
The first episode can be found on the company’s new website dedicated to OER topics. Additional episodes will be released bi-weekly.