Attendees will gain further insight into the perspective of faculty “early-adopters”. Their motivation to adopt OER, experience with the OER implementation process and OER quality, the impact of OER on their pedagogy, and student engagement. Attendees will learn about the process of gathering quantitative data from multiple institutions. Attendees will consider how their own institutional cultures support OER.
The intent of our presentation is to share the findings of a research study we conducted to examine factors that seem essential to successful OER implementation: faculty motivation, student perceptions, and level of institutional support. Making a difference is key to our work with OER. It motivates faculty to embrace the challenges and opportunities that come with OER implementation and it can attract positive attention from administrators who can cite innovations being made that reduce student costs. Our survey findings were compared against student success data in pre/post OER adoptions to learn what correlations (if any) may exist between these “essential” factors for OER implementation and student success. We will include a real-time poll asking the audience to consider aspects of their institutional climate and how this might relate to both OER advocacy and implementation and student success.
Our research study applied three three elements of the Open Education Group’s COUP framework (outcomes, usage, and perceptions). Community college faculty across Oregon were surveyed to identity their motivations for moving to OER, barriers they faced, pedagogical changes they made, the importance of institutional support, and student perceptions. Considering all these facets, we then measured the student success data across pre/post OER adoptions. Did motivation, perception, and institutional support correlate with higher rates of student success? What were the key things that mattered to our faculty? Come find out! We’ll share perspectives from across institutions and the results of our student success data.
