Snapshot
Type of Interaction: Synchronous, Asynchronous
Type of Course: Hybrid, Flipped, Online, Face-to-Face
For a reminder of OER basics, read OER PART 1: What is OER? and Using OER to Supplement an Online Course.
Open Educational Resources (OER) are teaching, learning and research materials in any medium – digital or otherwise – that reside in the public domain or have been released under an open license that permits no-cost access, use, adaptation and redistribution by others with no or limited restrictions.
~ William and Flora Hewlett Foundation
According to CollegeSimply.com (2019), Texas State University costs, on average, around $23,130 annually for in state residents and $34,750 annually for out of state students. These figures do not count the interest that is accrued on the loans many students must take to go to University. By the time a student finishes a 4-year degree, they could feasibly spend between $100,000 – $150,000 for their education. These debts are incurred through tuition, room and board, extra in-course expenses, and, of course, textbooks. With the ever-rising rates, students are cash-strapped and looking for ways to cut costs while earning their degree.
Top Hat Marketplace, a crowdsourced open education resource for educators, studied how students viewed textbooks and resources used in standard college courses. They found that a surprising number of students did not buy a textbook for the courses they were in, even if the student felt it might hurt their grades.
The statistics range from 40% – 65% of students in any given class will not buy a textbook because they feel they cannot afford it. Out of the ones that do buy textbooks, 29.7% (of 4-year students) will have to use financial aid to do so.
With costs spiraling out of control, a viable yet academically rigorous option is needed. This is where OER shines. Open Educational Resources are free or low-cost to print academic resources. OERs are openly licensed and can include print or digital materials such as videos, lesson notes, assignments, assessments, and, of course, textbooks and are usually backed by experts in the subject’s field.
Professors can find a high-quality learning experience for the student with a free or next-to-nothing cost. This gives students the ability to not only rely on what is said in class, but to interact with the course materials in a variety of ways. Plus, OERs are easy to distribute widely, can be improved or updated quickly, and are usually edited and accessed by professionals in the field, making sure that the information contained in the resources is accurate and up to date.
Access to textbooks should not be a barrier to success. If we open the way to use OER, then students will have access to course materials they may have otherwise deemed as costing too much, even if it negatively affects their GPA. If we, as educators, give students open access to the course materials, we can remove a significant obstacle on their academic journey.
References
Ashford, E. (2017, Feb 4). More colleges use open educational resources. Community College Daily. Retrieved from http://www.ccdaily.com/2017/02/more-colleges-use-open-educational-resources/
CollegeSimply. (2019). Texas State tuition & cost. CollegeSimply.com Retrieved from https://www.collegesimply.com/colleges/texas/texas-state-university/price/
Preville, P. (2018). The death of textbook publishing & the future of college course content. Tophatmonocle Corp. Retrieved from https://tophat.com/teaching-resources/ebooks-and-guides/death-textbook-publishing-future-college-course-content/
Top Hat. (2017). The ultimate guide to Open Educational Resources. Tophatmonocle Corp. Retrieved from https://tophat.com/ebooks/ultimate-guide-to-oer-open-educational-resources/
ValuePenguin. (2019). Average cost of college in America: 2019 report. Lendingtree. Retrieved from https://www.valuepenguin.com/student-loans/average-cost-of-college
How Many Hours of Sleep Do You Need for Muscle Growth? New Research
Says It Could Be Less Than You Think
How Many Hours Sleep Do You Need for Muscle Growth? New Research Says It Could Be
Less Than We Thought
For years, the common wisdom has been that adequate sleep
is crucial for muscle growth, often recommending 7-9 hours per night.
However, new research challenges this assumption by suggesting that fewer hours of sleep might still support muscle
development.
The Study
A recent study conducted on participants across
various age groups and fitness levels examined the relationship between sleep duration and muscle growth.
The findings revealed unexpected insights into how the body processes recovery and
muscle repair during different sleep durations.
The Methods
Researchers monitored 100 participants over a period of six months, tracking their sleep patterns, exercise routines, and muscle growth
using advanced imaging technology. They also controlled for factors like diet and stress levels to ensure accurate results.
The Results
The study found that even with as little as 6 hours of sleep per night, participants still experienced significant muscle growth.
However, the quality of sleep seemed more important than the quantity, particularly in recovery phases after intense workouts.
The Conclusion
These findings suggest that while the recommended 7-9 hour
guideline is a good starting point, it might not be the only way
to achieve muscle growth. Instead, focusing on consistent and quality sleep could be just as effective, if
not more so, than quantity.
Train Smarter
Understanding this new research can help individuals
optimize their training by prioritizing sleep quality rather than just the hours spent asleep.
This shift in perspective could lead to better
results for muscle growth and overall fitness goals.
Here is my homepage new Legal steroids gnc (ujb-bonplant.com)
Hi! I just wanhted tto assk if yoou ever havce anyy troublee with hackers?
My lazst blog (wordpress) waas haqcked aand I ended upp losijg a
few months oof hhard work duue too no dawta backup.
Do yoou hav any solutions tto top hackers?
Feeel ffree tto shrf tto my blog xxxcharm