Rapporteur: Alexandra Okada
This is a meaningful research study about Open Education: “TextBook” to enhance curriculum for help learners with engaging content to be produced by a diversity of authors, views and perspectives
Pre-recorded Presentation (Language: English, Country: Australia)
Better Textbooks, Better Graduate Outcomes: Diversifying OER texts as part of curriculum renewal
Authors: Dr Sarah Lambert
Video (14’): Better Textbooks Better Graduate Outcomes - YouTube
UNESCO OER Action Area: Inclusive and equitable OER
Participation
- · Visualisations: 29 views
- · Likes : 8
- · Comments: 2
Highlights
ISSUE: Pandemic which has affected students brought various concerns, in particular the need for high quality textbooks, open for everyone including under-represented students. This study focused on inclusive textbook that are relevant for learners that address their different need
INNOVATION: Findings shows that “incorporating diverse cultural viewpoints and knowledges into the curriculum benefits all students by ensuring their knowledge base is up to date and they are prepared for contemporary workplaces and roles”
TECHNICAL INFORMATION: This multi methods study is based on 64 interviews including 19 students and 45 staff from the library, elearning and leadership/policy areas
OER PRINCIPLES:
Underpinned by principles of Open Education – knowledge for all, resources must be aligned with the different needs of students with situated content in context for them and very engaging to activate their interest, identity and enjoyment/fun for lifelong learning .
USEFUL: Findings shows that students care about cost and socio-cultural relevance
INTERACTIVE:
Comments were very fruitful: Participants found the idea that textbooks can at some level have an impact on students’ mental health fascinating!
The presenter mentioned that “t**here was some research done into the impact of sexist and racist textbooks at the secondary/high school level - back in the 1990s. STEM texts still seem to be often extremely outdated”
NEW ISSUES:
It would be interesting to see the findings of this type of study with secondary school students and teachers.
MY PERSONAL COMMENTS :
This study highlights the importance of high-quality textbooks underpinned by inclusion, diversity, equality and equity (in terms of gender, geographical/culture differences and learners’ needs) to help all students to succeed including unrepresentative learners. Students must be better prepared to for the science and technology led world, their current or future workplace and for their life.
This study is very relevant for Open Education which includes open schooling which is a new approach that engages university, schools, and enterprises to empower learners. So in Open Schooling, OER (resources) and OEP (practices) are co-created by learning designers, educators, expert professionals, for students to discuss real problems and ways to develop solutions with various perspectives from different actors.