This week is Open Education Week, a global celebration of the open education movement and its impact on teaching and learning. At WPI, we'll be celebrating by highlighting some of the excellent work in open education by our faculty.
Patricia Stapleton, Assistant Professor, Social Science & Policy Studies, and Director of the Society, Technology, and Policy Program
How are you involved in open education?
I currently am using open education resources in two of my political science courses. I have actively sought out options other than textbooks for students in additional courses as well, but they aren't organized in the same was as more conventional OER.
Why is open education important?
Open education gives instructors an opportunity to provide resources that are more tailored to the course content or possibly of more interest to students. It also helps instructors think through some of the challenges posed by traditional textbooks. For students, it allows them an opportunity to access free or low-cost resources, which can be important if students are on a tight budget for college.
Find out more: Intro to Open Education Week, Open Educational Resources Guide