Examining Community College Faculty Attitudes Toward Open Educational Resources: A Mixed Methods Study

The purpose of this sequential explanatory mixed methods study situated at a large community college in the midwestern United States was to examine faculty attitudes, knowledge, and use of open educational resources (OER) and to identify institutional initiatives that would support OER adoption. The goal of the first, quantitative phase of this study was to replicate a national survey of higher education faculty on the subject of OER. Local faculty responses to the survey were compared to those of their national peers. The second, qualitative phase of the study was the development and analysis of a single case study that focused on two areas of interest. The first was to explain the survey results in greater depth. The second area of interest was capturing suggestions from faculty on how the institution might support OER initiatives. Priority was given to the qualitative data analyzed in the second phase of the study. The mixing of both phases of this study occurred through the identification of interview participants and the development of the case study parameters based on the descriptive factors that emerged from the survey results. Mixing also occurred during the final analysis of the study as a whole. The first phase of this study revealed that the local respondents (n = 346) were similar to their national peers in their attitudes, knowledge, and use of OER. One notable difference between the local and national group was in their ranking of criteria they used to select course resources. The local faculty prioritized the cost of course resources at a much higher rate than their national peers. Chi-square analysis was used to more deeply explore some aspects of the local respondents’ awareness of OER. These statistical results confirmed an association between OER awareness and the respondents’ knowledge of common features and licensing of open resources. In the second, qualitative phase, data was gathered via two open-ended survey questions and through interviews of selected participants. Faculty members who were experienced users of OER were interviewed (n = 2). Using the qualitative survey data and interviews, a single descriptive case study was developed. The case analysis served to explain the survey results in more depth. Overall, the case study revealed that the respondents, though motivated to make college more affordable for students, are not yet at a state of readiness to adopt OER. The interviewees offered crucial information about their personal process of adopting OER and made suggestions for institutional support for OER initiatives at the research site. Integration of the quantitative and qualitative phases of this research occurred during the interpretation of the outcomes of the entire study. Based on the findings of both phases of the study, a model for institutional support for open educational resources was developed

OA in the Library

Webinar presented by Denise Cote, Professor / Electronic Resources Coordinator, College of DuPage Library

Academic Librarians in Second Life

The multi-user virtual world Second Life is an online software platform that allows users to jointly explore realistic three-dimensional environments via avatar characters, communicate via voice and text chat, and collaborate using shared creation tools. Librarians and educators have been developing academic content and services in Second Life for use with students and other constituency groups since 2005. This study surveyed academic librarians working in Second Life to discover their perceptions of virtual world environments for teaching and learning and to gauge the impact of this technology on their work with faculty and students. Sixty-two librarians provided details on various aspects of their professional involvement in Second Life. Findings show that librarians from every type of academic institution, at all levels of advancement, and in every depart-ment participate in this virtual world. Results include details of roles and functions, as well as perceived benefits and challenges. Because many adolescents and teenagers worldwide are currently active virtual world participants, academic librarians in Second Life view virtual world technology as a significant near-future educational trend

The adverse effects of reduced cerebral perfusion on cognition and brain structure in older adults with cardiovascular disease

BACKGROUND: It is well established that aging and vascular processes interact to disrupt cerebral hemodynamics in older adults. However, the independent effects of cerebral perfusion on neurocognitive function among older adults remain poorly understood. We examined the associations among cerebral perfusion, cognitive function, and brain structure in older adults with varying degrees of vascular disease using perfusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) arterial spin labeling (ASL). MATERIALS AND METHODS: 52 older adults underwent neuroimaging and were administered the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE), the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS), and measures of attention/executive function. ASL and T1-weighted MRI were used to quantify total brain perfusion, total brain volume (TBV), and cortical thickness. RESULTS: Regression analyses showed reduced total brain perfusion was associated with poorer performance on the MMSE, RBANS total index, immediate and delayed memory composites, and Trail Making Test B. Reduced frontal lobe perfusion was associated with worse executive and memory function. A similar pattern emerged between temporal lobe perfusion and immediate memory. Regression analyses revealed that decreased total brain perfusion was associated with smaller TBV and mean cortical thickness. Regional effects of reduced total cerebral perfusion were found on temporal and parietal lobe volumes and frontal and temporal cortical thickness. DISCUSSION: Reduced cerebral perfusion is independently associated with poorer cognition, smaller TBV, and reduced cortical thickness in older adults. CONCLUSION: Prospective studies are needed to clarify patterns of cognitive decline and brain atrophy associated with cerebral hypoperfusion

Poster Session: Dissertation Study

This poster summarizes the findings of the 2017 study, “Examining Community College Faculty Attitudes Toward Open Educational Resources: A Mixed Method Study.” https://dc.cod.edu/librarypub/24

Poster Session: SPARC Statewide Playbook Summary

This poster summarizes SPARC’s recommendations for promoting legislation supporting OER. Full document located at https://sparcopen.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/SPARC-OER-State-Policy-Playbook-2.pd

Using the participant's perspective: A program evaluation of an after school recreation center

This project is a program evaluation of The Recreation Center, an after school center located in a public housing development in Long Beach, California. The focus of this evaluation is to look at how The Recreation Center is run, what kind of program attendees desire, and provide recommendations that will help program staff increase attendance and engagement. The data for this report were collected through interviews with attendees, parents, and staff, along with two years of participation and observation by the researcher. Previous research has shown that after school programs can be beneficial places for children to learn and grow. This project highlights what is working at The Center and identifies aspects of the program that can be improved. The recommendations made aim to create a program that is utilized consistently by families and to bolster the place that The Center has within the community