Middlesex Community College strives to make education accessible to all students. For many classes, Middlesex uses Open Educational Resources (OER) that are in the public domain. Faculty and students can learn, edit and cite the free sources of information to enhance the learning experience.
“The support for OER initiatives at MCC has been inspiring, and I appreciate how the college values promoting affordable learning solutions,” said Siya Bhagat, MCC’s OER Student Ambassador and Medical Laboratory Technician student, of Tyngsborough. “Communicating the importance of OER has strengthened my ability to advocate for meaningful change in education. Whether it’s through open textbooks, sharing resources, or asking for change, every effort makes a difference and ensures all students have the resources they need to succeed.”
In her role, Bhagat hosts weekly workshops and events to promote OER. This includes tabling during OER Week and engaging in one-on-one discussions with members of the community. She also works with organizations, staff and faculty collegewide to learn and teach how OER supports students’ learning.
OER may include digital textbooks, videos, activities, audios, images and assignments. Often replacing expensive textbooks, they provide a hands-on learning experience for students to gain a deeper understanding of materials, hone research skills, and find the most up-to-date information.
From her 10 years of using OER, MCC professor Deborah Botker finds students enjoy engaging with interactive videos and websites. She believes students also benefit from access to free or low-cost resources collegewide, from the Libraries to the Academic Centers for Enrichment (ACE) for tutoring.
“Between the free resources and the diverse ways they can ask for help with them, OER allows students to feel more comfortable with my class and MCC in general,” Botker said. “They do not need to feel like they have to ‘fit’ into the traditional model of college students. All are welcome and can see themselves in the materials I use.”
For the past five years, MCC professor Shelley Hawks has included OER in her classes. In addition to having fun designing modules with the materials, she is proud to make education more affordable to her students.
“Open access textbooks are available to all,” Hawks said. “They encourage reading and learning. It is crucial to have top-level teaching materials that students can afford.”
MCC professor Kim Morrissey has used OER in her classes for the past seven years. With OER, she has found the materials provide the most up-to-date and relevant information her students need to be successful.
“The benefits are enormous,” Morrissey said. “Allowing all students to have access to materials from day one in a course has improved participation, student retention, and course success. We can have engaging discussions about course material where everyone is up to speed, and the students can successfully complete assignments.”
MCC professor Daniela Loghin started including OER in her classes after attending a workshop. Crediting OER for being adaptable and flexible, she recommends faculty use the materials in their classes in order to meet the different learning needs of students.
“Start small by exploring just two or three OER resources to get a feel for what's available,” Loghin said. “Don’t stress about finding the perfect course materials right away – many OER materials can be customized and adapted to fit your specific needs over time. The key is to get started and refine as you go.”
In addition to Bhagat, OER Week events are spearheaded by the MCC Libraries. Throughout the week, librarians will be available to discuss the benefits of using OER for both students and faculty, including Tracy Joyce, MCC’s Coordinator of Library Services.
“By recognizing OE Week, we have the opportunity to make students, faculty and the greater MCC community more aware of these flexible and affordable resources,” Joyce said. “Throughout the week, we will offer workshops, activities and resources to share the newest trends and benefits of OE across the globe.”