Campus Update w April 2016
from the president: Open
Educational Resources
Put to Good USe at VCSU
Tisa Mason, Ed.D., CAE
I am so excited by and proud of
our faculty who are trailblazers
in the use of open educational
resources (OERs) to enhance
teaching and learning. A big
thank-you to Julee Russell,
Shannon Van Horn, our General Education Council,
and the many faculty members actively engaged in this
process.
What exactly are OERs? Open educational resources
(OERs) are “high quality teaching, learning, and research
resources that are free for others to use and repurpose,”
including “full courses, course materials, modules,
textbooks, streaming videos, tests, software, and any
other tools, materials, or techniques used to support
access to knowledge.” (The Hewlett Foundation)
From a faculty perspective, this allows for much flexibility
and creativity in putting together course materials as the
professor is no longer limited by a textbook. It allows for a
mix of materials, videos, and interactive exercises. It also
allows for more rapid integration of emerging knowledge
and perspectives.
There are many direct benefits for students as well. The
most obvious one is financial. In January 2014 the U.S.
Public Interest Group released a report
“Fixing the Broken Textbook.” For that
report, the group surveyed more than 2,000 students
at 156 college campuses during the fall of 2013. Close
to two thirds of the students—65 percent—said they
were not buying all of their required textbooks because
of the cost. Just imagine if two of every three students
in a particular class did not have a book! At VCSU our
professors have not only introduced a variety of learning
materials and activities through the use of OERs, they
have also saved our students about $82,000 collectively
in textbook costs!
More importantly, just as our laptops ensure everyone
has equal access to learning technology, OERs are
ensuring that every student in those courses has equal
access to course content—and that’s a game changer for
teaching and learning.
Last week our faculty members leading this effort
were awarded a $10,000 grant from the North Dakota
University System to further develop our OERs initiative.
In addition to training and supporting more VCSU faculty
on the OERs program, the campus will also conduct
a “Scholarship of Teaching and Learning” study to
evaluate quality and effectiveness. (To view a video on
the use of OERs at VCSU, visit www.vcsu.edu/president/
vp.htm?p=3538.)
I am really impressed with yet another faculty initiative
embracing our core values of innovation, commitment
to a learner-centered philosophy, and making education
meaningful with positive relationships and effective
practices. Indeed, putting those values into action is
another reason it is a great day to be a Viking!
Woehl, VCSU assistant professor of psychology, was
elected to serve as the next president of the North
Dakota General Education Council at the April 1
meeting. She has previously served as council secretary
and vice president. Her one-year term as president
begins June 1, 2016.
Six students initiated into Phi Alpha Theta
Six VCSU students—Nick Groth, Michael Hiltner, Patrick
O’Brien, Cassandra Reidburn, Jonah Rosin and Shawn
Web—were initiated into the Phi Alpha Theta history
honor society Wednesday evening, March 30.
The initiation followed a dinner provided by faculty
members from the Social Science Department at the
President’s House Guest Inn.
Phi Alpha Theta represents 350,000 members in 860
local chapters. Qualifying students must have completed
12 credits of history with a GPA of 3.1 and an overall GPA
with 3.0. This is the largest initiation ceremony at VCSU
in more than 10 years.
VCSU GRoup attends
N.D. GEN ED SUMMIT,
Woehl to serve as
COuncil president
VCSU faculty members Sam
Keasler, Steven King and Katie
Woehl attended the North
Dakota General Education
Summit held Friday, April 1, at
Mayville State University. During
the summit presentations, the
group learned about creative, cross-disciplinary general
education courses and programs at other North Dakota
University System institutions, specifically Bismarck
State College, Minot State University, Dickinson State
University and the University of North Dakota.
King and Woehl also represented VCSU at the North
Dakota General Education Council meeting that
followed, and Keasler attended as an alternate.
Ramos piece featured in Kansas City
exhibit
A ceramic sculpture by Armando Ramos, assistant
professor and chair of the Department of Art, was
featured in the exhibit “Chromaphilia/Cromaphobia”
held at the KCAI Gallery at the Kansas City Institute
of Art in conjunction with the National Council on
Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA) 50th annual
conference in Kansas City, Mo., March 16–19.
Ramos’s “Portrait of Puissance” was recognized as the
“Outstanding Single Piece in an Exhibition” in Cfile’s
“Top 10 Guide to NCECA Kansas City.” The piece was
also featured on the “Chromaphilia/Cromaphobia”
exhibit card. The exhibit runs through June 3, 2016.
Da Vinha presents paper at international
studies convention
Luis da Vinha, assistant professor of geography and
political science, presented a paper at “Exploring
Peace,” the International Studies Association (ISA)
2016 Annual Convention held in Atlanta, Ga., March
15–19.
Da Vinha presented “Maps of War and Peace:
Rethinking Geography in International Affairs” in the
panel on New Approaches to Political Demography and
Geography.