Internet Learning Volume 6, Number 2, Fall 2017/Winter 2018 | Page 49

Internet Learning Journal
Collaborate with a media team.
To ensure lessons are of the highest
quality and provide more pathways
for learners, it is important that those
who incorporate more OER materials
into courses have a well-staffed and
resourced media team. As colorful
textbooks are replaced with colorless
journal articles, the media team helps
ensure that lesson content is not only
more visually engaging—but that lessons
are organized with elements that
better reinforce student learning. Fortunately,
we were able to work with instructional
designers and a media team
who could make sure courses included
the infographics, pictures, and visual
information to prompt effective student
engagement with the materials. This
student-centered approach attends to
research about the ways this generation
consumes information. (Blue,
2015; Clayn et al., 2014; Matrix, 2015;
Matrix & Hodson, 2014; Novotney,
2010) Furthermore, this process requires
learners to still read a substantial
amount of journal articles and
book chapters.
As steps are completed, OERs
selected, and lessons are updated, we
recommend communicating to students.
Once students are in the classroom,
consider explaining why certain
resources were selected for them.
Discussing the process of locating and
narrowing information for their consumption
attends to information literacy
expectations. The American Library
Association (ALA) (n.d.) provides a
definition of and standards for information
literacy competency in higher
education, recommending that an information
literate individual is able to:
... determine the extent of information
needed; access the needed
information effectively and
efficiently; evaluate information
and its sources critically; incorporate
selected information into
one’s knowledge base; use information
effectively to accomplish
a specific purpose; understand
the economic, legal, and social
issues surrounding the use of
information; and access and use
information ethically and legally.
(para. 2)
We include screencasts in our
classes that demonstrate how to find
and use research institutes and open databases
available through international
organizations such as the World Bank.
When we provide students information
from our university library, we remind
them that there are ways to access databases
even when they are not part of
a university. If their local public library
appears not to have access to appropriate
databases, it is probable that the
library is part of an inter-library loan
program with at least one academic library,
which allows for more rapid access
to scholarly articles.
Lessons Learned
As with any major project, there
are pitfalls or unintended consequences
to avoid. First, expect
that there classes with OER materials
will need adjustments. Then,
48