East Central University, Oklahoma State University and Redlands Community College submitted a grant proposal to the Institute of Museum and Library Services for a three-year research project to create a toolkit for studying the efficacy of OER. The toolkit will focus on evaluating OER’s effect on students’ propensity for lifelong learning. Currently, most OER efficacy research uses retention, GPA or final exam grades, which have many confounds and limit studies to higher education settings. Shifting the focus to lifelong learning allows public libraries, K12 schools and other organizations using OER to also participate in efficacy research. The toolkit will be designed to work in multiple contexts so that OER efficacy studies can include a more diverse population. The toolkit will be accompanied by an open resource with information for librarians about how to conduct robust research studies. Stay tuned for updates on this project.

For more information, contact Marla Lobley at mlobley@ecok.edu.