The Opportunity of Now: Adopting Open Educational Resources in the Sociology Classroom and Beyond

Abstract

There is no better time than now for sociologists to adopt open educational resources (OER), and sociology as a discipline is well positioned to lead. Adopting OER takes seriously the well-documented financial challenges faced by many students, supports classroom and campus goals of equity and inclusion, and allows for increased instructor flexibility. However, OER are not without their difficulties and limitations. This conversation article suggests four ways for instructors to begin or advance their utilization of OER: Ask your librarian, start with an open textbook, join the existing OER conversation, and incorporate OER within one’s broader commitment to inclusive and empathetic pedagogy.

The Impact of Social Relationships on College Student Learning during the Pandemic: Implications for Sociologists

“…Increasing state support for higher education, reducing student loan burdens, and increasing need-based financial aid would help alleviate these financial concerns. Sociology faculty have some ability to control student expenses by being sensitive to textbook costs and using low-cost or no-cost materials whenever possible, as Bartholomay (2022) and Francis, Hill, and Overmier (2022) note. While technology access is important for all online classes, sociology faculty who teach data analysis and research methods using software such as SPSS, STATA, or NVivo might need to be especially proactive in anticipating and addressing student technology access.…”