Substantial Contribution – Challenge C – Post 1 Redo
The open resource that I found to be the most impactful for my learning was the organizational behavior textbook provided by OpenStax. It is a free, peer-reviewed resource that introduces core concepts of organizational behavior. I discovered this OER when studying organizational behavior last year at UVIC. This textbook is a great free resource that helps clarify topics, which gave me confidence when completing assignments and writing discussion posts. I liked it so much that I refer back to it in some of my psychology classes now when topics come up that regard organizational behavior.
What makes this OER so effective is how it is structured. Each chapter begins with practice questions to help support your learning. Complex ideas are broken down into segments with visuals and application boxes. The way this resource is designed demonstrates Mayer’s segmenting principle. It focuses on the importance of the organization of information and breaking information down into smaller parts to reduce cognitive load. The resource also supports active learning by prompting the learner with questions and to reflect on the material they have just learned.
Moreover, this resource is licensed under Creative Commons, which allows users to redistribute the content. This means that students can annotate or adapt materials to fit how they study best. Overall, this OER promotes affordability and accessibility, which are both important for university students. It is common not to purchase textbooks due to the financial burden it puts on some students, when some students feel it is unnecessary to succeed in the course, so this OER allows students not to have to make that decision about what is more important.