¿Cómo suena?: An open pedagogical approach to content and assessment creation

Attending the presentation? Take shared notes in this Google Doc and view the final notes below.

Speakers

Alejandra Escudero, lecturer, and Rosie Garrecht, student
SUNY Oneonta

Brief Description

¿Cómo suena? is an OER developed by SUNY Oneonta students. Thanks to the work of three student cohorts, this textbook contains modules that are comparable to content found in commercially-sold textbooks. The use of online platforms has allowed for the housing of the OER textbook and for the management of the project through the distribution of tasks and accountability trackers.

Full Abstract

¿Cómo suena? is an online OER developed entirely by SUNY Oneonta students for the Spanish Phonetics and Phonology course. This course is known to be one of the most challenging courses offered by the Department of Foreign Languages. The textbook used in the past was an excellent resource, but it was unfortunately packed with explanations that were not useful for the understanding of the already complex topics of the course. This led to the idea of creating a companion site for the course, which later became the OER textbook used today. The first cohort of students involved in this open pedagogy project created the content based on what they learned when they were students in the course. They created a series of modules with their corresponding learning objectives, bodies of explanation, examples, interactive practice exercises and summaries. The second cohort created a special module designed for the teaching of orthophonics or the correct way of pronouncing standard Spanish. The last and most recent cohort focused on the development of assessment materials that abide to the best practices of assessment design and ADA compliance. The result of this combined effort has led to free-of-cost course materials that are both accessible to students of all socio-economic backgrounds and physical ability. The nature of this OER project allows for future development and the incorporation of further student involvement. The use of Pressbooks and Monday.com platforms has allowed for the housing of the OER textbook and for the management of the project through the distribution of tasks and accountability trackers.

Session Objectives

By the end of the session, participants will learn how to:

1. Create the outline for an OER.
2. Apply principles of Open pedagogy for the creation of open content.
3. Distribute and manage student tasks.
4. Motivate students to carry on this revolutionary practice in their future careers.

Biography

Alejandra Escudero has been teaching Spanish and Linguistics at SUNY Oneonta for the last 12 years. She has been involved in two OER projects, the most recent one being an open pedagogy project for her Spanish Phonetics and Phonology course, where three different cohorts of students have created a variety of content of an OER textbook currently used in her class. Her co-authored introductory Spanish textbook ¡Chévere! is an OER book currently used by many colleges and universities across the United States. Prof. Escudero is an active promoter of open education and open access of education materials, which is what led her to getting involved in OER and Open pedagogy.

Co-Presenter Bio

Rosie Garrecht is a senior majoring in Adolescent Education and Spanish. Along with Prof. Escudero, Rosie has developed a series of assessment tools currently being used in her Spanish Phonetics and Phonology course. The development of practice exercises, review questions and practice exams, using formal assessment techniques and best practices, has expanded the content of the OER for the course. Besides her involvement in open pedagogy, Rosie is currently writing her own OER materials for an ESL course and for the outdoor and backpacking club at SUNY Oneonta.

Session Notes

Attending the presentation? Take shared notes in this Google Doc and view the final notes below.