Virginia Community Research Articles

Emerging workforce trends and issues impacting the Virginia Community College System

The mission of community college workforce development leaders is to provide skill training in emerging high growth occupational areas supporting economic growth and changing workforce needs. This article reports the findings from all Virginia Community College workforce development leaders to identify the emerging workforce trends and issues impacting the Virginia Community College System (VCCS). The research questions focused on emerging high-demand occupational workforce skill needs and the partnerships needed to develop resources for emerging industries and technologies. The survey data show healthcare and technology skill training as the highest in-demand based occupational needs. Strong college and industry collaborative efforts were reported as necessary to provide training that increases competitive employee skills. The gap between reflection and action must be removed to provide real-world, innovative resources to training services that contribute to a skilled competitive workforce and economic progress. In the past decade, multiple studies (Cohen «Sc Brawer, 2003; Kasper, 2002; Mangum, 2008; Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service, 2008) have been conducted on the future characteristics and needs of the American workforce. The U. S. Department of Labor (DOL) commissioned a study by the RAND Corporation in 2004 that projected shifting trends that would create a need for many different types of workplace skills (Karoly & Partis, 2004). The shifts and changes largely due to advances in technology have proven true, but these have developed more rapidly than predicted. The emerging workforce trends evolved so quickly that in 2008, Columbia University's Community College Research Center undertook a study focused on noncredit workforce education and contract training that questioned whether community colleges were meeting the changing workforce needs (VanNoy, Jacobs, Korey, Bailey, & Hughes, 2008). Given the historical mission of the workforce development services of community colleges as one of providing services that meet the job skill needs of diverse employers and their employees in many different regions (Cohen «Sc Brawer, 2003), it is important for community colleges to remain true to their role. Community colleges in America have continuously met demographic, economic, political, and cultural challenges. The nation's community college workforce development leaders, including those of the Virginia Community College System (VCCS), now find themselves at a monumental intersection facing major economic and technological challenges (Mangum, 2008). Across the nation, community colleges are strategically placed in rural, suburban, and urban areas that range in size from small local communities to large cities, enabling the colleges to provide access to services that enhance the economic viability of their regions. The diverse societal characteristics and demographics that exist in the nation are prevalent in the Commonwealth of Virginia, where there is a rich 40-year history of 23 community colleges combined under one governing organization, the VCCS. This article presents the results of a survey of the 22 VCCS workforce development leaders in Virginia. These leaders are the Vice Presidents and Directors who make up the Chancellor's Advisory Board for community college workforce development in Virginia. The study's goal was to identify the emerging workforce trends and issues impacting the Workforce Development Services within the VCCS. The two research questions addressed in this article are: * What are the emerging high-demand occupational workforce skill needs in economically vital sectors of the economy in the Virginia Community College System Workforce Development Services areas? * What partnerships are needed to maintain and further develop resources and professional development opportunities for emerging industries and technologies? Because of the diversity in size, culture, geography, and people served by the VCCS, the study's results allow for a broad scope of application during a time of high-paced technological changes, far-reaching economic global issues, increased workplace diversity, and marketplace shifts from integration to specialization (Karoly & Panis, 2004). …

Daniel B. Thorp. Facing Freedom: An African American Community in Virginia from Reconstruction to Jim Crow.

Daniel B. Thorp. Facing Freedom: An African American Community in Virginia from Reconstruction to Jim Crow.

Integrating ALN into an Independent Study Distance Education Program: NVCC Case Studies

This paper describes eight ALN courses developed under various Sloan Foundation-funded degree program initiatives at Northern Virginia Community College (NVCC) Extended Learning Institute (ELI). These chemistry, engineering, mathematics, and information technology courses offer useful lessons about what makes ALN courses successful. The courses incorporated ALN into an independent study format to increase interaction among learning participants while maximizing learner convenience and flexibility; some courses also focused on both online and in-person collaboration. A wide variety of other course design and delivery strategies contributed to the courses' success. The results of this study indicate that ALN courses can be viable and successful for community college students and that ALN can succeed in a distance education program delivered in an independent study format to motivated learners. NVCC/ELI's experience also suggests that ALN works within a multiple media approach to course design and delivery; that faculty selection, support, and development are critical factors in assuring quality ALN courses; that a wide variety of best practices can result in successful ALN courses; and that the learning effectiveness of ALN courses will continue to improve as better tools, content, and support are developed.

Geological data and outreach methods for designing targeted home radon testing programs

Indoor radon exposure is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States, yet radon risk reduction programs often struggle to increase home radon testing rates. This study compared two outreach methods to improve home radon testing and examined the association between home radon levels and geologic data in Central Appalachian communities in Tazewell County, Virginia, and Mercer County, West Virginia. We recruited 327 residents via phone and 211 residents via in-person workshops in 2016 and 2017. In total, 538 radon test kits were distributed to residents for deployment in their homes and subsequent shipment to a certified laboratory for analysis. We received 225 valid test results, which were subsequently linked to geologic units derived from the United States Geological Survey based on geocoded addresses. Results indicate that participants recruited by phone were more likely to complete the home radon test than those recruited in-person from workshops. Of seven geologic formation categories in the study area, dolomite formations from the Cambrian–Ordovician period were associated with the highest median radon value, 4.25 pCi/L (0.38–124.45 pCi/L). Our results suggest that effectiveness of radon risk reduction programs may be improved by phone education and test kit distribution campaigns, targeting homes on geological formations previously associated with heightened radon levels.

Clusters of Behavioral Health and Psychosocial Risk for Childbearing Women in Four Virginia Communities.

Introduction Four Virginia communities participated in a community services enhancement pilot to centralize intake and referral for childbearing women eligible for home visiting support through the Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) program. Methods As an aspect of the study, project-trained intake workers administered behavioral health and psychosocial risk screening (including emotional health, substance use, interpersonal violence, and smoking) during intake eligibility assessment. Participants identified as at-risk were referred for community intervention concurrently with referral to MIECHV services. Results In the study sample (N=1515), emotional health was identified as the most common single risk factor (n=326, 21.5%) and clusters of 2 or more behavioral health risks were identified for 223 (14.7%) of women. Among those with two or more behavioral health risks, smoking was significantly related to all other areas of behavioral health risk. Conclusion Findings from this multi-site pilot emphasize concomitant behavioral health and psychosocial risks in childbearing women and reinforce the importance of embedding comprehensive public health interventions in community systems of care.

A lung cancer research agenda that reflects the diverse perspectives of community stakeholders: process and outcomes of the SEED method

Plain English summaryThere is a need for methods that engage lay people and other stakeholders, such as patients and healthcare providers, in developing research questions about health issues important to them and their communities. Involving stakeholders helps ensure that funding goes to research that addresses their concerns. The SEED Method engages stakeholders in a systematic process to explore health issues and develop research questions. Diverse groups of stakeholders participate at three levels: as collaborators that lead the process throughout, as participants who use their expertise to develop the questions, and as consultants who provide additional perspectives about the health topic. We used the SEED Method to engage 61 stakeholders from different socioeconomic and professional backgrounds to create research questions on lung cancer outcomes. Participants included cancer patients and caregivers, healthcare providers and administrators, and policymakers from a rural Virginia community. They developed causal models that diagrammed factors that influence lung cancer outcomes and the relationships between them. They used these models to develop priority research questions. The questions reflect the participants' diverse perspectives and address different areas of inquiry related to lung cancer outcomes, including access to care, support systems, social determinants of health, and quality of care. Participants felt well prepared to perform the project tasks because they had the opportunity to review lung cancer information, receive causal model and research question development training, and participate in facilitated group activities. The SEED Method can be used in a variety of settings and applied to any health topic of interest to stakeholders.BackgroundEngagement of stakeholders in prioritization of health research can help ensure that funding is directed to research that reflects their concerns and needs. The Stakeholder Engagement in quEstion Development and Prioritization (SEED) Method is a multi-stakeholder methodology that uses principles of community engagement and causal modeling to develop health research questions that reflect the priorities of patients, clinicians, and other community stakeholders. We conducted a demonstration of the SEED Method to generate research questions on lung cancer outcomes, and to evaluate the process, outcomes, and effectiveness of the method for generating a research agenda that reflects diverse stakeholder perspectives.MethodsThe SEED Method engages community members at three levels: collaboration, participation, and consultation. We conducted a demonstration project from November, 2015 to July, 2016, in a rural Virginia community that was experiencing a significant disparity in lung cancer outcomes. A community research team led the project and selected three distinct stakeholder groups (Topic groups, TG) for participatory engagement in analysis of the health issue, causal modeling, and research question development. We evaluated the quality of stakeholder engagement and compared TG causal models and research questions to evaluate the diversity of stakeholder perspectives resulting from the methodology.ResultsThe resulting research agenda poses questions on how a broad range of topics including access to care, support systems and coping mechanisms, social determinants of health, and quality of care impacts lung cancer outcomes. Participants felt well prepared for the tasks they were asked to perform due to the technical trainings and facilitated modeling and question development activities that are part of the SEED Method. The causal models and research questions developed by the Topic Groups reflected the diverse perspectives of the stakeholders.ConclusionsThe SEED Method has the potential to generate relevant stakeholder-centered research agendas on a variety of health-related topics, and to create community capacity for sustained research engagement.

Water quality perceptions and natural resources Extraction: A matter of geography?

Recent events in the United States have shown the vulnerability of water quality in certain communities. Accordingly, we conducted a survey in a large community in north central West Virginia (US) to explore the factors that influence the perceptions of water quality. We sought to assess whether respondent's proximity to a mine, gas/oil well, or bodies of water would affect their perceived health risks and environmental concern. Additionally, we aimed at understanding how these perceptions were affected by the density of these sites and the presence of these sites within defined distances. As West Virginia is rapidly expanding its natural gas production, there is no research that has objectively associated water quality perceptions with geographic location in regard to oil and gas extraction sites. With small effect sizes, our results add some evidence to the link between unconventional oil and gas extraction, geographic location, and water quality perceptions. This study suggests the need for further water quality monitoring and increased public communication about water management practices in West Virginia.

Facing Freedom: An African American Community in Virginia from Reconstruction to Jim Crow by Daniel B. Thorp

Facing Freedom: An African American Community in Virginia from Reconstruction to Jim Crow by Daniel B. Thorp

Small towns, big challenges: Does rurality influence Safe Drinking Water Act compliance?

Despite amendments and financial investment, noncompliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act persists in portions of the United States. This study hypothesizes that rural and urban U.S. residents are exposed to different patterns of drinking water violations and contaminants. Violations (n > 9,500) for 1,133 Virginia community water systems (CWSs) from 1999 to 2016 were analyzed to (1) evaluate the effects of size and rurality on compliance, (2) identify patterns in contaminant prevalence, and (3) identify gaps in consumer protection. Results indicate that very small CWSs had significantly more monitoring and reporting (MR) violations than large systems, while medium CWSs had significantly more maximum contaminant‐level violations. Isolated rural area CWSs had significantly high MR noncompliance compared with town and urban centers. This study highlights chronic MR noncompliance across rural regions of the state, which may mask consumer health concerns. Further work directly linking health records and noncompliance is recommended to quantify this risk.

Changes in the sources of distracted driving among Northern Virginia drivers in 2014 and 2018: A comparison of results from two roadside observation surveys

Introduction: An increase in distracted driving has been suggested as a factor contributing to the 15% increase in fatal crashes from 2014 to 2016, but objective information about the prevalence of distracted driving in recent years is incomplete or lacking. The current study replicated a 2014 observation study conducted in Northern Virginia to examine whether the prevalence of distracted driving overall and of individual secondary behaviors has changed. Method: Drivers of moving or stopped vehicles were observed at 12 locations across 4 Northern Virginia communities during the daytime. The presence of 12 different secondary behaviors was recorded. Results: In 2018, about 23% of drivers were engaged in at least one secondary behavior, which was not significantly different from 2014. Overall phone use was not significantly different between 2014 and 2018. However, the likelihood of holding a cellphone significantly decreased while the likelihood of manipulating a cellphone significantly increased in 2018 relative to 2014. About 14% of drivers were engaged in noncellphone secondary behaviors in 2014 and 2018, which exceeded the proportion using phones in both years. Conclusions: There was no evidence that distracted driving has become more common in recent years, but the prevalence of some secondary behaviors has changed. Most concerning was the 57% increase in the likelihood of cellphone manipulation in 2018 relative to 2014, a behavior that has been consistently linked to increased crash risk; however, because the behavior is uncommon overall, the increased prevalence would be expected to only slightly increase crash rates. Practical applications: Although cellphone use was frequently observed in 2014 and 2018, collectively, other noncellphone secondary behaviors were more prevalent. Practitioners and policymakers should continue targeting cellphone use, but also must target other common secondary behaviors to fully address distracted driving.

Impact of Patient Gender and Race and Physician Communication on Colorectal Cancer Diagnostic Visits in Primary Care.

Background: Patient gender and race, and physician-patient communication are associated with clinical outcomes. Aim: To understand the role of these factors in the diagnosis of colorectal cancer (CRC) during primary care visits as measured by appropriate outcome. Materials and Methods: Caucasian and African American unannounced standardized patients (USPs) of both genders presented to 207 primary care physicians (PCPs) from community and academic practices in Ohio and Virginia as new patients with CRC symptoms. PCPs were blinded to the diagnosis. Physician subjects consented to audiotaping the encounter. Medical records were obtained. Communication elements were coded by trained observers and appropriate visit outcomes were coded from the medical record and audiofiles, defined as (1) recommendation for colonoscopy/sigmoidoscopy/fecal occult blood test (FOBT) or (2) referral to gastroenterologist. Results: A total of 141 of 367 USP visits (38%) resulted in appropriate clinical outcomes. Patient race was not associated with outcome, but being a male USP was (χ2 = 4.12, p = 0.04). Relational communication was represented as a latent variable with seven indicators (alpha = 0.84) and was independently associated with outcome (beta = 0.15; p = 0.025). After controlling for clustered sampling, relational communication, and race, structural equational modeling indicated that female USPs were less likely to have an appropriate clinical visit outcome (beta = -0.13; p = 0.033). Conclusions: Using a novel and innovative methodology capturing PCP behaviors during real-time clinician-patient interaction, appropriate clinical outcome was independently associated with being male and PCP relational communication factors such as encouraging patient communication, being engaged and expressive in the physician-patient conversation, and appearing friendly and sincere. There are persistent biases in the delivery of health care to female patients and further research into targeted communication skills programs may be warranted.

Public attitudes and beliefs about Virginia community pharmacists dispensing and administering naloxone

ObjectivesTo determine awareness concerning naloxone and perceived severity of opioid overdose, to identify attitudes and beliefs concerning naloxone, and to assess perceived benefits and barriers related to naloxone dispensed and administered by community pharmacists. MethodsThe project was conducted in 3 phases. Phase 1 consisted of survey development and pretesting to identify unclear questions. The survey used principles of the health belief model, focusing on perceived severity of opioid overdose, perceived barriers and benefits to community pharmacists dispensing and administering naloxone, naloxone awareness, sources of health information, and attitudes and beliefs about naloxone. Question types were 5-point Likert response scale with several multiple choice and dichotomous questions. In phase 2, the paper-based survey was distributed to adults in the Richmond area from December 2016 to June 2017. Phase 3 consisted of data analysis using descriptive statistics. ResultsOne hundred twenty-nine individuals with a mean age of 35.4 years (56.7% male and 44.4% white) completed the survey. Opioid overdose was identified as a serious problem in the Richmond area and the United States by 71.9% and 81.3% of respondents, respectively. Among respondents, 39.5% had heard of naloxone before the survey. Most respondents were comfortable with a community pharmacist dispensing and administering naloxone (66.4% and 64.0%, respectively). Of the 31 respondents who were not comfortable with pharmacists dispensing or administering naloxone, 18 respondents identified promoting drug abuse and misuse and 12 respondents identified promoting reckless behavior as a perceived barrier. ConclusionsWhile most survey respondents were not aware of naloxone before completing the survey, the majority were in favor of community pharmacists in Virginia dispensing and administering naloxone. The most commonly identified concern is that pharmacists dispensing naloxone would promote drug abuse and misuse, which should be addressed with patient education.

Career shift leads to online part‐time graduate program

Shauna Robinson earned her bachelor's degree in literature from the University of California, Berkeley, which helped her in her first career after graduation in publishing but proved less helpful when she moved into her position as a junior research analyst at the Association for Talent Development. So Robinson decided to return to school, this time to earn a master's degree in data analysis. To prepare, she took an online statistics course at Northern Virginia Community College. “Being an English major, I hadn't taken statistics before, and I thought it would be useful for both my research role and to help prepare me for grad school,” Robinson said.

An Appalachian Perspective of Alzheimer’s disease: A Rural Health Nurse Opportunity

Predictions of the devastating impact of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) are heightened in disadvantaged rural populations, yet studies investigating AD in this population are limited. Other researchers have shown that when rural Appalachian people are aware of their risk for a chronic illness, they are more willing to adopt healthy behaviors (Della, 2011; Schoenberg et al. 2011), suggesting that educational programs to increase knowledge and perception of risk are needed. The purpose of this article is to report findings from exploring knowledge of Alzheimer’s disease in a southern rural West Virginia community of residents (N = 193) and a sample of caregivers (n = 20) using cognitive interview techniques of “Think-aloud” and “Laddering”. The cultural fit and relevance of the “Knowledge of Alzheimer’s Disease scale or KAD (Jang, Kim, Hansen, & Chiriboga, 2010) was also examined. Findings from the KAD included that an updated AD measure appropriate for use in rural settings is needed. Findings from the cognitive interview included that instead of fatalistic attitudes toward Alzheimer’s disease, residents often viewed AD as something potentially preventable through healthier living, use of herbs as children, and eventual discovery of more effective treatment regimens. The themes that emerged were “preventing AD” and “personal knowing of AD”. Considering cultural perceptions and determining knowledge gaps in the communities by rural providers is an important component of changing stigma regarding routine cognitive screening for rural older adults at increased risk for Alzheimer’s disease. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.14574/ojrnhc.v17i1.469

Scribe needed for homework that counts toward grade

Case name: Letter to: Northern Virginia Community College, No. 11‐16‐2017 (OCR 04/19/16).

The Effects of a Health Promotion Program on Rural, West Virginia Adults

This health promotion project is a 12-week program for adults in a rural West Virginia community with a body mass index (BMI) of 25 or greater. The goals of this project were to facilitate learning through modules focusing on activity and nutrition, increase knowledge of healthy activity and nutrition, and improve weight and BMI. Each 12-week session provided evidenced-based information regarding obesity, physical activity, and nutrition. Participants completed pre- and postprogram and 1-month follow-up survey/questionnaire. Results were compared for changes in activity, nutrition, and BMI. The program resulted in positive changes: increase in activity and nutritional consumption and a decrease in BMI.

Varieties of Rural Experience: Country Communities in Virginia and Wessex

After an initial reflection on just what might be meant by ‘rural experience’, the essay turns to an explicit comparison of the author's childhood experiences on his maternal grandparents’ farm in Afton, Virginia, with Thomas Hardy's rendition in his novel, Under the Greenwood Tree, of his childhood experiences in Upper Bockhampton, Dorsetshire. Both Miller and Hardy seem to represent their childhood places as examples of genuine ‘organic communities’, but the essay shows in detail ways in which the model of organic community does not quite work in either case. This ‘non-working’, however, is not the same in each instance. The essay shows this in detail, especially by way of attention to the southern heritage of slavery in modern Afton, and by way of the narrator's ironic detachment in Under the Greenwood Tree as well as through the photographs that illustrated early editions of Hardy's novel and through the reference in the subtitle to the novel as ‘A Rural Painting of the Dutch School’.

Horse-and-Buggy Genius: Listening to Mennonites Contest the Modern World by Royden Loewen

Reviewed by: Horse-and-Buggy Genius: Listening to Mennonites Contest the Modern World by Royden Loewen L. Good Gingrich Horse-and-Buggy Genius: Listening to Mennonites Contest the Modern World. By Royden Loewen. Winnipeg: University of Manitoba Press, 2016. vii + 238 pp. Illustrations, map, annotated bibliography, index. $27.95 CAD, $31.95 USD, paper. Loewen presents intimate and compelling testimonials from members of two distinct groups of traditional Mennonites—Old Colony Mennonites in Central and South America, and Old Order Mennonites in Ontario, Canada. The Old Order Mennonites of this research are of Swiss–South German descent, preserve their traditional language of Pennsylvania Dutch, have lived in close-knit agrarian communities in rural southern Ontario for over 200 years, and today number approximately 8,000. The estimated 100,000 Old Colony Mennonites are descendants of the Anabaptist movement in the Netherlands, and their histories of persecution, hardship, and migration are intertwined and (seemingly) endless. Today they live in (and move between) separate and largely self-contained colonies scattered throughout Mexico, Belize, Bolivia, and Paraguay, and strive to preserve their Plautdietsch language and way of life that is infused with a unique blend of Dutch, Russian, and Mexican food and culture. Despite their divergent geographic and linguistic histories, communities in these two groups of Mennonites share a religious commitment to lives of "continuity, simplicity, and obedience" (9). The "remarkable coincidence" (5) that identifies both Old Order and Old Colony Mennonites as "horse-and-buggy" people goes beyond outer expressions of antimodernity, as their accounts reveal similar lifestyle ideals and religious traditions that "emphasize the community over the individual, the local over the nation, simplicity over profit, and peace over violence" (4). Ironically, political borders and "earthly kingdoms" are used to frame the stories of two peoples whose practices and beliefs transcend such boundaries. The selection of these two groups of horse-and-buggy Mennonites is based on a shared link with Canada, yet this geopolitical connection is tenuous. The Canadian Old Order Mennonites are tied in culture and kin to the thousands of horse-and-buggy Old Order Mennonites of Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia—communities that are curiously omitted from this study. The Canadian story for horse-and-buggy Old Colony Mennonites is limited to brief moments in their migratory history, and represents a "corrupting" land (201) where threats to their antimodern convictions drove them south in the 1920s, and where their colony lifestyle practices (including use of horse and buggy) must be forfeited when poverty and violence drive them back north. It is clear, through his own admission and [End Page 122] in his retelling of the stories, that Loewen's affection and affiliation favor the Old Colony Mennonites. This is not necessarily a weakness or flaw of this work, as all researchers, even historians, must write from our own peculiar perspective and bias. However, the uneven attention given the two groups, in both depth and breadth, suggests a competitive rather than comparative analysis. As a result, some distinctive features of each group are overlooked: the unique social and political structures of the Latin American colony and the Canadian farming community; differing roles, responsibilities, and status of women, due in part to dissimilar farming and livelihood practices; and widely divergent migration histories and associated meanings. Loewen urges the reader to take seriously the religious convictions of these peculiar peoples, and to recognize their daily life practices as challenge to "conspicuous consumption" (219) and the isolation of individualism. In this way, the work makes an important contribution to scholarship, especially in its engaging, personal, and respectful presentation of Old Colony Mennonite narratives. Their curious practices, which are often judged to be foolish and self-defeating, are re-storied in deeply rooted religious convictions and traditions. This re-framing is instructive for encounters with all groups who hold to a worldview and preserve a lifestyle that contest dominant norms. L. Good Gingrich School of Social Work and Centre for Refugee Studies York University, Canada Copyright © 2018 Center for Great Plains Studies, University of Nebraska–Lincoln

An Appalachian Perspective of Alzheimer's Disease: A Rural Health Nurse Opportunity.

Predictions of the devastating impact of Alzheimer's disease (AD) are heightened in disadvantaged rural populations, yet studies investigating AD in this population are limited. Other researchers have shown that when rural Appalachian people are aware of their risk for a chronic illness, they are more willing to adopt healthy behaviors (Della, 2011; Schoenberg et al. 2011), suggesting that educational programs to increase knowledge and perception of risk are needed. The purpose of this article was to report findings from exploring knowledge of Alzheimer's disease in a southern rural West Virginia community of residents (N = 193) and a sample of caregivers (n = 20) using cognitive interview techniques of "Think-aloud" and "Laddering". The cultural fit and relevance of the "Knowledge of Alzheimer's Disease scale or KAD (Jang, Kim, Hansen, & Chiriboga, 2010) was also examined. Findings from the KAD included that an updated AD measure appropriate for use in rural settings is needed. Findings from the cognitive interview included that instead of fatalistic attitudes toward Alzheimer's disease, residents often viewed AD as something potentially preventable through healthier living, use of herbs as children, and eventual discovery of more effective treatment regimens. The themes that emerged were "preventing AD" and "personal knowing of AD". Considering cultural perceptions and determining knowledge gaps in the communities by rural providers is an important component of changing stigma regarding routine cognitive screening for rural older adults at increased risk for Alzheimer's disease.

Assessing the Savings from Open Educational Resources on Student Academic Goals

Our study found that most students considered OER to be as good or better in terms of quality and engagement as traditional texts, while also allowing them to put saved funds toward their educational pursuits. As rising costs in higher education affect current and potential students, faculty and students are looking for ways to cut costs where possible. Open educational resources (OER) are a viable option to replace expensive traditional textbooks without sacrificing quality. This article presents the results of a study conducted with students at a Virginia community college who took courses that used OER. At the end of the semester, students were asked to rate their perceptions of the OER quality and their level of engagement with OER as compared to traditional textbooks. Results indicate that a majority of students found the OER to be as good as or better than traditional textbooks in both quality and engagement. While similar studies have been conducted, this study also asked students to briefly describe how they used the money saved by not having to purchase a textbook. Many students indicated they used the money to reinvest in their education by paying tuition, purchasing materials for other courses, or taking additional courses; day-to-day expenses and savings were the next most common responses. Further research needs to be conducted to understand the effect these savings and reinvestment have on students’ completion of academic goals.