While interest in Open Educational Resources is expanding exponentially, sometimes the search results come up short.  This was clearly evidenced by the OER research undertaken by Dr. Nathalia Peixoto for her ECE 385 course. Electric Circuit Analysis I is a complex course with many different attributes, covering the first half of electric circuit theory and Read more about A Circuitous Route in Materials Development for ECE 385[…]

After tackling the development of an OER textbook for ASTR 113 which resulted in enlightening, digitized materials for the course and saving students up to $200 on a textbook, Dr. Mario Gliozzi applied for and received a second 4-VA@Mason grant to take on the challenge of producing an online homework system to complement and support Read more about 4-VA Makes a Return Trip to Astronomy: ASTR 113[…]

More than 140 leaders from Virginia’s K-12 and higher education institutions, out-of-school providers, the private and business sectors, and state officials and institutions joined together recently to begin the work of developing a blueprint for a statewide STEM network.  This structure will be the basis for creating cross sector pedagogies providing Virginia’s youth access to Read more about 4-VA Grant Supports State STEM Summit[…]

Experts have long recognized the complex interrelationship of a preschoolers’ attachment to their caregivers and successful adjustment to school.  Without a positive introduction and adaptation to the school setting, preschoolers may fall victim to bullying. Those behaviors can have a significant effect on these young students for years into the future. For more than a Read more about 4-VA Researchers Support Young Virginians’ Successful Start to Preschool[…]

George Mason University, Virginia Tech, and the University of Virginia are each recognized and valued for their unique strengths and assets. Consequently, it’s not surprising to conclude that when these three institutions collaborate on a project, the results are impressive.  Such was the case with a recent 4-VA grant to these top-tier universities for a Read more about Three different universities. Three distinctive, informed approaches. One cohesive, robust, and resource-filled final product.[…]

One of the mainstays of the 4-VA at Mason program is to identify and grow academic ventures that truly make a difference in higher education – creating cost savings, providing greater access to the educational process, and developing new or more effective pedagogies. That said, it’s hard to find a more impactful grant than the Read more about Defining Impact: 4-VA Grant for ENGH 302[…]

Teaching a class titled “Introduction to World History” was daunting 25 years ago — developing and navigating a wide-ranging curriculum.  Today, teaching that same class presents all new challenges as the myriad “sources” found by students on the Internet can often send them off course.  That same Internet rabbit hole faced 4-VA OER Course Redesign Read more about Steering World History from Flat to Multi-Dimensional[…]

An email from Fenwick Library caught the collective eye of the teaching team responsible for delivering CHEM336: Physical Chemistry I Laboratory.  The email referenced the 4-VA at Mason course redesign grants, which are provided to encourage the incorporation of Open Educational Resources (OER) into the curriculum. Lead PI Moissa Fayissa, PhD. conjectured that this might Read more about Creating Better Chemistry and Delivering Student Savings[…]