Embracing Active Learning: Beyond the Boundaries of OERs – News from the Nest

Over the years, Professor Saboori has employed a variety of textbooks in his statistics course. While these Open Educational Resources (OERs) like OpenStax and Introductory Statistics by Shafer and Zhang contained valuable content, he discovered that they were lacking in providing a genuinely active learning experience. This constraint hindered students’ capacity to independently explore concepts and apply them practically, consequently impeding their overall success in the course. Hawkes Learning’s Discovering Business Statistics textbook and mastery-based software effectively fulfilled this need, presenting a multitude of advantages that vastly outweighed the cost savings benefits of OERs.

1. Interactive Learning Environment: Students are equipped with a dynamic, interactive platform where they can actively engage with the material, complete practice problems, simulations, and real-world applications, and develop a deeper understanding of statistical concepts.
2. Self-Paced Learning: One key advantage is the ability for students to progress through the software’s Learn and Practice modes at their own pace, personalizing instruction and allowing each student to grasp the material fully before moving on to Certify and the next lesson.
3. Immediate Feedback and Support: Hawkes Learning offers instant, error-specific feedback on assignments, empowering students to identify and correct mistakes in real-time. Additionally, the platform provides access to an array of resources such as instructional videos and step-by-step problem-solving tutorials to guide students.
4. Engaging and Relevant Content: Discovering Business Statistics incorporates an “outstanding data set that applies real-world data as part of the student learning process,” making the subject matter both relatable and engaging. By bridging the gap between theory and practice, Hawkes fosters a deeper appreciation for the practical applications of business statistics across a span of disciplines and careers.