STC professor makes math more accessible through use of Open Educational Resources

STC professor makes math more accessible through use of Open Educational Resources

Veronica Salinas

To lower student costs and promote equal access to education, South Texas College Assistant Professor of Mathematics Veronica Dominguez is leading the way with the use of Open Educational Resources (OER) in her classrooms.

OER is full course curricula, course materials, modules, textbooks, media, assessments, software and any other tools, materials or techniques used to support access to knowledge, that comes at no cost to the student.

Since 2018, Dominguez has integrated free digital textbooks, online tools and open-access materials into her math courses, removing a major barrier for students—cost.

“We use textbooks that are available through PDFs or links and tools such as a free online graphing calculator, that are available for free,” said Dominguez. “These resources help keep expenses low for students.”

Dominguez believes that using OER is not only about saving money, but also about ensuring every student has equal footing from day one.

“Students should enroll in OER courses because it keeps costs down and supports equity,” she said. “They don’t have to wait for financial aid or a paycheck. They have everything they need to succeed on the first day of class and free of charge.”

Starting small, she began incorporating OER one class at a time. As she gained confidence and saw the positive impact, she expanded its use to most of her courses with the goal of transitioning all her classes to OER-based materials.

“There is a learning curve, especially for non-traditional students,” Dominguez said. “But I work closely with them, offering help before and after class and during office hours to make sure they’re comfortable with the platforms. I provide as much support as I can so they can be as successful as other students who are more familiar with the platforms.”

For students who prefer physical copies, she provides flexibility.

“I tell returning students to give it a try. If they’re still uncomfortable, they can always purchase the textbook. My goal is to support their success in ways that work for them,” she said

Through her work with OER, Dominguez is helping to make higher education more affordable, equitable and accessible one math class at a time.