College |

‘College’ is a word that has been applied to many different kinds of education institutions. The word itself is Latinate in origin and refers to association in practice. In some countries, college can be a preparation for degree level education. In the United Kingdom, for example, ‘college’ typically refers to further education which does not result in the award of a bachelors degree. Somewhat confusingly, many British universities also contain constituent ‘colleges’ with varying degrees of independence – though these are not the focus of this aspect of OER Research Hub.

By the ‘college sector’ we refer to post-compulsory education which typically does not result in the award of a (bachelors) degree – though these are of course also offered by universities that award certificates and diplomas. Some college institutions may include a research aspect though typically the emphasis on on teaching. Many colleges specialise in different methods and curricula, spanning courses intended to prepare candidates for higher education as well as technical, vocational or professional training. However, community colleges in the USA have the power to award two-year ‘associate’ degrees which are sometimes considered to be equivalent to two years of a bachelor study programme. To complicate things further, the term ‘community college’ also has different meanings outside the USA. Australia, for instance, has colleges or institutes of Technical and Further Education (TAFEs). Taken globally, we may note that this sector is highly mixed and aspires to meet highly diverse learning objectives.

Much of the research we are undertaking in relation to this sector has been organised in collaboration with the Community College Consortium for Open Education Resources (CCCOER). CCCOER operates in partnership with the Open Courseware Consortium to represent a broad coalition of community colleges who are starting to use OER and hence covers the use both of OER textbooks and other approaches to learning using OER. One of the most significant impacts of OER thus far has been the expansion of open textbooks for USA community college students. OER Research Hub collaborators such as Open Course Library, OpenStax College and Saylor Foundation have been making content available in response to the prohibitive cost of college textbooks which often outstrip the cost of tuition. Similarly, the Bridge to Success project reworked learning materials from The Open University and adapted them for current and prospective college students in the USA. While we have a focus on community colleges in the USA we maintain a wider interest in further education from a range of countries.