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Open-source module helps alleviate financial burden on VetMed students

Oregon State associate professor Sarah Nemanic discusses the necessity and value of the radiographic anatomy module she created in order for veterinary medicine students to have access to no-cost course materials.

By Tyler Hansen

Sarah Nemanic is an associate professor of diagnostic imaging in the College of Veterinary Medicine at Oregon State University. She recently led the creation of a self-study computer module for students, veterinarians and faculty to learn, review and be tested on normal veterinary radiographic anatomy.

Not only is it a must-have resource for all VetMed students, but it’s also a free one. Nemanic worked with OSU’s Open Educational Resources Unit to develop an open-source module that is freely accessible to learners all over the world.

“I get stopped in the hallway by students thanking me for making that for them,” she says. “Developing open resources for these students is important because they already have so much debt, and this is something that we can actually control. We can make their education more effective and less expensive.”

The computer-assisted learning program has improved how students learn, review and retain normal radiographic anatomy for dogs, cats and horses. More than 300 Oregon State VetMed students have used the application, with more than 3,000 non-OSU users from countries such as Germany, Norway, South Africa, Singapore and Australia

Learn more about how Oregon State faculty members can adopt, adapt or author an open textbook and other open resources on the Open Educational Resources Unit website. These no-cost course materials have generated an increase in student engagement, student success and have been instrumental in making college more affordable.

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