Southern University System (SUS), recently partnered with California State University’s Multimedia Educational Resource for Learning and Online Teaching (MERLOT) organization in a Memorandum of Understanding on April 19, 2016. The memorandum was an official launch of the University’s affordable learning solutions initiative (AL$). The goal of the AL$ initiative is to enhance the teaching and learning environment of The Southern University System in its entirety.
MERLOT is a collection of learning and teaching resources in a free, online community, aimed at teachers and learners around the world sharing instructional resources and teaching methods. Its partnership with SUS gave birth to Southern University’s Open Library for Education (SUOL4ed).
According to www.suol4ed.org, the official website for the university’s digital library, the eLearning portal allows students and faculty to locate free quality online learning materials anytime, from any location. The digital library lowers the cost of attending college for all SU System’s College students, improves the student learning experience by offering beneficial educational materials and organizes course learning materials using digital file storage solutions.
SUOL4ed also gives faculty the option to choose quality course materials at little to no cost in order to regulate online courses and programs in the simplest way possible.
In an article published by the Southern University Media Relations office, lead of SUS AL$ project, director of the SUBR Doctoral Program in Science/Mathematics Education (SMED) and director of the MERLOT Africa Network (MAN), Moustapha Diack, expressed his expectations for the online library.
“This partnership with California State University and the MERLOT organization will enable our system and higher education in Louisiana to create a virtual infrastructure that will enable us to provide documented college affordability to our student population, with free textbooks and educational resources,” stated Diack.
Mass Communication senior, Judson Meshack IV, from Dallas, Texas stated that he felt the online library is a tool that is necessary to students’ budgets. “It’s a innovative and convenient way to help students further their education. It seems like it would be less time consuming and helpful financially. Anything that lessens the strain on students’ pockets is good,” finished Meshack.
Brandon Tillery, a sophomore majoring in political science from Kentwood, Louisiana expresses how he felt that the online library is beneficial for students and faculty. “It will be beneficial for teachers because they would be able to move forward with classes during the first week instead of having to wait for people to get textbooks.”
He went on, adding, “It would be beneficial for students because they don’t necessarily have to spend 700 dollars out of their book vouchers. They can have more money for anything else that they may need.”
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Keeping it on the Download
September 20, 2016
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