Cerritos College Wins 2016 Digital Learning Innovation Award

NORWALK, Calif., Jan. 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Cerritos College received the 2016 Online Learning Consortium's (OLC) Digital Learning Innovation Award for its Business Administration Department's Open Educational Resources program.

Cerritos College was one of three institutions and five faculty-led teams selected from among 106 submissions in this first year of the OLC Digital Learning Innovation Award competition. The award includes a $100,000 gift that will help enhance digital learning and more open educational resources to reduce financial barriers that many students face.

The College's strategy to lower book costs stems from a growing trend of financial barriers that impede student success. Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows textbook costs have grown as high as 1,000 percent over the past four decades.

Since the initial pilots with open educational resources in 2008, the program has seen dramatic improvement in student success rates by enhancing student learning at greatly reduced costs. In the fall 2015 semester alone, more than 4,000 students took courses featuring online courseware at a savings of nearly $500,000 dollars. Each student saved an average of approximately $150 per course. 

Student input has also been pivotal in the College's pursuit of lowering book costs. In unprecedented move, Cerritos College student leaders led campus efforts to re-negotiate textbook costs with book vendors, playing a critical role in helping to bring down the cost of books at the campus.

"Affordable yet high-quality textbook options mean better educational access and student success," said Dr. Bob Livingston, professor, Business Administration, who leads the OER project at Cerritos College.

About Cerritos College: Cerritos College serves as a comprehensive community college for southeastern Los Angeles County. Communities within the college's district include Artesia, Bellflower, Cerritos, Downey, Hawaiian Gardens, La Mirada, Norwalk, and portions of Bell Gardens, Lakewood, Long Beach, Santa Fe Springs and South Gate. Cerritos College offers degrees and certificates in more than 180 areas of study in nine divisions. Annually, more than 1,200 students successfully complete their course of studies, and enrollment currently averages 23,000 students. Visit Cerritos College online at http://www.cerritos.edu/.

View online release here: http://cms.cerritos.edu/releases-2017/01/DLI-Award.htm

Media Contact: Aya Abelon, Public Affairs; (562) 653-7878

SOURCE Cerritos College

Related Links

http://www.cerritos.edu