In this session of the OER Under the Hood webinar series, Pressbooks is teaming up with the Community College Consortium for OER (CCCOER), to explore how open educational resources can be used to support hands-on, career-focused learning in vocational and technical fields.
Our featured project will be Introduction to Welding, a richly illustrated open textbook developed through the Washington Open ProfTech project. Created by experienced instructors, the book introduces students to welding careers, safety practices, tools, welding techniques, cutting processes, inspection, and materials—designed to meet the needs of learners and align with real-world industry expectations.
Join us on September 17th for a conversation where we will spotlight both the why and how behind this project. We’ll explore:
- The unique challenges and opportunities in creating OER for vocational programs (where existing open content is scarce and learning is hands-on)
- How instructors navigate OER creation on limited time
- The process of translating practical skills into text and imagery
- Lessons learned from concept to publication and advice for others starting a vocational OER project
Watch past sessions in the series on YouTube: OER Under the Hood Playlist
When: Wed, Sept 17, 3 pm EDT/ 12 pm PDT (check your local time)
Panelists:
- Douglas Rupik, Welding faculty, South Seattle College
- David Colameco, Associate welding instructor, Everett Community College
- Ashley Montenegro Ramirez, Project manager, WA Open ProfTech
Hosts:
- Heather Blicher, Director, Community College Consortium for OER, OEGlobal
- Alan Levine, Director of Community Engagement, OEGlobal
- Jennifer Martin, Manager of Content Marketing, Pressbooks
Registration:
This session will be recorded, so if you cannot make the listed time don’t worry! All registrants will be sent the recording.
Featured Image Credit: A welder working photo by Bo Smeets on Unsplash