In this episode of Open-Ed Mic, the hosts chat with Dr. Virginia Clinton-Lisell, associate professor of Education, Health, and Behavior at the University of North Dakota, about her research on open educational resources, digital learning and student outcomes. She explains how teaching large introductory psychology courses led her to study OER after student concerns about textbook costs and publisher pressure.

Dr. Clinton-Lisell shares findings showing comparable learning outcomes between open and commercial textbooks, along with lower withdrawal rates for students using OER. The conversation highlights accessibility issues in inclusive access platforms and encourages faculty to use evidence-based approaches when selecting instructional materials.

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Dr. Virginia Clinton-Lisell began her career in education as an ESL teacher in New York City. She then obtained her Ph.D. in Educational Psychology with a minor in Cognitive Science at the University of Minnesota where she was trained in educational research. She has published more than 60 articles in education research and teaches courses in education research, program evaluation, and psychological foundations of education. Her current research focuses on the psychology of reading comprehension and open education. She is a primary researcher for the Open Education Group, which sponsors a fellowship for early career researchers.

Associate Professor of Education, Health, and Behavior

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