Review

In using Zhadko and Ko’s rubric “Evaluation and Selection Criteria for OER”  licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 to review the chapter Debunking Myths for Deep Learning | First-Year Seminar (Westchester Community College, lumenlearning.com) by Linda Bruce, I will first focus on the dimension of “Quality, Reliability, and Currency”. The content emphasizes the value of deep learning in college, and in life. Starting with a chapter overview in which three learner types (surface, strategic, and deep) are identified, the student reader is provided with a brief description of what deep learning is, and what it is not. Examples of what deep learning has meant in the lives of some American celebrities are used to illustrate its value. Student readers are prompted to think about the type of learner they are now, suggesting that how people learn can change over time.

While the content is aimed at first-year college students and is thus presented primarily in the context of the life of a college student, it appears to be of value and interest to all who are interested in becoming deep learners. Drawn from experts in the field of learning, including Carol Dweck, and peer-reviewed journals, e.g. Society of the Teaching of Psychology, the content is well-written and scaffolded in a way that makes it accessible and immediately relevant through a series of reflective prompts and exercises as well as appropriate scenarios. Furthermore, the chapter offers techniques for the reader to strengthen their deep learning by sharing five common misconceptions about learning. Each misconception is supported by a short video featuring concrete tips for how to deepen learning. Additionally, there are several images interspersed throughout the chapter that further illustrate the content. Finally, additional techniques and a final reflective exercise are included to help set the reader up to become a deep learner. “Debunking Myths for Deep Learning” is highly relevant for students in the FYS as it supports them in better understanding the learning process and ultimately becoming more effective learners, early on in their college career.

Next, in considering the dimension of “Adaptable, Customizable, Open vs. Free-to-Use”, much of the content is licensed as CC by Attribution or CC by No Rights Reserved. However, the videos are All Rights Reserved and licensed via standard YouTube licenses.