Sarah Breen
September 8, 2023
Dr. Sarah Breen (they/them) received their PhD in Biomechanics at the University of Limerick in 2012. Dr. Breen has been teaching at the university level for 10 years across three countries (Ireland, England, and the United States), and several degree programs (e.g. Sport Science, Physical Education, Health Promotion, and Engineering).
Dr. Breen is currently the Chair of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion and Associate Professor in the Stephenson School of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Oklahoma. Dr. Breen holds fellowships with the International Society of Biomechanics in Sport (ISBS), and the Higher Education Academy (HEA). Dr. Breen serves in a variety of service roles with several international societies. Dr. Breen is past Vice President, (Publications) for ISBS and currently supports the Black Biomechanists Association, the International Women in Biomechanics, and the Advancing Women in Biomechanics Groups.
Dr. Breen’s primary area of research expertise is clinical biomechanics, and their research focuses on measuring human motion, with an emphasis on injury and clinical gait rehabilitation. Dr. Breen has also been recognized as a thought leader in the scholarship of technology enhanced learning, hosting several international workshops on online instruction in higher education. Dr. Breen received an OU Libraries Alternative Textbook Grant in 2022 for authoring openly licensed Biomedical Engineering lab manuals, (Vol.1 and Vol.2)
How have your students benefited from your adoption/creation of open educational resources (OER)?
My students have been very excited to use the newly created Lab Manuals for our BME lab courses. The lab manual has made class assignments and activities far more streamlined. Having all lab documents including experimental procedures, rubrics, and assignment outlines organized in an accessible electronic document has enhanced the student experience immensely.
How has utilizing OER helped you achieve your pedagogical goals?
The process of developing this open access lab manual was extremely beneficial for me as an instructor. It forced me to think about the flow and progression in my courses in a way that I have not had the opportunity to do in the past. Thinking about the accessibility of my open access ebook has also allowed me to put into practice many of the universal design principles that are core to my teaching philosophy.
Do you have any specific advice for instructors that want to adopt or create OER?
Start early and engage your students for feedback throughout the process. Our students are some of our best reviewers with this content especially those who may have already completed your course with other resources before your newly developed OER textbook was available.
How do you think open access supports diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts?
The entire process of both developing and offering open access materials supports diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts. During the proposal and development process, it allows authors the opportunity to investigate and consider the range of accessibility needs their readers (in this case students) may have, ensuring equitable use of the final product. The other, more obvious way that open access materials support DEI efforts are by removing the financial barrier of textbook purchase. This acts to level the playing field, increasing the possibility of recruiting and retaining talented students from a range of diverse populations. It is worth noting that this impact is far wider reaching than an author’s home institution, where these open access materials can be utilized both nationally and globally by other instructors who teach similar content.