Alise Lamoreaux attended one of the first OER Review Workshops offered in Oregon. In her role on the Adult Basic and Secondary Education faculty at Lane Community College, she was looking for free materials for her college success course. The review process resulted in her realization that none of the existing open textbooks on the topic would meet the needs of her students, who typically are not 18-year-olds coming to college straight out of high school.
As a result, Alise was one of the first OER champions in Oregon to shift gears from OER reviewer to successful grantee. She received grant funding from Open Oregon Educational Resources to create the open textbook A Different Road To College: A Guide For Transitioning To College For Non-traditional Students. Her book focuses on the “college knowledge” and contextual skills needed to understand college and be a successful college student.
Chapters from A Different Road to College were remixed into Dave Dillon’s award-winning open textbook, Blueprint for Success in College and Career. Blueprint is now being translated into Spanish in order to provide an affordable resource to meet the needs of North American college students who are native Spanish speakers. A Different Road to College has also been adapted into a Chemeketa Community College Edition by Grecia E. García Pérez and Ashley C. Duran-Fajardo.
Alise received a second grant from Open Oregon Educational Resources to author the open textbook Writing Instruction Tips For Automated Essay Graders: How To Design an Essay for a Non-human Reader. Alise saw that for better or worse, many of her students would be assessed by automatic grading systems relying on artificial intelligence at pivotal moments in their lives (taking the GED, placing into college courses, and so on). Her book taught students how to succeed when writing for this unexpected audience.
The interview below showcases Alise talking about her work on open textbooks with Meggie Wright, OER Librarian and Faculty Connections Coordinator at Lane Community College.
Alise died unexpectedly this September. Oregon’s OER community will remember Alise for her courageous example in sharing her work without knowing what might happen next. Her commitment to the students at Lane Community College is evident in the books she authored and the interest that they sparked in her colleagues. There will be a memorial for Alise on October 2nd in the greater Eugene, Oregon area; contact Meggie via email for more information.
Alise was such a gem! I remember her attendance at the very first OER workshop I did at Lane. She was already very clear about the need for better resources for non-traditional students who are, actually, a significant portion of all community college students. She was no nonsense, compassionate, and a problem solver. Alise will be missed!
I’m so sorry to hear just now about Alise’s passing. I knew her for years at LCC as a champion for non-traditional students, adult learners and everyone who needed an advocate. She will be missed.