2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

This paper presents the development and implementation of an interactive Open Educational Resource (OER) based instructional model for Statics, a foundational engineering mechanics course known for its high cognitive demands and attrition rates. The redesigned course integrates a modular, strategically designed and openly accessible OER textbook, a structured seven-step problem-solving framework, scaffolded active learning strategies, collaborative laboratory sessions, and thematically aligned instructional video lectures. These elements function as a unified instructional system intended to enhance cognitive efficiency, promote procedural and conceptual fluency, and increase equity in engineering education.

Quantitative analysis comparing cohorts from a traditional delivery and a newly implemented Interactive OER Statics model demonstrated statistically significant improvements in student performance. The average final grade increased from 76% to 87% (p = 0.0001), and the DFW (Drop, Fail, Withdrawal) rate declined from 15% to 3%, without any changes to grading policy or course rigor. Student surveys further supported the impact of the redesign, with ratings of 4.6 for the textbook, 4.5 for the video lectures, and 4.3 for perceived motivation to persist in engineering.

These findings demonstrate that the Interactive OER Statics model, grounded in pedagogical alignment, cognitive support, and inclusive design, can substantially enhance student achievement and retention in a conceptually demanding course. By unifying structured resources, algorithmic reasoning, and multimodal instruction, the model offers a scalable and replicable framework for advancing equity and academic success in undergraduate engineering education.