Open Learning News and Updates

Student Spotlight: Sarthak Gupta, BSc

In their own words, here is what one of our work study OER Assistants has to say about their term in Open Learning. 

Sarthak Gupta, BSc

Please introduce yourself.

I am Sarthak Gupta, a student in Web Development at Conestoga (Brantford) campus. I love technology and enjoy reading books. Aside from that, I’m also a content creator.

How does this placement relate to your program?

During this placement, I’ve had the chance to work with Pressbooks, which aligns well with my previous experience as a WordPress Developer and has allowed me to enhance my skills. Additionally, I’ve worked on custom CSS styling which improved the ease and enhanced the look and feel of web designing, which is highly relevant to my field.

What excites me the most is learning about the crucial technical aspects of publishing like APA referencing, proper documentation, and creative commons licensing, which I know will be incredibly beneficial to my career.

What’s one thing that you’ve learned about open education so far?

So far, I’ve learned that Open Educational Resources (OER) are amazing tools for students. They allow us to access materials for free instead of having to pay for expensive textbooks. Plus, they’re so convenient, you can carry them on your phone or laptop and access them anywhere, which makes learning so much easier.

Is there anything about open education that surprises you?

A surprising thing I’ve noticed is how many people, including myself, had no idea these resources existed. It’s exciting to think about how accessible and impactful they can be.

You’ve been working on a wide range of projects with the Instructional Designers on our team. Can you tell us about one of these projects and what interests you about it?

One project that stood out for me involved optimizing images, creating figures and exhibits, and exploring tools like Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop.

While I’ve used Canva before, this experience introduced me to more advanced tools, which I found really engaging.

As a student, can you share your thoughts on one of the open projects our team has worked on and why you think students could benefit from it?

From a student’s perspective, I see the immediate benefit of countless projects. For instance, one Conestoga-produced OER is for students to learn the French Language, helping them learn without needing to pay for extra resources.

Another project focuses on medical terminology, offering valuable and practical insights. I think it’s incredibly beneficial for students. I have friends in Healthcare and Personal Support Worker courses, and when the were amazed to find out that these resources are free and are freely available.

What else have you been excited about during this placement?

Overall, I have thoroughly enjoyed this work. Working with a completely new team and learning about tasks like APA referencing and effective task management has been a valuable experience. I always used Microsoft Word as a basic text writing tool, but I got to know through assisting with OATCJ development that Word can do so much more.

I am amazed by the work done in Open Learning and grateful for the whole team for the opportunity to contribute and make a great impact.

Sarthak’s enthusiasm to learn and grow, partnered with his ability to apply new information in his work has been on full display this term. A quick learner, confident presenter, and excited advocate for student needs, he is a valuable voice at the table.