Open educational resources initiative expands Office of Transformational Experience to educate faculty on OERs in classroom - Hannah Shumsky, Online Rocket

According to the College Board, the average college student spent about $1,240 on textbooks and supplies this academic year. For students who cannot afford these expenses, the Office for Transformational Experiences is promoting Open Educational Resources (OERs) and educating faculty on their uses. OERs are learning materials, such as textbooks, lab manuals or even YouTube videos, available for free online. The materials are available through the Creative Commons and under “open access” copyright restrictions. Because of this, faculty members can even modify some OERs to fit the needs of their own classes. “There’s a financial component to higher education right now, so the open education movement looks to try and reduce that burden,” Rocco Cremonese, business user experience and outreach librarian, said. https://www.theonlinerocket.com/news/2019/03/01/open-educational-resources-initiative-expands/