Department of Ed Releases App Process for Open Textbook Pilot Grants - Dian Schaffhauser, Campus Technology

A federal higher education open textbook pilot program is kicking off after a public-comment period that ended in April. The U.S. Department of Education recently published details about how to apply for funding in the Federal Register. Consortia of colleges and universities are being invited to develop programs to produce open educational resources under grants that will range in size from $500,000 to $2 million. The agency reported that it expects to issue between three and 12 awards.

https://campustechnology.com/articles/2020/10/05/department-of-ed-releases-app-process-for-open-textbook-pilot-grants.aspx

These psychology instructors created a free textbook that has saved students thousands of dollars - Dalhousie University News

 Leanne Stevens, a university teaching fellow in the Faculty of Science's Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, has always aimed to reduce financial barriers for her students. “I’m uncomfortable with requiring students to buy a textbook. I don’t want students to have to choose between buying their textbook and buying their groceries,” she says.

https://www.dal.ca/news/2020/10/15/improving-access--these-psychology-instructors-created-a-free--d.html

Turkey Launches OER-based ICT Teacher Competency Course Development - Mirage

This Workshop was opened jointly by the Directorate for Innovation and Educational Technologies and Directorate for Teacher Training and Development of the Ministry of National Education, Turkey and UNESCO. It brought together key teachers for the development of these resources from 10 provinces of Turkey, as well as an expert from South Africa who shared best practices in the implementation of this global project.

https://www.miragenews.com/turkey-launches-oer-based-ict-teacher-competency-course-development/

Open Educational Resources are for us! - Gizeh Perez Tenorio, Linköpings universitet

 How many times do we find ourselves trying to engage our students with a nice video, some quiz or even a nice cartoon? Then we realise that we have to do it by ourselves and that the time is not enough.  We then go back to the worn out ppt presentation or pdf and use that picture from the same review that we have always used. Well…good news is that there are a lot of free available resources for us.

https://blog.liu.se/didacticum/2020/10/15/open-educational-resources-are-for-us/

Open Educational Resources (OER) at UD

Open and Affordable Resources

Open and affordable educational resources are changing the way we educate, providing free or low cost access to materials that students historically have paid exorbitant prices to use. These materials include but are not limited to: 

• Textbooks
• Ancillary materials
• Modules & Courses
• Multimedia (video, images, graphs)
• Simulations

https://library.udel.edu/teaching-and-learning/oer/

Learning Explorer Named the 2020 Winner of The Tech Edvocate’s “Best Lesson Planning App or Tool” Award

 Designed as a robust learning resource discovery and curriculum management platform for districts and schools, Learning Explorer allows teachers to search a huge library of over 500,000 educator-reviewed free and open educational resources (OER) as well as over 2 million curated educational videos from over 200 educational video publishers. 

https://www.prweb.com/releases/learning_explorer_named_the_2020_winner_of_the_tech_edvocates_best_lesson_planning_app_or_tool_award/prweb17465972.htm

CSUN Library joins Open Education Network, Making Materials More Affordable During Pandemic

In its continued efforts to reduce the cost of textbooks for students, the CSUN Library recently joined the Open Education Network, a community of higher education institutions that promote access, affordability and student success through the use of open textbooks. By partnering with the network, faculty can access the Open Textbook Library, a comprehensive resource for openly licensed academic textbooks. They can also access specialized training sessions on the use of Open Educational Resources — materials for teaching or learning that are available in the public domain or have been released under a license that allows them to be freely used, changed or shared with others. 

https://csunshinetoday.csun.edu/uncategorized/csun-library-joins-open-education-network-making-materials-more-affordable-during-pandemic/

NH community colleges expand ‘NoLo’ program to reduce student textbook costs in 2020-21 - Manchester Ink

Even before the pandemic, the Community College System of New Hampshire (CCSNH) worked to help students save on textbook costs, which can be unpredictable and among the highest non-tuition expenses for students. Now reducing financial burdens on students during these complicated and challenging times, is more important than ever.  

https://manchesterinklink.com/nh-community-colleges-expand-nolo-program-to-reduce-student-textbook-costs-in-2020-21/

New Open Educational Resources Video Series, Live Q and A - University of Arkansas

 The University of Arkansas Libraries and Global Campus are launching a new video series, OER in the Disciplines. The series is designed to provide faculty with information about the Open Educational Resources available in a variety of disciplines and the U of A programs that support them. The goal is to increase the quality and agility of course materials while simultaneously decreasing student textbook costs.

https://news.uark.edu/articles/54952/new-open-educational-resources-video-series-live-q-and-a

International Open Access Week - RMIT

Open with Purpose: Taking Action to Build Structural Equity and Inclusion is the theme for the International Open Access Week 2020. A number of events is on offer at the RMIT University Library, across Australia and internationally.

https://www.rmit.edu.au/library/teach/use-open-educational-resources/international-open-access-week

Open educational resources: expanding equity or reflecting and furthering inequities? - George Veletsianos, Springer Link

 In this paper I argue that open educational resources (OER), such as open textbooks, are an appropriate and worthwhile response to consider as colleges and universities shift to digital modes of teaching and learning. However, without scrutiny, such efforts may reflect or reinforce structural inequities. Thus, OER can be a mixed blessing, expanding inclusion and equity in some areas, but furthering inequities in others. [George Veletsianos] 

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11423-020-09840-y

Designing with Open Educational Resources (OER) - Matthew Lynch, Tech Edvocate

 Before you bring OER into your classroom, you will need to ensure that you know how it will be used. You should know what your OER system will look like, as well as the impact it will have on your school and class. You will then need to determine the resources required to deploy OER to your course, your teachers, and your students. This includes technical infrastructure, key personnel, instructional materials, and software. The most pressing issue you will need to face is the quality of the resources you use.

https://www.thetechedvocate.org/designing-with-open-educational-resources-oer/

Building and Sustaining OER at a Large University: An Excerpt from a NISO Webinar - NISO

 This presentation by Perry Collins was part of the NISO Two-Part Webinar on Open Access. Part One dealt specifically with OER. Collins offered this as the abstract for her talk: A range of stakeholders including the library, press, and teaching-focused units at the University of Florida have been involved in promoting and creating open educational resources (OER) over the past decade. 

https://www.niso.org/niso-io/2020/10/building-and-sustaining-oer-large-university-excerpt-niso-webinar

Digital Competency is a Permanent Necessity - Rosa Isela Aguilar and Emma Otuyemi Rondero, Observatory of Educational Innovation

 Today's society calls for up-to-date and innovative education that includes new digital tools to facilitate and optimize teaching-learning processes. Technology has transformed diverse areas of our lives. In education, it has driven the development of methodologies and new learning models, and the creation and access to open educational resources and digital learning objects available to the entire academic community.    

https://observatory.tec.mx/edu-bits-2/digital-competency-a-permanent-necessity

A new and more accessible source of education - LUKE DENUELLE, Tacoma Ledger

 Open Educational Resources is a new and developing way for students to access free tools for educational purposes. OER exists as tools available to students and professors that are freely available for use, distribution and alteration. This includes everything from textbooks to homework software to VR software for nurses. This software is developed by professors or other developers either through various programs or of their own accord. Marrisa Petrich of the UW Tacoma Library explained the many advantages, along with the many challenges, facing the growth of OER.

http://thetacomaledger.com/2020/10/05/a-new-and-more-accessible-source-of-education/

MassBay CC Doubles Use of OER - Dian Schaffhauser, Campus Technology

A community college in Massachusetts reported that it has doubled the use of free or open educational resources over the last year. Seventy-four courses at Massachusetts Bay Community College have adopted OER as way to make classes more affordable. The state's Department of Higher Education OER Advisory Committee has calculated that the average textbook cost per student is $117 per course, based on 2018 information published by SPARC, a global OER advocacy group. The college estimated that fall 2020 savings was around $147,000.

https://campustechnology.com/articles/2020/10/05/massbay-cc-doubles-use-of-oer.aspx

Open Educational Resources are helpful - Pierce College Roundup News

 College is expensive and educational materials required by classes add to that amount.  Open Educational Resources (OER) should be widely implemented and advertised by institutions to alleviate financial burdens.  By encouraging colleges and universities to use mostly OER, students are statistically more likely to sign up for more courses, more likely to graduate and lower the institution’s retention rate, according to David Harris, editor-in-chief of OpenStax, a Rice University-based publisher.

https://theroundupnews.com/2020/10/05/open-educational-resources-are-helpful/

OpenStax to Double Its Textbook Library - Rhea Kelly, Campus Technology

 Rice University's OpenStax open educational resources initiative has announced plans to grow its library of free textbooks from its current selection of 42 books to nearly 90 titles. The expansion is supported by $12.5 million in grants from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, Charles Koch Foundation and Stand Together community.

https://campustechnology.com/articles/2020/10/02/openstax-to-double-its-textbook-library.aspx

Report on the MOOC on "Using Open Educational Resources for Online Learning an Introduction (OER4OL)" - OAsis

 eport on the Using Open Educational Resources for Online Learning (OER4OL) MOOC developed and mediated in May/June 2020 for the Pacific Region.  Commonweath of Learning

http://oasis.col.org/handle/11599/3618

Use of Course-Specific Open Educational Resources in a Graduate Nursing Course - Priscilla K. Gazarian, et al, Journal of Nursing

 This educational innovation uses a course-specific library resource guide of OERs and evaluates students' perspectives on the quality, integration, and experience with the resources. At the completion of a nursing graduate course, the OER Satisfaction Scale was administered to the course participants. The course-specific OERs were assessed compared to students' experiences with traditional course materials.

https://www.healio.com/nursing/journals/jne/2020-10-59-10/%7B06a77f87-6c7b-484c-b649-8e0b6337d622%7D/use-of-course-specific-open-educational-resources-in-a-graduate-nursing-course

OER program saves UNK students thousands of dollars in textbook costs - TYLER ELLYSON, U Nebraska Kearney

The Open Educational Resources (OER) program lowers the cost of course content for UNK students by utilizing materials that are freely available online. Instead of requiring a traditional textbook, participating faculty teach their courses using resources contained in digital media collections. 

http://unknews.unk.edu/2020/09/30/oer-program-saves-unk-students-thousands-of-dollars-in-textbook-costs/

Faculty saves CCCC students more than $850,000 on textbooks - Kern Valley Sun

Cerro Coso faculty implemented a strategy to support student success through reducing educational costs for students by adopting Open Education Resources (OERs) to replace costly textbooks. OERs allow students to have access to their textbooks on the first day of class — no waiting for financial aid or textbooks to arrive.

https://kernvalleysun.com/faculty-saves-cccc-students-more-than-850000-on-textbooks/

U Phoenix E-Textbook Pilot Improves Adult Math Engagement - Dian Schaffhauser, Campus Technology

A pilot at the University of Phoenix found that a well-designed interactive textbook can help people stick with their math studies. The university worked with zyBooks from John Wiley & Sons in a two-course undergraduate sequence on quantitative reasoning. The pilot began in October 2019 and was transitioned into full implementation beginning in December 2019. The adoption involved 800-plus adult learners with an average age in the mid-30s.

https://campustechnology.com/articles/2020/09/21/u-phoenix-e-textbook-pilot-improves-adult-math-engagement.aspx

Pennsylvania’s grassroots network moves OER forward - SPARC

 To get more faculty and students to embrace the use of Open Educational Resources in Pennsylvania, Steven Bell says there is power in collective action. The commonwealth has no legislative mandate or education funding for OER, so he helped coordinate a statewide network to advance the open agenda.

https://sparcopen.org/news/2020/pennsylvanias-grassroots-network-moves-oer-forward/

Crowd-Sourced Texbook - Allison Campbell-Jensen, University of Minnesota

 What happens when you assign your class to compile their textbook from open access materials? Something pretty good, says psychology Professor Cheryl Olman.

https://www.continuum.umn.edu/2020/09/crowd-sourced-textbook/

The 2020 Open Textbook Pilot: why it matters and how to apply - US PIRG

 After incorporating feedback from public comments, the newest version of the Open Textbook Pilot grant more closely reflects Congressional intent as well as community input. This latest grant cycle opened September 15th and runs until November 16th, with some exciting changes that expanded the number of awards and added flexibility to the original program.  

https://uspirg.org/blogs/blog/usp/2020-open-textbook-pilot-why-it-matters-and-how-apply

CONGRATULATIONS TO STONY BOOK UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES’ 2019-2020 OPEN EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES GRANT RECIPIENTS! - , Mona Ramonetti, Stonybrook

Stony Brook University Libraries would like to congratulate the following instructors for creating, adapting and or adopting Open Educational Resources (OER) in their course/s. They are creating and or using openly available course materials that are customizable to their needs while significantly reducing or eliminating the costs of course materials for students. 

https://library.stonybrook.edu/2020/09/25/congratulations-to-stony-book-university-libraries-2019-2020-open-educational-resources-grant-recipients/

Open Educational Resources - UNLV Libraries

 Open Educational Resources (“OERs”) have been reshaping the landscape of learning for over a decade, but what are they and why should UNLV faculty consider including OERs in their classrooms and syllabi? Open Educational Resources (OERs) are openly available learning materials such as textbooks to curricula, syllabi, lecture notes, assignments, tests, projects, audio, video and animation. The nature of these open materials means that anyone can legally and freely copy, use, adapt and re-share them. 

https://www.library.unlv.edu/OER

Cerro Coso faculty save students $850K on textbooks - Daily Independent

 The Cerro Coso Community College faculty recently adopted the Open Education Resources (OER) in order to replace expensive textbooks. After Cerro Coso conducted a student textbook survey, it found that 40% of its students had to drop a course because they could not afford the course’s textbook. On top of that, 35% could not afford all of the textbooks required for classes by the first three weeks of classes. “There are many reasons why college students do not buy recommended and required textbooks, but fundamentally the biggest reason is they cannot afford them,” said Heather Ostash, Vice President of Student Services.

https://www.ridgecrestca.com/news/20200923/cerro-coso-faculty-save-students-850k-on-textbooks

Course Materials Conversion Program Call for Proposals Open - University of Arkansas

Each semester, the University of Arkansas Libraries and Global Campus offer compensation for faculty to reduce the cost of textbooks for their students by using Open Educational Resources (OER). Faculty may apply for one of two programs.  Faculty can apply to the Course Materials Conversion Program to receive extra compensation. Successful applicants can receive $3,000 for adopting OER, $4,500 for adapting OER, or $7,500 for creating their own. Visit the OER Course Materials Conversion program website to learn more about the program and the difference between these three options.  

https://news.uark.edu/articles/54735/course-materials-conversion-program-call-for-proposals-open

OpenStax Will Increase Its Library to 90 Free Textbooks After Receiving New Grants - IBL News

 OpenStax–Rice University’s OER publishing initiative–plans to vastly expand its library of free, public use textbooks after it received $12.5 million in new grants from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, the Charles Koch Foundation, and the Stand Together community. Support also comes from the Charles Koch Foundation and its parent nonprofit organization, Stand Together, formerly known as the Seminar Network.

https://iblnews.org/openstax-will-increase-its-library-to-90-free-textbooks-after-receiving-new-grants/