OER is revolutionizing textbook use at UTSA - Faith Kouadio, the Paisano

UTSA Libraries’ Open Educational Resources (OER) are changing the landscape of expensive educational materials on campus. Through open licensing, digital and print textbooks, videos, class assignments, exercises and more can be utilized in class curriculums at no or low cost. Open Education Coordinator DeeAnn Ivie and the UTSA Libraries team are looking to increase the use of these materials in core curriculum classes — classes that are eligible for transfer credit to other Texas institutions — to as close as 100% within the next five to seven years. 

https://paisano-online.com/38717/news/oer-is-revolutionizing-textbook-use-at-utsa/

Open Educational Resources cut student costs and increase engagement - Sandra Messick, UC Santa Cruz

Many students face a financial challenge when it comes to covering the cost of course materials each quarter. This can sometimes prevent them from taking a class or be the reason behind their decision to withdraw from one. To help reduce this financial burden, a growing number of instructors at UC Santa Cruz are using Open Educational Resources (OER). It’s an equity issue,” said Sarah Hare, UC Santa Cruz’s new open educational resources librarian. “Students cannot engage in class if they can’t access the text or the homework.” 

https://news.ucsc.edu/2024/02/open-educational-resources-program.html

Impact of Open Education Resources By Denis Shannon & Kathryn Senn, University of Wyoming

As college tuition and associated fees continue to rise, so too have the prices of textbooks. Between February 2020 and January 2023, the overall cost of textbooks to students has risen 7.2%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistic’s 2023 report. A 2022 report conducted by the National Association of College Stores found that students are spending less on course materials than in previous years and around one in four students opted out of purchasing at least one course material.  This is further corroborated by a survey conducted by the Florida Virtual Campus in 2022 where 53.5% of survey respondents said they did not buy a required textbook because of its cost.

https://www.uwyo.edu/libraries/about/blog/2024/impact-of-oer.html

The University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) Recognizes 3 Faculty Members for OER: Announcement of Applications - UIC

Nominate faculty for USG Open Educational Resources Leadership Award

February 19, 2024

Dear faculty, staff and students,

The Undergraduate Student Government, in collaboration with the University Library and the Office of the Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, is excited to commence the USG Faculty OER Leadership Award Program.

The award recognizes faculty members who demonstrate exemplary usage of open educational resources in their classrooms and are leaders in using and advocating for open course material. Examples of such use include, but are not limited to, using open textbooks, using/incorporating free educational resources/materials in courses and creating open educational materials. Three faculty members will be selected to receive a $500 award and recognition at award ceremonies.

https://today.uic.edu/nominate-faculty-for-usg-open-educational-resources-leadership-award/

Training the STEM Teachers

A total of 156 STEM teachers are currently participating in a two-day training across four locations, aimed at enhancing their content knowledge, technology utilisation, and inclusive pedagogies in their profession. The focus is on promoting higher-order thinking with a commitment to inclusion and equity through subject-specific modules and additional workshops. Further, this training is also in line with His Majesty’s vision of enhancing the quality of STEM education by optimally integrating ICT to enable effective and world-class education. Hosted in four locations: Thimphu, Phuentsholing, Gelephu, and Trashigang, the workshop is organised by Samtse College of Education in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Skill Development. The teachers could utilise open Open Educational Resources (OER) in delivering their lessons to the students at a superior level and channel students’ interest and learning towards the subjects.

https://kuenselonline.com/training-the-stem-teachers/

Unlocking Research Potential: Canada's Webinar Series on Open Educational Resources - Digital Research Alliance of Canada

Join the Digital Research Alliance of Canada National Training Expert Group for an enlightening webinar series on Canadian Open Educational Resources (OERs) and their impact on research data management. Gain insights from renowned experts like Robyn Stobbs and uncover new horizons in research collaboration and innovation. The Digital Research Alliance of Canada National Training Expert Group is spearheading an innovative webinar series to shed light on Canadian Open Educational Resources (OERs) with an emphasis on research data management. This initiative marks a pivotal moment in the realm of academic research, fostering a deeper understanding and utilization of OERs. Among the notable panelists, Robyn Stobbs, an esteemed Research Data Management (RDM) Librarian from Athabasca University (AU), is slated to share invaluable insights, highlighting the series' significance in the current academic landscape.

https://bnnbreaking.com/breaking-news/education/unlocking-research-potential-canadas-webinar-series-on-open-educational-resources

UIC Open Educational Resources Faculty Incentive Program – University of Illinois Chicago

UIC is pleased to announce the continuation of the Open Educational Resources Faculty Incentive Program. The funding for this program encourages faculty to use open educational textbooks and other open educational resources as alternatives to traditional textbooks for undergraduate courses. This incentive program is part of UIC’s student success initiatives and was developed in response to student concerns about the high cost of course materials. This cycle, up to $40,000 will be available to UIC faculty who teach undergraduates. To qualify to participate in the program, faculty must adopt or adapt existing open educational resources or create new openly licensed material. 

https://today.uic.edu/open-educational-resources-faculty-incentive-program-applications-due-april-5/

OER Champions - UBC, Canada

Is your prof saving you money by using Open Educational Resources (OERs) in their class? If they are, nominate them to be an OER Champion! OERs are free, online learning materials that remove the barriers the high-cost of textbooks can represent. These resources have helped thousands of students engage with their courses without financial pressures. While different OERs have different looks and implementations, they all share on thing in common – they’re free to use. Profs who make use of OERs deserve to be celebrated.

https://www.ams.ubc.ca/what-we-stand-for/campaigns/oer-champions/

Brock to celebrate Open Education Week - Colleen Patterson, Brock University

Brock University will join institutions in almost 100 countries in raising awareness of Open Education (OE) Week from Monday, March 4 to Friday, March 8. The University’s Centre for Pedagogical Innovation (CPI) in partnership with the Brock Library are celebrating the innovation taking place to make education more accessible, affordable, inclusive and collaborative by participating in global events, as well as offering a full day of information sessions on Wednesday, March 6. “OE is a movement within education that aims to remove barriers and open up education through the use of open education practices and open educational resources (OER),” says Brock Teaching and Learning Librarian Kymberly Ash.

https://brocku.ca/brock-news/2024/03/brock-to-celebrate-open-education-week/

Textbooks or Online Educational Materials? Share - GEORGE LEEF, National Review

College textbooks have become increasingly expensive over the years. Authors and publishers milk students all they can, regularly putting out “new” editions that have only minor, unnecessary changes. Some schools have tried to counter this burden by moving to online materials. That’s not a bad development, but in today’s Martin Center article, Duke student Sherman Criner wonders if this could go too far.

https://www.natio , nalreview.com/corner/textbooks-or-online-educational-materials/

Open educational resources News Archive - University of Manitoba

Celebrating Open Education Week with special UM event

February 20, 2024 — 

This Open Education Week, March 4-8, 2024, the University of Manitoba will be hosting an event featuring keynote speaker Kayla Lar-Son, Acting Head of the Xwi7xwa at the University of British Columbia.

Wednesday, March 6, 2024, 12 noon to 2:30 p.m.

Room 108, St John’s College, University of Manitoba

Details and registration

Pizza and coffee will be provided for registrants.

Check the event registration page for information on attending the event virtually.

Kayla, joining us via Zoom, will share Reflections of amiskwaciy: Indigenous protocols in open education, followed by an in-person panel of open educational resource (OER) users from the University of Manitoba who will discuss their experiences with OER.  Kayla Lar-Son is a member of the Metis Nation of Alberta, with Ukrainian heritage, and is originally from Tofield Alberta. She holds a BA in Native Studies from the University of Alberta and an MLIS from the University of Alberta. She is the current Acting Head of the Xwi7xwa at the University of British Columbia. 

https://news.umanitoba.ca/reflections-of-amiskwaciy-indigenous-protocols-in-open-education/

OER Dynamic Coalition Webinar celebrating Open Education Week - UNESCO

UNESCO is organising a webinar to specifically assess the impact of emerging technologies on education, with a focus on the rising prevalence of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI). The exploration will extend to the role of open knowledge in effectively managing challenges and capitalizing on opportunities arising from AI-generated educational content. Furthermore, the discourse will address the intriguing possibility of integrating blockchain technology into education. This exploration will assess how blockchain can contribute to enhancing transparency, security, and the verification of educational credentials.

O

ER DC Webinar celebrating Open Education Week

7 March 2024 - 4:00 pm - 7 March 2024 - 5:00 pm

Location

UNESCO Headquarters, Paris, France

Rooms :

Room VIII

Type :

Cat VII – Seminar and training

Arrangement type :

Virtual

Language(s) :

French

English

https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/oer-dynamic-coalition-webinar-celebrating-open-education-week

Arkansas Tech University to Host Open Educational Resources Event on March 4 at Ross Pendergraft Library - Delia Reynolds, ATU

Learn About Open Educational Resources March 4: Ross Pendergraft Library and Technology Center at Arkansas Tech University to host informational session on open educational resources.

Ross Pendergraft Library And Technology Center At ATU To Observe Open Education Week 2024

Open Education Aims To Remove Financial Barriers To Educational Materials

ATU Session To Inform Students About Zero Textbook Cost Classes

ATU’s Engagement In Open Educational Resources Movement Sparked By Leadership Tech Project

https://www.bollyinside.com/news/technology/arkansas-tech-university-to-host-open-educational-resources-event-on-march-4-at-ross-pendergraft-library/

How Musselman Library, JCCTL are championing student success through affordable course materials - Gettysburg College

To help counter the rising costs of textbooks, Gettysburg College remains committed to affordable course materials through this initiative, which has expanded to include professional development opportunities for faculty. “The textbook affordability initiative is rooted in our equity mindset for supporting student success,” said Janelle Wertzberger, the assistant dean and director of scholarly communications at Musselman Library.

https://www.gettysburg.edu/news/stories?id=4c5b7226-d235-44e4-bd4f-b218003689b1&pageTitle=How+Musselman+Library%2C+JCCTL+are+championing+student+success+through+affordable+course+materials

Open education week at UNM - Sara Velasquez, University of New Mexico

Join us for an engaging week of events celebrating Open Education Week at The University of New Mexico (UNM). Organized by the UNM Open Educational Resources (OER) Group, these events are designed to raise awareness of current initiatives and honor the contributions of open educators across our campus. Open Education Week is an annual celebration dedicated to sharing and advancing Open Educational Resources (OER). OER are teaching, learning, and research materials that are freely available to the public or released under an open license, allowing for their use, modification, and sharing.

https://news.unm.edu/news/open-education-week-at-unm

Learn how CU Boulder educators use open educational resources (OER) - University of Colorado Libraries

Concerned about the rising cost of higher education for your students? Eager to ensure equitable access to course materials for everyone in your courses? Step into the world of open educational resources (OER) with the help of the University Libraries. We are hosting a panel discussion with CU Boulder educators who have created open educational resources (OER). This virtual discussion will take place March 4 from 11:15 a.m. to 12 p.m. Registration required. Participants will receive the Zoom link the day before the event. “I love OER not just for free student access, but also because they allow access in perpetuity and permit use of the resource with a clear and transparent license,” said Alex Saltzman, assistant teaching professor and McNeill Academic Coordinator. 

https://www.colorado.edu/libraries/2024/02/16/learn-how-cu-boulder-educators-use-open-educational-resources-oer

Unleashing the Potential of Culturally Relevant Learning with OER - New America

OER can allow educators to provide culturally relevant instructional materials as some states ban or censor certain educational resources, particularly pertaining to stories about LGBTQ+ youth and students of color. In 2023 alone, 3,362 books were banned, restricted, or censored in U.S. public K-12 schools. 42% of the 3,362 books cover topics like youth health and wellbeing, 30% include characters of color or discuss race or racism, and 30% have LGBTQ+ characters or themes. Despite its potential, a 2023 study indicates that only 28% of teachers are aware of OER and Creative Commons licensing. However, over three-quarters of teachers create their classroom materials, possibly unaware that they are developing OER. 

https://www.newamerica.org/education-policy/edcentral/unleashing-the-potential-of-culturally-relevant-learning-with-oer/

Affordable Content Grants: OER@UNO - University of Nebraska Omaha

UNO Libraries is excited to announce the next round of Affordable Content Grants @ UNO. This is a great opportunity to undertake a project that will help students while also allowing for increased customization of teaching materials for your course or courses. Dozens of UNO faculty have taken advantage of this program over the past three years. You can read about faculty experiences with these grants via past Texbook Mavericks honorees, Steffi Jesseau and Zac Suriano, and Cameron Logsdon, Stephanie Larsen, and Abbie Syrek.

https://www.unomaha.edu/criss-library/news/2024/02/affordable-content-grants.php

Faculty Express Strong Interest in Affordable Access Programs at a Time of Deep Concern With Student Preparedness - National Association of School Stores

The top two areas where faculty wanted assistance from the college store were help with understanding affordability of course materials options (41% of faculty), and help learning about alternative course material models like inclusive access and open educational resources (OER) (also 41% of faculty). Despite a 92% awareness of OER and more resources available, faculty use of OER remained steady at 39%, up one percent since 2020. Print remains the most widely used course material format by faculty. In 2023, 72% of faculty used print materials. Intent to use courseware or adaptive learning platforms in the coming year remained steady at just under 32%.

https://apigateway.agilitypr.com/distributions/history/10e65bd3-e162-4cf2-b45a-d154988e15a9

Russian OER Textbook - University of Wisconsin Language Institute

This project is developing an online Russian language textbook that will be released as an open educational resource (OER). The focus of the textbook is on countries other than Russia that have Russian-speaking populations, as well as on minority groups within the Russian Federation. The project diversifies the voices available to students studying Russian, addressing a lack of representation in diversity in current Russian language textbooks. The urgency of the project has been heightened by the war in Ukraine and the increasing number of students studying Russian in Russian-speaking countries outside of Russia.

https://languageinstitute.wisc.edu/russian-oer-textbook/

Yeshiva University Libraries Take Proactive Steps Towards Affordable Education with Open Educational Resources - Paul Glassman , Justin Thomas and Emily Apterbach, the Commentator

Yeshiva University Libraries have set ambitious goals for 2023-2025, strategically incorporating open educational resources (OER) into their initiatives. OER includes a diverse range of freely accessible teaching, learning and research materials, including textbooks, articles, videos, software and more, all made available under an open license. We also encourage using materials that are available via Yeshiva University Libraries. The move to OER adoption and leveraging library-licensed materials as textbook alternatives aligns with the university's commitment to supporting student success by addressing the escalating costs of textbooks and promoting equitable access to essential course materials. 

https://yucommentator.org/2024/02/yeshiva-university-libraries-take-proactive-steps-towards-affordable-education-with-open-educational-resources/