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CETL Faculty Pages

Helping you help students.

Introduction to OER

What is OER?

Open Educational Resources (OER) are teaching, learning, and research materials that are freely accessible and can be used, adapted, and shared without cost. These resources either reside in the public domain or are under copyright but have been released under an open license, allowing for re-use, re-purposing, adaptation, and redistribution. OER include a variety of formats, such as digital text, multimedia, textbooks, workbooks, and tutorials, and are designed to reduce barriers to education and lower costs. This movement encourages collaboration and innovation within the educational community by supporting the creation and sharing of resources among educators and students (Forward, 2017; UNESCO, n.d.).

Why OER?

Open Educational Resources (OER) are central to the open education movement, which aims to promote equality and accessibility in education. This approach addresses several key challenges that hinder access to high-quality learning:

  1. Outdated Educational Materials: Traditional textbooks and resources often become outdated quickly, particularly in rapidly advancing fields like science and technology. Since these materials are only as current as their latest edition, students and educators using them may fall behind. OER, however, can be continuously updated, adapted, and refined, ensuring that learners have access to the most up-to-date information.

  2. Cost: The high cost of educational materials is a significant obstacle for many students, who may have to choose between purchasing expensive resources or accumulating debt. The open education movement tackles this issue by offering high-quality educational materials online for free, thereby alleviating the financial strain on students.

  3. Access and Equity: Geographic limitations, financial barriers, and systemic inequalities can restrict access to quality education. OER help to overcome these challenges by providing educational resources that are freely accessible to all students, regardless of their location or financial situation, thereby promoting a more equitable learning environment.

By addressing these critical issues, OER contribute to a more inclusive and accessible educational landscape, empowering both students and educators to thrive.

OER Grant Funding from OSRHE

Syllabus Polices

GUIDE: Applying for the OSRHE OER Teaching Grants

The OER committee and CETL worked together to create this guide to lead you through every step in the OER grant and MOU process.

STEP 1: Indicating Interest in the Grants
  1. Fill out and submit the OSRHE OER Grant Interest Form
    • On the flyer sent out by OSRHE (also distributed by Academic Affairs)
    • On the OSRHE OER website under a “Grant Collaboration” heading
  2. After submitting the form, Tracy Romano (from OSRHE) will email you to set up a meeting time or provide a recording explaining the OER Grant, MOU, and expected deliverables.
  3. Upon completion of the meeting/video, an MOU will be sent to you.
STEP 2: Filling Out and Completing the MOU

You (as faculty) are responsible for correctly filling out the MOU. Please pay attention to the following:

  1. Select the proper OER Level:
    LEVEL 0 $500 Refresh or create ancillary materials for an existing OER in use or collaborate on OER teaching.
    LEVEL 1 $1,000 Adopt a new, single Open Educational Resource (OER) textbook.
    LEVEL 2 $1,500 Adopt two or more OERs and remix/revise them into a new single OER textbook.
    LEVEL 3 $3,000 Full authorship of a single new OER textbook with at least 75% original content.
  2. OPTIONAL: Select the add-on awards for your project:
    Option A $500 Ancillary Materials
    Option B $500 Teaching Collaborators (up to 3 additional faculty members)
    Option C $250 Project Collaborator (only one, usually a librarian or CETL instructional designer)
  3. Get the proper signatures:
    1. You (the faculty) must sign the MOU
    2. Send the MOU to Leah Lyon (llyon@ecok.edu) in the ECU Grants Office for her signature
    3. After receiving the signed MOU back from Leah Lyon, send to OSRHE (Tracy Romano) and the ECU OER Team:
      1. Put OSRHE on the TO line:
      2. Put the ECU OER team on the CC line:

STEP 3: Verification of Adoption
  1. You need to have ONE of the following ready (around the time class begins):
    1. Course Syllabus
      → Include a statement that the course uses OER or is an OER course (mentioning the specific OER text is highly encouraged).
    2. ECU Bookstore Screenshot
      → Take a screenshot of the ECU Bookstore website showing your course has no required texts.
  2. Email this item to Tracy Romano (tromano@osrhe.edu)
STEP 4: Teaching, Data Collection, and OER Report Writing

Reference your MOU under "Addendum 1: Final Project Report" for details on the desired report.

  1. Teach your OER Course
  2. Before the course ends:
    • Send out a survey to students to collect data on OER usage.
      → Ensure the survey connects to the data needed for the report required by OSRHE.
  3. Gather and Evaluate:
    → Analyze survey data along with student success and outcomes.
  4. Write the OER Report.
    → Refer to “Addendum 1: Final Project Report” in your MOU for guidance.
  5. Send your report to Tracy Romano (tromano@osrhe.edu)


🎉 Congratulations! You are done! 🎉

Thank you for your effort to remove financial barriers for ECU students and provide them with an equitable education.

- The OER (and CETL) Team at ECU
Wendy McKibben, Shawna Bishop, and Skye Norman

References

Forward, L. (2017). What are Open Educational Resources? Indiana University of Pennsylvania. https://libraryguides.lib.iup.edu/c.php?g=660341&p=4636705 (double check this)

UNESCO. (n.d.). Open educational resources (OER). https://www.unesco.org/en/open-educational-resources