Did you know that since 2018 the UNC OER Committee has awarded over 27 grants to UNC faculty to adopt or create Open Educational Resources? And did you also know that 29 classes since 2019 have moved from commercial (expensive for students) to OER (free to students)? And did you also know that this has saved UNC students over $500,000 dollars?
Cool right?
It is cool! But, you know what would be cooler? If you adopted OER, and then your friends did, and then their friends did. Then we’d have OER everywhere and our students wouldn’t be paying so much for textbooks! That would be cool. No, no - it would be super cool.
So, what the heck are Open Educational Resources? Well, it can be complicated because people have different perspectives on the definition and there’s often lots of jargon that makes it hard to understand. Basically, they’re learning materials that can be used with no (or limited) restrictions, meaning you can alter them to fit your needs, and are typically free to use. It’s like sharing your teaching materials with your colleagues, but on a much bigger scale.
Although cost savings to students is an important outcome from adopting OER, there’s an additional benefit often reported where instructors finally feel unconstrained by the textbooks that we often feel don’t present material the way we wish it did. Once you take the dive into OER, the ability to adjust things the way you like it is much easier than using traditional textbooks that are highly regulated by copyright.
How can you learn more, you ask? Well, during Open Ed Week the OER Committee is hosting a series of events for the UNC community. Read all about those below, and don’t skip the list of upcoming (free) opportunities across the country that you can participate in beyond Open Ed Week!
UNC Live Events
Of Course Open Education Resources Sound Like a Good Idea…But How Do I Get Started?
Tuesday, March 8, 2:00-3:00 pm (online)
Saving students money, making sure that students have access to textbooks and course materials from the first day of class, using the best pieces of different sources, adapting someone else’s work to make it relevant to a specific population of students – these are all exceptional and worthwhile goals. But it is all so…overwhelming. Are you interested in moving away from traditional commercial (and costly) textbooks for your courses? In this webinar, Professor & Librarian Stephanie Wiegand will discuss taking baby steps towards using open educational resources (OER) and library-licensed materials (LER).
Open Educational Resources & Accessibility: A Wholistic View
Wednesday, March 9, 1:00-2:00 pm (online)
Accessibility in open education resources (OER) generally brings to mind the technical, nitty-gritty details concerning digital documents and learning objects. The minutiae of alt tags, contrasting colors, and navigational headings only partially encompass the sphere of accessibility in OER. The very foundations of OER are built on an ethical framework of accessibility that is necessary to achieve equity and inclusion in higher education. Accessibility includes issues of design, discovery, language, organization, diversity of content, and more. Accessibility should not be considered an accommodation, but rather a way to improve education for all. Join Professor & Librarian Stephanie Wiegand for a discussion concerning accessibility and OER. If you are ready to learn more or considering reviewing, adopting, adapting, or creating an OER, this discussion is for you.
Let's Talk Textbooks
Thursday, March 10, 11:00 am - 1:00 pm, University Center, Aspen Suites
Drop in, grab something to eat, and chat with colleagues about commercial textbooks, open educational resources, & library-licensed educational materials.
Free Professional Development Opportunities
Open Education Symposium
March 7-11, 2022 | Free & Online
hosted by the Centre for Teaching and Learning,
University of Alberta
3rd Annual Missouri A&OER Conference 2022
March 9-11, 2022 | Free & Online
Open Educational Practices Conference 2022
April 20-21, 2022 | Free & Online
hosted by Texas Woman’s University
Digital Initiatives Symposium
April 25-26, 2022 | Online
hosted by Copley Library at University of San Diego
OpenCon Cleveland 2022 Conference
May 20, 2022 | Free & Online
hosted by Cleveland State University
