This session introduces the Open Educational Resource (OER) initiatives of the Division of Digital Learning (DDL) at the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB). The THECB is facilitating the use of OER through capacity building grants to encourage adoption of affordable, accessible, and flexible resources at scale.
Online Learning Support funding for Open Educational Resource (OER) initiatives will be used to enhance quality in online course offerings and reduce the costs of instructional materials for students. This will be accomplished by fostering awareness of the benefits and uses of OER among faculty and support staff at public and independent institutions, and by building and/or increasing institutional capacity for OER courses and programs.
This session will examine the successes that have been obtained by building and scaling OER initiatives in partnership with public and independent institutions and organizations across the state and nation. Several initiatives including the creation of an OER repository, the development of professional learning academies, and ongoing research projects will be discussed.
Levels of Participation:
There will be an interactive panel discussion regarding creating productive partnerships. Fundamental statewide OER projects will be highlighted, such as an OER Repository and framework grants for OER policy and program building at institutions. Innovations that have led to successful adoption of OER, the impact of the work on students and institutions, and lessons learned from the launching of the first OER grant program in 2018 to the present will be shared.
Session Goals:
Attendees will learn about building successful partnerships in OER and effectively creating and managing OER content. Participants will be encouraged to consider how initiatives could be adapted for their own OER advocacy. In addition, presenters will share pedagogical and curricular strategies for developing high-quality OER, engagement approaches, and strategies for effective collaboration.