OER Digest – July 28, 2022
OER Digest
Michael Basmajian (PIRG) | Volume 158 | July 28, 2022
THE OER DIGEST
Your bi-weekly newsletter for open education updates, opportunities, and reminders
OPEN CONNECTIONS
Conferences, jobs, and other OER-related opportunities
JOB: The Open Education Conference is seeking a conference manager to coordinate annual conference logistics and provide year-round support to the broader conference community. Learn more and apply here.
CALL FOR PROPOSALS: The Wisconsin Open Education Symposium is currently accepting proposals for the second annual, virtual event held October 28, 2022. The Committee is looking for engaging presentations on the theme “Open for Equity.” Learn more and submit a presentation proposal here.
REGISTER NOW: There is still space available for this year's Cal OER conference, which is taking place virtually on August 3-5, 2022. The keynote panel on Thursday, Aug. 4th will focus on the often too neglected non-financial benefits of OER for the community. Learn more and register here.
REGISTER NOW: Clover Park Technical College is hosting their first OER Faculty Institute on Friday, August 5 and Saturday, August 6 for free over Zoom. There will be keynote presentations from internationally recognized professional/technical colleges as well as breakout sessions on finding OER, accessibility in OER, open licenses, as well as panels on prof/tech OER opportunities and challenges, and a panel on OER and librarians. Learn more and register here.
REGISTER NOW: BCcampus in British Columbia is holding a webinar on accessibility and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in open educational resources on August 16, 2022. The session will build on what we know about technical accessibility to explore how we can go beyond minimum accessibility requirements. Learn more and register here.
REGISTER NOW: SPARC is hosting a Knowledge Equity Discussion Series to provide an introduction to broad concepts and considerations of epistemic injustice and knowledge equity in the areas of academic libraries and archives. Learn more and register here.
GRANT OPPORTUNITY: The U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is accepting applications for the National Leadership Grants for Libraries and Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Programs. IMLS’s efforts in OER have been to promote the use of technology and an “open” environment to enhance the quality and reach of museum, library, and educational resources. Learn more here.
STORIES FROM THE FIELD
Quick snapshots of those making change on the ground level, and those impacted
FROM CALIFORNIA: The Michelson 20MM Foundation's Open Educational Resources initiative recently awarded grants to three projects that will support the implementation of California's Zero-Textbook-Cost program, provide education on licensing and copyright issues, and protect student privacy. These projects include: mentorship and training for five California community colleges in their zero-textbook-cost degree program; training 15 California Community College educators, librarians and course designers from across the Bay Area on copyright, open licensing and open practices in a week-long CC bootcamp; and conducting an analysis of how digital courseware and textbook publishers collect student data and create resources help the higher education community protect students' data privacy. Read More >>
FROM TENNESSEE: A group of Middle Tennessee State University faculty and staff are using an OER grant to save students on textbooks costs. Since 2019, the group has used $100,000 in grant money to save 2,500-plus students more than $150,000. In total, more than 70 faculty members in 25 different courses used OER in the most recent academic year. Read More >>
HOT OFF THE PRESS
Each edition, we highlight an interesting, new, openly-licensed resource
Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine and Virginia Tech Publishing are pleased to announce publication of two new open textbooks by Andrew Binks, titled Pulmonary Physiology for Pre-Clinical Students and Pulmonary Pathophysiology for Pre-Clinical Students. These works are the fourth and fifth in a five-volume series of open textbooks for pre-clinical medical education by Renee LeClair and Andrew Binks.
WEIGH IN
Great reads to repost or share and interesting discussions to consider
Great to Share >>
Pandemic Boost for Digital Course Materials | Inside Higher Ed
5 websites to download free textbooks | Study International
Interesting to Consider >>
Newsom’s bid to make textbooks free delayed in community colleges central office | EdSource
Evolving Faculty Views on Teaching, Publishing and Technology | Inside Higher Ed
Does Inclusive Access Affect Academic Outcomes? Interview with Dr. Elizabeth Spica | InclusiveAccess.org
Have suggestions for the next edition? Let us know at oerd...@gmail.com, or tweet us @OERdigest.
The OER Digest is a public newsletter distributed to a broad group of stakeholders across the higher education community. Subscribe here.