LibGuides: Open Educational Resources (OER): Communicating the Value of OER

Getting Support Checklist

Possible Stakeholders to Discuss OER with:

Department Head- what will support within the department be?
Dean- will there be administrative support? Can the school collaborate with other schools?
Bookstore- how should they be notified? How will this affect them? Could they play a role in printing or other distribution? Could students order OER directly from them?
Director of College LMS/ educational technology- considerations in loading and accessing content
ADA expert- how will these materials be accessible?

Appeal to Administration

Below are the most important resources you can use when helping administrators understand the value of OER:

Compelling Reasons to Adopt OER for Senior Management
Gives an explanation of OER specifically for administrators. Includes information on marketing, quality, productivity, and institutional reputation.
Lumen Learning Impact Meter
Adjust the meter to match the data from your institution. This is the potential impact OER could have for your students! Includes total amount of money students are spending on textbooks as well as how much each learning objective costs in comparison.
Open Textbooks: A Policy Guide
Provides current, relevant information on the textbook issue for students. Also gives sample programs and information on how to get grants and develop robust programs around OER.

To Learn More

Open at the Margins
This book represents a starting point towards curating and centering marginal voices and non-dominant epistemic stances in open education. It includes the work of 43 diverse authors whose perspectives challenge the dominant hegemony.
OER: A Field Guide for Academic Librarians
A guide for would-be champions of OER, that anyone—called to action by the example set by our chapter authors—might serve as guides themselves.
(Not just for librarians)

Resources

CCCOER Policy Models
Mostly policies that R1 universities are currently implementing but can still be helpful as a framework.
Exploring the Business Case for OER Open Book
Explores the economics of adopting an OER policy in more detail, including how it can increase retention.
Why Open Education Matters Video
Simplistic video that can be shown to stakeholders to explain what basic open education is.
ACRL Post: Alternate Textbooks + Engaged Students = Retention Value
Covers cutting costs for students and impact.
JISC Guidelines
Guidelines on how to better retain students.

Organizations

The following organizations are dedicating to supporting OER and facilitating their use in academia. If you'd like to further support open learning, please visit their websites. Some resources also go beyond the information on this guide to give more extensive information on OER.