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Affordable Learning Ohio

OhioLINK 2022 OER Course Redesign Grants

Over and over, we have heard that two of the main barriers to converting to an Open Educational Resource (OER) are the lack of time and lack of funding necessary to explore open alternatives. To that end, OhioLINK Affordable Learning is introducing OER Course Redesign Grants. 

What: OhioLINK Affordable Learning received funding from MHEC (Midwest Higher Education Compact) to create a pilot program to help faculty learn more about using openly-licensed or other affordable course content for their high-enrollment courses. With this funding, we are offering 6-8 OER Course Redesign Grants.

Who: Any full-time or part-time faculty from OhioLINK member institutions interesting in learning more about teaching with OER is eligible to apply. If your application is selected, you will receive a $600 stipend for participating. We are offering 6-8 course redesign grants depending on interest and number of applicants who meet the criteria.   

When: The program will be held between March 7-25th, 2022 and will require a commitment of approximately 4-8 hours of asynchronous work. It can be completed online, and will also require a synchronous Zoom discussion session.

Deadline to apply: January 28th, 2022.

Application is simple:

1) fill out a brief form

2) submit the course syllabus in which you are interested in using OER to Anna Bendo at abendo@ohiolink.edu

3) have your department chair send an e-mail of support for your application to Anna Bendo at abendo@ohiolink.edu.

How does the program work?

Apply by January 28th. Complete and submit your application in 3 steps: fill out the form. Submit the syllabus for the course in which you are interested in using an OER to Anna Bendo at abendo@ohiolink.edu, and have your department chair/dean send an email of support to Anna Bendo at abendo@ohiolink.edu. 

If you are selected to participate, you will receive a $600 stipend for participating in the symposium.  

An OhioLINK OER Librarian will review your syllabus and map suggested openly-licensed, affordable, or library-licensed content to syllabus topics. You can then use these suggestions to being to explore open resources that could be a good fit for your course. 

From March 7-25th, participants will engage in an asynchronous  Textbook Affordability Course online. Participants will explore the basics of open education, review an open access or low-cost resource, learn how to align course content with learning outcomes, and reflect on advocating for affordable or open access course materials in the future. There are four modules of content, each of which should take 1-2 hours to complete. 

As part of the training, each participant will: 

  • Attend at least one synchronous Zoom discussion session (out of 2-3 options)
  • Review at least one openly-licensed, library-licensed, or low-cost resource in their discipline by March 25th, 2022.
  • Create a curriculum map to align the open access or low-cost resource to their course
  • Write a short report outlining how they will take action to implement the use of the openly licensed content across all sections/semesters of the course 

After the training, each participant will: 

  • Use at least one openly-licensed, library-licensed, or low-cost resource (required or optional) in a course they are teaching in Fall 2022 or Spring 2023 OR create and use openly licensed ancillary materials (e.g., quiz questions, PowerPoint slides, etc.) for a course they are teaching in Spring 2023 or Fall 2023 
  • Present on a panel at the Ohio OpenCon conference in Spring 2022 and/or at a future OhioLINK open textbook workshop, or other institution, if approved.
  • Provide OhioLINK Affordable Learning with a “testimonial” that shares the outcome from participating in the symposium and switch to OER for your class. 

If you have any questions, please contact Anna Bendo at abendo@ohiolink.edu.