OER Digest – July 25, 2024
Aishah Abdullah (SPARC) | Volume 183 | July 25, 2024
THE OER DIGEST
Your monthly newsletter for open education updates, opportunities, and reminders
OPEN CONNECTIONS
Conferences, jobs, and other OER-related opportunities
REGISTER NOW: 2024 Open Education Conference (#OpenEd24) registration is open. The hybrid conference will be held on October 8-10 in Providence, RI and online. Attendees can choose to join in person, virtually, or both. The early bird rates are $450 USD for in-person attendance and $75 USD for virtual attendance. The conference theme is “It’s About Time”. Register and view rates here.
CALL FOR ABSTRACTS: The MIT OpenCourseWare Collaborations Program announced their AI + Open Education Initiative at MIT Open Learning. They are inviting practitioners in open education and AI to submit proposals for rapid response papers or multimedia projects that explore the future of open education in an ecosystem inhabited and shaped by AI systems.
CALL FOR PROPOSALS: The SUNY OER Summit 2024 - Open Educational Resources: Supporting Faculty, Empowering Students, is being held virtually on October 16-17, 2024, to explore innovative approaches, case studies, and trends in OER. The call for proposals is open and due on July 31, inviting submissions for presentations, interactive demos/discussions, and lightning presentations.
STORIES FROM THE FIELD
Quick snapshots of those making change on the ground level, and those impacted
PIRG REPORT: PIRG has released a report titled “Automatic Textbook Billing: Limited Choice, Uncertain Savings”. This focuses on the evolving landscape of automatic textbook billing and the harm that accompanies these practices. This comprehensive report discusses findings from 171 contracts and investigates how these contractual agreements influence student access to affordable course materials. It also highlights ongoing concerns regarding transparency in pricing, student data privacy, and the potential limitations imposed on students' choices within the textbook market. Read More >>
FROM CALIFORNIA: Citrus College has implemented Open Educational Resources and other low-cost alternatives, saving students $479,808 during the fall 2023 semester alone. Between fall 2022 and fall 2023, the number of courses marked "OER" increased by 50.8%. Sarah Bosler, public services librarian, shared “Last year, a survey revealed that 84% of our students decided against buying or renting a textbook because of cost, while 87% found that the cost of textbooks impacted their course selection.” This initiative aims to make education more affordable and accessible for students at their campus. Read More >>
FROM MAINE: The University of New England (UNE) received an $80,000 grant from the Davis Educational Foundation to expand its open educational resources initiatives. This funding will support mini-grants for faculty to adopt and customize OER materials, aimed at reducing student costs and increasing engagement. Beth Dyer, dean of UNE Library Services, noted, “Over 90% of students did not purchase a required textbook due to costs.” The grant will also facilitate workshops and professional development opportunities for faculty to enhance their use of OER. Read More >>
HOT OFF THE PRESS
Each edition, we highlight an interesting, new, openly-licensed resource
Western Open Books announces Africa’s Knowledge Bridge. This open text aims to provide a one-stop repository for first-hand evidence on COVID-19, eliminating concerns about payments and subscriptions for people in developing countries.
WEIGH IN
Great reads to repost or share and interesting discussions to consider
Cut Bloated Textbook Spending, Not Teachers' Jobs | ChicoState Today
Julia Trachtman: One way to cut college costs| Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Here’s Biden’s Chance to Protect Students from Predatory Textbook Billing | The Hill
Automatic Textbook Billing: Does it help students save money or cost them more? | WFTV
Open Educational Resources Key to Avoiding High Cost of Textbooks | Miami University
Doing the math: Saving students money on textbooks | 21st Century Center
Federal Rule Change May Undermine ‘Inclusive Access’ Textbook Models | EdSurge
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