OER DIGEST - DECEMBER 2, 2021
From Bilan Jama (CC USA) | Volume 142 | December 2, 2021
THE OER DIGEST
Your bi-weekly newsletter for open education updates, opportunities, and reminders
RENEWED PLEDGE FOR #GOOPEN: The #GoOpen initiative is developing some exciting new components this fall to elevate its support of open education. ISKME, together with the United States Department of Education, invite all K-12 educators, district leaders, and state leaders interested in advancing open education in their agency policies or in classroom practice, to take the #GoOpen Pledge of Support. The #GoOpen Pledge represents a public commitment to the principles of open education, demonstrated through the use of OER. The pledge is designed to be sustainable and serve learners no matter who leads the work, which is why it can be renewed every three years. Upon taking the pledge, each person will be presented with a #GoOpen digital badge to display their support for OER and #GoOpen. OER IN EUROPEAN LIBRARIES: SPARC Europe released a new report entitled Open Education in European Libraries of Higher Education. The report analyzes survey responses from higher education libraries in 28 European countries. The report outlines the challenges, opportunities, and needs of European academic libraries in their efforts to implement and accelerate the Open Education roadmap and UNESCO Recommendation on OER.
OPEN CONNECTIONS
Conferences, jobs, and other OER-related opportunities
LAST CHANCE: The deadline to self-nominate for the Open Education Conference Board of Directors is Friday, December 3rd at 11:59pm PST. All members of the community are encouraged to review the eligibility criteria and complete the self-nomination form. Learn more and register to vote here.REGISTER NOW: It’s only a few days until #OERcampglobal! This user-generated “unconference" is free and offers around-the-clock, global programming on December 9-11, 2021. Learn more and register here. REGISTER NOW: ISKME and the Department of Education invite educators and leaders to the 2021 #GoOpen Virtual National Convening, on Friday, December 10th 11:00 AM-2:30 PM ET. Learn more and register here. DEADLINE EXTENDED: OpenSkill is supporting institutions to implement high quality OER, and providing up to $10,000 in grant funding, through the spring, summer, and fall of 2022. The team at Arizona State University will be providing services ranging from technology integration to learning design to course development in LMSs. Applications will now be accepted until January 7th at 5pm PT. Learn more and apply here. REGISTER NOW: Registration is now open for the 2021 Arizona Regional OER Conference. January 29th is the kickoff date and the conference will continue each Friday in February and ending on the first Friday in March (1/29/21 - 3/5/21). Learn more and register here.
STORIES FROM THE FIELD
Quick snapshots of those making change on the ground level, and those impacted
FROM CONNECTICUT: As part of the University of New Haven’s Open Pedagogy Project, nine faculty members have been creating new course materials designed to foster exciting and engaging opportunities for students. The Open Pedagogy Project endeavors to empower faculty to design courses both for and with their students and help faculty members create resources they can use in the classroom and share with each other. In the rest of the article, they reflect on their work and on the impact they hope it has on students. Read More>>FROM TENNESSEE: Columbia State is working to change education in Maury County by participating in the Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) Digital Engagement Initiative this year,which is an OER program. Students currently enrolled in Columbia State’s English Composition I and English Composition II courses are now participating in the program through a grant provided by the TBR. The pilot courses were implemented this fall serving 480 students. “We hope by providing texts early and for free in a gateway course that we will see an increase in student success,” said Christina Loucks, a Columbia State English instructor and grant project director in a press release. Read More>>
HOT OFF THE PRESS
Each edition, we highlight an interesting, new, openly-licensed resource
VIVA Open Publishing has released, Foundations of American Education: A Critical Lens by Dr. Melissa Wells and Dr. Courtney Clayton. In this survey text, readers will explore the foundations of American education through a critical lens. Topics include the teaching profession, influences on student learning, philosophical and historical foundations, structures of schools, ethical and legal issues, curriculum, classroom environment, and the path forward.
WEIGH IN
Great reads to repost or share and interesting discussions to consider
Great to Share >> OpenStax Gets Federal Funding for Computer Science OER | Campus TechnologyTwenty Years of Open Educational Resources | The Good Men ProjectHow – and why – to use ARP funds for open education resources (OER) | District Administration Interesting to Consider >> Why This Professor Believes OER Can Make STEM More Inclusive and Affordable | EdSurgeOpen Educational Resources: Escaping excessive costs | Nevada Today