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Open Education and Textbook Affordability at Oregon Tech

Initiatives and actions at Oregon Tech in regards to open education, OER, and textbook affordability

What are Open Educational Resources (OER)?

Open Educational Resources (OER) are commonly thought of as free or very low cost textbooks and course materials. The "open" in OER means that these materials are openly licensed, not under traditional copyright restrictions, so they can be freely shared, copied, stored, changed, and updated or remixed to fit new purposes. 

Applications for 2023 Library OER Grants are now being accepted! Contact Kristin.whitman@oit.edu with questions about OER funding opportunities!  New funding is also announced from agencies such as Open Oregon on a regular basis.

Oregon Tech Initiative

Slide shows 2019-2022 savings, with 2022 having over $350,000 savings, evenly distributed over fall, winter, spring, but with a small summer savings.

Oregon Tech Student Savings from Low and No Cost Initiatives

In 2017 the Oregon Tech Library launched an initiative to support faculty in switching from costly course materials to low and no cost alternatives with an emphasis on open educational resources (OER). As of summer 2022 students at Oregon Tech have saved $1,215,866 through this program.

How to participate

 

Students Faculty
Student voices are the most important ones in these conversations. We need to hear from students on how you access your course materials, what barriers you face, and how we can make it better.  Faculty can get involved by changing their course materials to be more accessible to students. This includes universal design and affordability. The following resources are here to help and support faculty in this area
  • Share your voice! What would you like to tell faculty and administrators about textbook costs? You can submit your comments here.
  • Talk to your faculty. Tell them what works or does not work about the course materials
  • Talk to the library. The library is in connection with state programs and other groups in support of these efforts. We can connect you to resources and advocate with you.
  • Work with ASOIT on resolutions and calls to action to better meet the needs of fellow students.
  • Look on this page and through the app for other opportunities to be heard and to participate in these activities. Open Education week is the first week of March and we have had student focused events each year of the program.

Applications are accepted in winter term. You can apply to:

Take the Oregon Tech Open education course (Asynchronous)

Participate in the Open Educational Resources Team

Report enrollment in courses you are using no cost and open materials

 

Also check out the University Textbook Affordability Plan written in 2020