International Journal of Open Educational Resources Volume 2, Issue 1, Fall 2019/Winter 2020 | Page 146

International Journal of Open Educational Resources
The University of Oregon is investing in OER adoption in strategically
targeted courses, providing faculty and departmental incentives
for long term OER adoption, partnering with major institutional
initiatives, and leveraging consortial memberships and
support provided through Open Oregon Educational Resources to
ensure alignment with best practices and statewide initiatives.
Western Oregon University leveraged stipends provided by Open
Oregon Educational Resources to create engagement on campus
and to advocate for OER funding with the University Budget Advisory
Committee.
Oregon Institute of Technology set aside a portion of the library
budget to give mini-grants to faculty supporting open resources
in upper division science and technology classes. The program is
self-propagating both in terms of marketing and in new converts
to the open movement. Southern Oregon University conducted
a “course material affordability” survey of students, which led to
highly constructive conversations with faculty about students’ use
of required course materials in the classes they teach. The “Course
Design Academy,” an effort to improve learning outcomes in gateway
courses with high DWIF rates, included adoption of OERs as
part of the course redesign.
Treasure Valley Community College joined with the Oregon Community
College Library Association to launch a grassroots OER
initiative. Utilizing Open Oregon Educational Resources funds for
textbook review workshops and grant stipends to get adoptions
and expand the project, the college established a growing program
that includes student outreach, library provision of OER materials,
research assistance, professional development opportunities, and
instructional design support.
Each of these programs represents an individualized approach tailored
to very different campus environments, yet the overlaps in
practice and statewide coordination enable us to tell a bigger story
about student savings in Oregon since 2015.
Keywords: community-based, OER programs, case study, Open
Oregon Educational Resources
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