Open Educational Resources and Affordability
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Free and publicly-accessible Open Educational Resources (OER) can provide significant support for facilitating and supplementing student learning and research. ACRL’s Open Educational Resources (OER) and Affordability RoadShow will help participants understand the basics of OER and how libraries can be involved in affordability initiatives at your institution. This day-long, introductory workshop is intended for academic librarians and library staff interested in learning about OER and/or developing OER initiatives. The workshop begins with a morning of foundational knowledge about OER: What are OER? How do they impact faculty and students? Throughout the day, we also discuss examples of and opportunities for library involvement in affordability initiatives, analyze stakeholders and institutional context, and determine appropriate strategies and goals for real-world application.
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Participants
This workshop is intentionally designed for:
- All librarians, library staff, or library administrators who are new to the topic of OER
- Library staff or administrators interested in building a foundational knowledge of affordable and open educational resources
- Instructional designers, program administrators, and educational staff who want to learn about, lead, and/or support affordability initiatives
- Student support staff or administrators (e.g. campus bookstore managers, student government representatives, student advisors) interested in affordable educational resources
OER has many practical applications across multiple campus departments and partnerships, and we encourage hosts to think broadly and inclusively when inviting participants.
Learning Objectives
Workshop participants will be able to:
- Summarize key principles of open educational resources, affordability, and inclusion in order to explain common motivators and opportunities for the adoption, modification, and creation of open and alternative course materials.
- Analyze how existing library skills and tools can be leveraged in order to advance the use of open and affordable resources in a variety of institutional contexts.
- Identify possible roles for librarians and campus partners in supporting open and affordable resource use in order to articulate achievable actions that build community, further knowledge, and/or advance open and affordable resource solutions.
Format
Open Educational Resources and Affordability is available as an in-person or virtual RoadShow.
Learn more about hosting a RoadShow.
Sample In-Person Schedule
- 1.5 Hours: Foundational Knowledge
- 1 Hour: Foundational Knowledge Activities and Discussion
- 45 Minutes: Library Roles
- 1.5 Hours: Stakeholders and Institutional Context
- 30 Minutes: Student Voices
- 45 Minutes: 15% Solutions and My Skills
- 30 Minutes: Ask Me Anything Discussion
Total: Approx. 8 hours
Note: This is a sample schedule for example purposes; hosts will receive a final agenda including breaks and meal-times from their RoadShow presenter team.
Sample Virtual Schedule
This workshop takes place across two half-days, and the schedule is flexible. For optimal learning and participation, we recommend scheduling one day between sessions to allow for asynchronous reflection and review.
Day 1 (3.5 Hours):
- 1 Hour: Foundations of OER
- 30 Minutes: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in OER
- 45 Minutes: My Skills Activity
- 1 Hour: Library Roles in OER Initiatives
- 30 Minutes: Q&A Discussion
Day 2:
- Asynchronous work (readings, reflection questions, etc.)
Day 3 (3.5 Hours):
- 30 Minutes: Review
- 1 Hour: Campus Partners
- 30 Minutes: Student Voices
- 30 Minutes: 15% Solutions Activity
- 30 Minutes: Q&A Discussion
Total: Approx. 8 hours
Note: This is a sample schedule for example purposes; hosts will receive a final agenda including breaks from their RoadShow presenter team.
Meet Our Presenters
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Heather Blicher is the Program Director for the Community College Consortium for OER (CCCOER) at Open Education Global. Her focus is to advance the field of open education at community and technical colleges across North America, providing support in developing the next phase of open education innovation. She has 20+ years experience working in public and academic libraries, most recently working with Open Oregon Educational Resources as an equity consultant and instructional designer with a focus in diversity, equity, and inclusion. Heather earned a Master of Science in Information and Library Science from Florida State University, is a Certified Professional in Accessibility Core Competencies (CPACC), completed the Creative Commons Certificate program, and is a recipient of ACRL’s Distance Learning Librarianship Award.
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Dr. Kathy Essmiller is an Assistant Professor at Oklahoma State University, where she is the Coordinator of OpenOKState/OER Librarian. Kathy holds Masters degrees in trumpet performance and educational technology, a PhD in Learning, Design and Technology, and was a 2019 -2020 Open Education Group OER Research Fellow. Kathy is also a member of GO-GN, and the 2023 recipient of the 2023 Oklahoma Online Excellence | Open Education Impact Award. Kathy’s background is in music education, where she enjoyed over fifteen fantastic years making music with MS/HS band students (including her own two kids).
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Ariana Santiago is the Head of Open Education Services at the University of Houston Libraries, where she provides leadership and strategy for open education services. She collaborates with Libraries and campus partners on services and resources that advance open education and pedagogy, including the adoption and creation of open educational resources. Ariana is a graduate of the SPARC Open Education Leadership Program and the 91´«Ã½ Emerging Leaders Program. Ariana earned an M.A. in Applied Learning and Instruction from the University of Central Florida, an M.A. in Library and Information Science from the University of South Florida, and a B.A. in Anthropology from the University of Central Florida.
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Here's what participants say!
"The mix of information and discussion allowed me to dig into the various aspects of OER and walk away with practical ideas for improvement."
"I would highly recommend taking this workshop for anyone interested in furthering their knowledge of OERs and bringing accessibility to the institution. The speakers were excellent, and the activities were designed to help you think and to create partnerships within the audience. One leaves with more than just knowledge."
"I've got some new ideas that I think I can actually accomplish!"
Costs
Institutions pay a licensing fee to host an ACRL RoadShow workshop. ACRL organizational members receive a 10% licensing fee discount.
In-Person Workshop
- Up to 100 participants: $6,000 licensing fee and travel costs for two presenters
Virtual Workshop
- 15-60 participants: $6,000 licensing fee, includes two to four presenters
RoadShow Discounts and Savings
Bring Open Educational Resources and Affordability to your campus!
To schedule an Open Educational Resources and Affordability RoadShow, contact Ari Zickau at azickau@ala.org
