Recap: Open Education Week

by Sophia Brewer

If you are thinking about Open Educational Resources (OER) and missed International Open Education Week (OE Week) – during Spring Break – we’ve got you covered. OE Week is when colleges and universities worldwide celebrate Open Educational Resources by actively sharing and learning about the latest achievements in Open Education.   

GRCC is a proven leader in the adoption and integration of OER. With GRCC’s latest data showing 5,062 students benefiting and 199 sessions using OER, we reduced student cost by $628,700 in Fall 2020. Yes, we are excited about what we have been able to save students, but we can do so much more if other faculty adopt OER. 

Check out the Center for Teaching Excellence list of GRCC courses using OER, and contact Lauren Woolsey (laurenwoolsey @ grcc.edu)who is leading GRCC’s OER Initiative if you have questions. Our OER Subject Guide can help – and your liaison librarian will help you search for quality OER if you are interested. Whether you are curious to learn more about OER, or want to know what other colleges and universities are doing, check out the recorded sessions from this year’s OE Week:

• OER Basics: Lowering the Cost Barrier 
• Open Pedagogy & Equity
• Equity and Open Education Faculty Panel
• Unleashing the Power of Massachusetts Students to Increase OER Awareness
• OER Leadership: CCCOER and Global Perspectives
• Regional Leadership of Open Education(RLOE) Phase 2
• OE Week Online Free Resources
• Imagining an Open Future with Robin DeRosa

For a complete list of sessions during OE Week, visit https://www.openeducationweek.org/schedule.

OER Sessions for Faculty

Faculty interested in learning more about open educational resources (OER), are invited to attend an Overview of OER.  Led by DLIT’s Bill Knapp & Megan Stewart, and librarian Sophia Brewer,  you will be introduced to helpful resources including OpenStax, Minnesota OER Commons, Khan Academy, and more.

• Wednesday February 6, 10-11
• Thursday February 7, 2-3

The sessions will be held in 123 LRC LIB – enter that room through the Library Lobby.  Register for either the Feb. 6 or Feb. 7 session on the Center for Teaching Excellence website.

See the OER Subject Guide for more information.