Five Ways to Cultivate Open Education on Your Campus

As academic institutions focus attention on student retention and rising higher education costs, increasing attention has been paid to reducing the costs of instructional materials. Studies show that the high cost of textbooks, for instance, can impact student course choices, academic performance, and retention. Many faculty have found free, open textbooks and other open educational resources to be a successful alternative to expensive commercial textbooks. However, initiating an open education or affordable learning program on your campus can be tricky. Faculty are sometimes resistant to open education, administrators don’t always understand it, and librarians only have so much time to devote to supporting it. This presentation will explore five ways, from modest to extensive, to begin promoting open education right away on your campus. Methods will include collaborative efforts, outreach activities, and impact reporting. The presenter will draw from four years of program growth on her own campus, as well as successful examples at other institutions. Whether you are just beginning to think of open educational resources in your library, or are already taking steps to promote them on your campus, you’ll find something relevant to take home and implement.