[Open-education] OER Digest - August 9th, 2018

Thu Aug 9 20:27:51 UTC 2018

>From Ethan Senack, Creative Commons USA | Volume 63 | August 9th, 2018

With updates from Kendra Lake, Nicole Allen, and Mo Nyamweya

THE OER DIGEST

Your bi-weekly newsletter for open education updates, opportunities, and
reminders

FEDERAL UPDATE: The formal call for proposals
<https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2018/07/30/2018-16264/applications-for-new-awards-fund-for-the-improvement-of-postsecondary-education-open-textbooks-pilot>
around the US Department of Education’s $5 million OER grant program was
announced late last month. Applications are due August 29th. The Department
stated their intent to only make 1-3 individual grants from the pool,
requiring applications to be submitted by consortia, and seeking to
prioritize “technology-based” strategies. OER champions in the Senate sent a
letter
<https://sparcopen.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/20180802-FY18-Congress-Oversight-Letter.pdf>
raising concerns with the limited number of grants and requesting the
strongly maintain open licensing requirements for all materials created
through the grant.

   -

   Additional Reading: Lindsey Tepe and Sabia Prescott of New America have
   an in-depth analysis of the implementation process here >
   <https://www.newamerica.org/education-policy/edcentral/what-look-department-begins-implementing-its-open-textbook-pilot/>

GOING MAINSTREAM: The open textbook publisher OpenStax announced
<http://news.rice.edu/2018/08/01/48-percent-of-colleges-2-2-million-students-using-free-openstax-textbooks-this-year-2/>
this month that their textbooks are in use at 48% of all US colleges, and
at an additional 1,150 schools abroad. By their count, that totals around
2.2 million students, saving $177 million on textbook costs.

FROM INSIDE THE INDUSTRY: Continuing the recent trend of traditional
publishers conducting studies that conclude textbook prices are too high,
both VitalSource
<https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180801005303/en/Study-Finds-Majority-College-Students-Delay-Purchasing>
and Cengage
<https://news.cengage.com/corporate/new-survey-college-students-consider-buying-course-materials-a-top-source-of-financial-stress/>
are out with new research on the subject. Some findings include:

   -

   85% percent of current and former students say that their textbook and
   course material expenses are financially stressful, more so than meals and
   food. - Cengage
   -

   43% percent of students have taken out a loan; and 31 percent have taken
   fewer classes to save on textbooks costs. - Cengage
   -

   85% of students admit they have either postponed buying required
   materials or chosen not to buy them at all, and almost all (92%) the
   students who delayed or skipped buying textbooks cited costs as the reason
   for their decision. - VitalSource

OPEN CONNECTIONS

Conferences, jobs, and other OER-related opportunities

REGISTER: Michigan is hosting an OER Summit on September 21st, in Port
Huron. Register here: http://www.mioersummit.org/

VOTE: There are a number of OER-focused panels up for consideration at next
year’s SXSW, including “How Students Created the Open Education Movement
<https://panelpicker.sxsw.com/vote/89120>”, “Making Open Educational
Resources Work for You <https://panelpicker.sxsw.com/vote/87065>”, and “Scaling
the OER Movement for Growth and Impact
<https://panelpicker.sxsw.com/vote/87308>”. Create an account to vote on
these sessions or other OER ones here: https://panelpicker.sxsw.com/vote

REGISTER: Registration for Big Ideas Fest, this Nov 29 - Dec 1 in
Washington, DC, is now open. Register here: http://www.bigideasfest.org/

JOB: The Open Textbook Network is hiring a Community Manager. See the
description: z.umn.edu/communitymanager

STORIES FROM THE FIELD

Quick snapshots of those making change on the ground level, and those
impacted

FROM ARKANSAS: "I used an free, open, and online textbook in my
Introduction to Sociology class this past semester, just as I have done for
last five years," commented Dr. Kelly Damphousse, chancellor. "My students
have the option of purchasing a very inexpensive version of the book or to
download the book, for free, to their phone or other device. I believe that
these kinds of textbooks increase the likelihood of student success in the
classroom." Read More >
<http://harrisondaily.com/schools/a-state-to-increase-use-of-free-textbooks/article_d7558e5e-91e2-11e8-b2b7-d3ca152a285c.html>

FROM NEW YORK: “Learning outcomes for a course should drive the
instructions, not a commercial textbook. Sometimes even a free OER textbook
does not entirely address the learning outcomes. I tell faculty that they
may need chapters from several OER textbooks, supplemented with library
resources, like e-books, journal articles and videos to create the new
material.” Read More >
<https://www.jjay.cuny.edu/news/zero-text-cost-courses-ease-financial-burdens>

HOT OFF THE PRESS

Each edition, we’ll highlight an interesting, new, openly-licensed resource

The Rebus Community released an updated version of “Media Innovation and
Entrepreneurship
<https://press.rebus.community/media-innovation-and-entrepreneurship/>”
this month, edited by Michelle Ferrier and Elizabeth Mays. The new version
includes a chapter on product management for media professionals, feedback
from full-book peer reviewers, and more.

WEIGH IN

Interesting Discussions and Strategic Reads to Repost or Share

Great to Share >>

OER is at a tipping point. Here's how to keep it moving in the right
direction | EdScoop

https://edscoop.com/oer-is-at-a-tipping-point-heres-how-to-keep-it-moving-in-the-right-direction

Interesting to Consider >>

SETDA guide urges educators to focus on the process, not the purchase |
EdScoop

https://edscoop.com/focus-on-the-process-not-the-purchase-of-quality-instructional-materials

Open Educational Resources Provider Talks About Shaking Up the K-12 Market
 | EdWeek

(Login Req).

https://marketbrief.edweek.org/analysts-view/open-educational-resources-provider-talks-about-shaking-up-the-k-12-market/

Thoughts on OER and Cost Savings | OpenContent

https://opencontent.org/blog/archives/5658

When It Comes To Free Textbooks... Who Pays? | Forbes

https://www.forbes.com/sites/joshmoody/2018/07/29/when-it-comes-to-free-textbooks-who-pays/#2e110c323181

Have suggestions for the next edition? Let us know at oerdigest at gmail.com,
or tweet us @OERdigest <https://twitter.com/oerdigest>.

The OER Digest is a public newsletter distributed to a broad group of
stakeholders across the higher education community. You can join the open
Google Group or check out the distribution list here
<https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/oerdigest>.
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