[Open-education] OER Digest - January 23, 2020

[OER Digest]

VOLUME 98



>From Hailey Babb, Mo Nyamweya, & Nicole Allen (SPARC) | Volume 98 | January
23rd, 2020


THE OER DIGEST

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


FROM CALIFORNIA: On January 10th, Governor Newsom released his budget
proposal that included a $10 million allocation for the Zero-Textbook Cost
Degree program. The program seeks to reduce the overall cost of education
for students and decrease the time it takes students to complete degree
programs offered by community colleges. This year’s proposed funding is
twice the amount of the previous $5 million allocation, which allowed
twenty-three community colleges across California to develop thirty-three
ZTC degrees or Career Technical Education certificates over two years.

STATE BILLS: Several states are considering new OER legislature. In
Maryland, HB 318
<http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/hb0318?ys=2020RS>
was introduced, which would require institutions that are part of the
University System of Maryland to mark the o which courses use free digital
materials in online course catalogs. Iowa is considering SF 433
<https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislation/BillBook?ga=88&ba=SF433> with
similar goals. Meanwhile, Florida is considering SB 602/
<https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2020/602>HB 1377
<https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2020/1377>, which would create an
OER grant program, while also facing HB 613/SB 72 to change “inclusive
access” style programs for textbooks style programs from opt-in to opt-out.

.

MERGER UPDATE: The U.K. Competition and Markets Authority has opened an
official investigation
<https://www.gov.uk/cma-cases/mcgraw-hill-education-cengage-learning-holdings-merger-inquiry>
into the Cengage/McGraw-Hill merger. There is a public comment period open
until January 28, and a decision on whether to proceed is due in March. The
merger is also under investigation by antitrust authorities in Australia
and New Zealand. While it is possible that international pushback could
have some impact on the timeline, the primary factor in the merger’s fate
continues to be the U.S. Department of Justice, whose review has been
ongoing since May.

#OEWEEK: Open Education Week 2020 <https://www.openeducationweek.org/>, the
global celebration of open education and its impact on education worldwide,
is coming in just over a month on March 2-6. Visit the #OEweek website for
information on how to participate, including online and in-person events
around the world. You can download promotional resources and submit your
entry here <https://www.openeducationweek.org/submit>.



OPEN CONNECTIONS

Conferences, jobs, and other OER-related opportunities

JOB: The University of Texas at Austin is hiring an Open Education
Librarian. Check out the job description and apply here
<https://utaustin.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/UTstaff/job/UT-MAIN-CAMPUS/Tocker-Open-Education-Librarian--Assistant-Librarian-_R_00007696>
.

APPLY NOW: The Journal of Librarianship and Scholarly Communication
(JLSC) seeks
a Reviews Co-Editor <https://jlsc-pub.org/announcement/> to continue and
expand a program of reviewing scholarship, platforms and tools, and
programs and courses. Deadline to apply is February 7, 2020.

REGISTER NOW:  The Association for Learning Technology is offering their
early bird rate <https://oer20.oerconf.org/registration/> for #OER20 until
February 1. The conference will take place in London, UK from April 1-2,
2020.

REGISTER NOW: Registration
<https://ecampusontario.zoom.us/webinar/register/7815797962266/WN_Ost1EppwSv6S5as8b_CGGA>
is now open for eCampusOntario’s February Webinar, “Creating OER with
Students”. The webinar will take place on Feb. 11, 2020 at 12:00pm ET.

REGISTER NOW: Registration <https://www.kpu.ca/open/oeri> is now open for
Kwantlen Polytechnic University’s inaugural Open Education Research
Institute. The one-day summit is open to scholars across British Columbia
who wish to develop or enhance their open education research skills.

REGISTER NOW: In conjunction with Open Education Week, the North Dakota
University System will hold an open education resources conference
<https://www.grandforksherald.com/news/education/4851786-North-Dakota-University-System-to-host-open-education-resource-conference-in-Fargo-in-March>
on Friday, March 6. Registration can be found here
<https://epayment.ndus.nodak.edu/C22800_ustores/web/classic/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCTID=9733&SINGLESTORE=true>
and the deadline is February 25.



STORIES FROM THE FIELD

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

FROM PENNSYLVANIA: The Provost’s office at the University of Pittsburgh has
begun accepting proposals from faculty projects to adapt, adopt or create
open education resources for current course offerings. The third iteration
of the funding program is part of a series of initiatives to encourage the
use of OERs on campus. Lynn Dang, a Student Government Board member and OER
advocate, said faculty have adopted open resources for a variety of reasons
such as existing textbooks not fitting current needs or a desire for
customizability, but supporters have a way to go still for wider usage. Read
more >>
<https://pittnews.com/article/154025/news/provosts-office-accepting-oer-grant-applications/>

FROM NEW YORK: During the Fall 2019 semester, Hudson Valley Community
College saved students nearly $250,000 through the use of OER. Their
Mathematics and Engineering Science Department is one of the leading
adopters of OER on campus. “We are hoping that all of our sections of
College Algebra with Trigonometry will use OER starting next fall rather
than traditional paper textbooks. This will remove a barrier to students'
learning as the text will then be at low or no cost,” said Sue Kutryb, HVCC
Mathematics and Engineering Science Department Head. Read more >>
<https://www.troyrecord.com/news/hvcc-students-save-big-with-oer-initiative/article_3af8e1a6-21be-11ea-aa0d-83acf5dc2d9b.html>

FROM GEORGIA: Affordable Learning Georgia is bringing its students at GSU’s
Andrew Young School of Policy Studies’ Department of Criminal Justice &
Criminology the new digital learning materials through a $30,000 Textbook
Transformation Grant. The award from Affordable Learning Georgia is just
one award expected this spring semester as the state system program is
expected to deliver two more rounds of awards. “Expensive textbooks harm
learning,” Scott Jacques, who leads AYS Open said in a press release. “This
transformation to no-cost materials will make our students more
successful.” Read more >>
<https://edscoop.com/georgia-state-university-oer-digital-textbooks/>


HOT OFF THE PRESS

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

AFFORDABLE LEARNING GEORGIA: OpenALG now includes six proof-of-concept open
textbooks <https://mailchi.mp/0918e1a87fa1/openalg-new-oer> in OpenALG,
such as an American History I text from Gordon State College and public
speaking course materials from Dalton State College.


WEIGH IN

Great reads to repost or share and interesting discussions to consider



Great to Share >>

Textbooks are pricey. So students are getting creative.
<https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/textbooks-keep-getting-pricier-so-students-are-getting-creative/2020/01/17/4e1306b8-30b9-11ea-91fd-82d4e04a3fac_story.html>
| Washington Post

Open Education Explainer Videos
<https://media.kpu.ca/media/What+are+Open+Educational+ResourcesF/0_8zhj26kp>
| Kwantlen Polytechnic University


Interesting to Consider >>

Two States. Eight Textbooks. Two American Stories.
<https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/01/12/us/texas-vs-california-history-textbooks.html?%20%20algo=top_conversion&fellback=false&imp_id=945594949&imp_id=244981050&action=click&module=Most%20Popular&pgtype=Homepage>
| New York Times

Textbook cost is a hidden barrier to student success
<https://www.salemnews.com/opinion/letters_to_the_editor/letter-textbook-cost-is-a-hidden-barrier-to-student-success/article_e01f2e4a-0dce-5f72-8bd1-0df7806b4077.html>
| The Salem News


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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