draft - OER Success Framework - Milne Open Textbooks

draft – OER Success Framework

Overview

The process to ensure success with the implementation of open educational resources (OER) on a campus leverages the expertise of the SUNY campuses that are successfully using OER, and the expertise of the Open SUNY Institutional Readiness process. It provides a framework of assessments, best practices, and technology tools for supporting faculty to locate, adopt, and adapt OER.

OER Definition

Open educational resources (OER) are any resources available at little or no cost that can be used for teaching, learning, or research. The term can include textbooks, course readings, and other learning content; simulations, games, and other learning applications; syllabi, quizzes, and assessment tools; and virtually any other material that can be used for educational purposes. OER typically refers to electronic resources, including those in multimedia formats, and such materials are generally released under a Creative Commons or similar license that supports open or nearly open use of the content. OER can originate from colleges and universities, libraries, archival organizations, government agencies, commercial organizations such as publishers, or faculty or other individuals who develop educational resources they are willing to share. http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELi7061.pdf

Why Do Open Educational Resources Matter?

“Graduation” by Sean MacEntee

Three of the five goals of the SUNY Excels governing philosophy are Access, Completion and Success (https://www.suny.edu/excels/). One of the barriers to these goals is the dramatic inflation in the cost of textbooks and learning materials produced by for-profit publishers. Students cannot afford to purchase learning materials and this blocks their access and compromises their completion and success.
Multiple SUNY campuses are pioneering the implementation of Open Educational Resources to provide free, or very low cost, textbooks and learning materials that are available to all students immediately and affordably. Hundreds of thousands of dollars have already been saved for students on individual SUNY campuses alone.
Research (in SUNY, and globally) indicates that the integration of OER into courses also enhances the quality and efficacy of the teaching and learning experience.¹
This process allows you to explore the benefits your campus can experience from implementing OER. A successful OER implementation requires a strategy that includes addressing the following criteria: financial and human resource commitment from campus leadership; infrastructure and support; accessibility; sustainability; and copyright and licensing. The provided rubric, process, and assessment tools will help you identify the resources you already have and what you may need to move forward with OER.

What Is the OER Success Framework Process Like?

This is a three-part campus consulting engagement process, facilitated by experienced OER implementers, using a rubric of standards derived from successful OER implementations nationally and in SUNY. The process is outlined below:

Conducting the Self-Assessment

1. Overview of Process and Campus Commitment & Expectations

2. Self-Assessment
(facilitated)

3. Implementation Planning
(facilitated)

1-2 hours (virtual or on the campus). For campuses that have not gone through the IR process, on campus is recommended.

1/2 day (on the campus)

1/2 day (on the campus)
or virtual

Engagement with Campus Leadership and could include Campus Community

Campus background and strategy/ goals for OER
Update on SUNY OER hub and discussion of campus role
Review of Success in OER rubric: 7 categories of quality and 27 indicators
Outline process and time frame for deliverables

Engagement with Campus Leadership Team

Individuals complete self-assessment
Facilitated discussion to determine consensus ratings
Identify best practices
- Assign best practices for documentation
Identify areas where gaps need to be closed to meet requirements of quality indicator

Engagement with Campus Leadership Team

Individuals present documented best practices
Individuals identify possible actions to close gaps
- Review suggestions for addressing gaps
Create working groups to identify possible actions to close gaps
- schedule individual meetings with groups
- identify action items & report to full group
Proposal from Leadership Team to President for comprehensive implementation plan:
- Organizational structure
- Sustaining best practices
- Closing gaps
- Benchmarking
- Continuous Quality Improvement

Who Should Participate?

It is recommended that a campus leadership team include: Provost, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Information Officer, Chief Student Affairs Officer, Faculty Governance Leader, Faculty Champions/Advocates for OER, Teaching Faculty, Instructional Designer, Library Director and Librarian Champions/Advocates, Bookstore Manager/Representative, Institutional Research Coordinator, Academic Leadership (Deans/Dept Chairs/Program Directors), Distance Learning Leader, Student Government Representation

How Do You Participate?

Contact SUNY OER Services @ Open SUNY Textbooks via http://textbooks.opensuny.org/opensuny-textbooks-project/contact/

¹ OER Evidence Report 2013-2014 https://oerresearchhub.files.wordpress.com/2014/11/oerrh-evidence-report-2014.pdf