Updates

Open Education (OE) Week Virtual Symposium, a free, virtual conference, will be held on March 4, 2025, with sessions beginning at 9:30 am EST. There are several great presentations on the schedule such as "The Possibilities are Manifold", about an OER authoring platform, and "Faculty Perspectives on OER Across the Curriculum" including Berea College professor of chemistry Mary Robert Garrett.

Register today! For more session information and to register, visit the Affordable Learning Kentucky website.

The OER Faculty Advisory Group accepts applications for Berea College’s Open Educational Resources (OER) Grants. These grants are intended to encourage and support the replacement of commercial textbooks and other course materials with relevant, high-quality OER. 

Submit your 2025-2026 OER Grant proposal today! The deadline for submissions is Sunday, March 30, 2025.

OER projects must be completed and final reports submitted by the end of the spring 2026 semester.

Program Goals

• Produce course materials that are more engaging and better support course learning objectives
• Incorporate open pedagogy into courses to transform how students engage with course content 
• Increase equitable access to course materials for all students, especially in introductory courses, courses with multiple sections, and high enrollment courses
• Eliminate or reduce the cost of textbooks and other course materials (such as access codes for online course content) for students
• Share materials openly with the international teaching and learning community

Grant projects must be one of the following:

• Evaluate and Adopt OER - existing open resources meet the needs of your course with little or no modification
• Adapt, update, and/or combine OER - no single OER covers the content that you teach or supporting materials are not available for an existing OER
• Create OER - no OER exists for the topic of your course

Small Projects ($750) 

Examples: writing a test bank for an existing OER, adopting an open textbook, converting lecture slides to OER, creating and implementing an open pedagogy assignment

Medium Projects ($1500)

Examples: creating homework assignments or a workbook/lab manual to supplement existing OER for a full course, writing a section of an open textbook

Large Project ($3000)

Examples: writing an open textbook, creating a series of OER video lectures with transcripts and slides (This would be a great sabbatical project.)

For more information, please visit the Open Berea website.

Open Pedagogy Learning Circle - Open Education Network

Berea College faculty are eligible to participate in this free Open Pedagogy Learning Circle! For more information, please visit the Call for Applications link below.

Please consider applying for the spring offering of our facilitated Open Pedagogy Learning Circle! The OEN has heard our community ask for more help understanding and using open pedagogy, so we’ve created a collaborative, resource-rich learning environment over the course of seven synchronous, one-hour sessions this spring.  Join our virtual, facilitated Learning Circle to share, learn, discuss, and create open pedagogy! There is no cost for participation.

We are looking for a total of 12 participants from OEN member institutions for this offering of Open Pedagogy Learning Circle running on Tuesdays beginning in February.

We try to vary the enrollment, so we are hoping for a combination of instructors, librarians, instructional designers or other roles that directly support faculty in pedagogy-related concerns. Interested in learning more and applying? Please see our Call for Applications or reach out to Tanya Grosz with any questions.

Together We OAR: ACA’s Open & Affordable Resources Community Event

On Friday, February 14, 2025, the ACA will hold its second annual virtual conference focused on Open and Affordable Resources (OAR). Sessions will run from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm (eastern), and participants may join for specific presentations or attend the full day. The Schedule of Presentations is available on the conference website. Register today!

Open Ed Live 2025

Open Ed Live 2025 is a free online event hosted by the University of Central Florida from February 25–27.

This year’s theme, Open Education: Forming Bridges for Lifelong Learning, will explore innovative practices in OER, including accessibility and strategies for fostering lifelong learning. February 25 kicks off with a keynote presentation from David Wiley on what’s changed with open education since AI.

The event draws an international audience of educators, librarians, instructional designers, and others passionate about advancing open education. It’s a great chance to engage with colleagues and gain insights into the latest trends and practices. Visit the conference website to register and find out more.

2025 Northeast OER Summit

All Hands on Deck: Exploring Open Education Through Collaboration and Innovation

Registration is now open for the 2025 Northeast OER Summit on March 3-4, 2025! If you’re interested in attending, please contact Maria Taylor. Open Berea has some funds available to cover the cost.

Register by February 24 to take advantage of $35 early bird pricing for this virtual event. After February 24, registration will be $50.

Missouri Affordable and Open Educational Resources Conference (A&OER) 

The MO A&OER Conference will be held virtually on March 6, 2025. Registration for the virtual A&OER Conference is free to all attendees and we welcome out-of-state and international participants. Registration is open through March 5, 2025. 

The theme of this year’s conference is: What's the Blueprint? Collaborative Strategies for OER Success. The focus is on the importance of collaboration in developing and implementing Open Educational Resources and how these collaborative strategies can enhance the effectiveness and sustainability of OER initiatives, fostering a more inclusive and equitable learning environment. 

We are excited to announce Abbey Elder as our keynote speaker. Abbey is the Open Access & Scholarly Communication Librarian for Iowa State University. She has also been appointed Statewide Open Education Coordinator for the Iowa Open Education Action Team. 

Visit the conference website for more details.
 

Open Educational Resources Grant Info Session – Wednesday, February 12 12-1pm, Hutchins Library 104

Lunch provided. Please register online. This presentation will be applicable to faculty from all divisions.

Learn about exciting Open Educational Resources (OER) grant opportunities at Berea College! We'll discuss the grant application process and requirements. In addition, Mary Robert Garrett, Professor of Chemistry, will also present her recent OER grant project, “Bringing New Life to Organic Chemistry.” For this presentation, she’ll describe how she used the OER grant opportunity to finally make the changes to her class that she’d wanted to make for several years. She has now adopted an OpenStax textbook for her Organic Chemistry II course, written new reading quizzes, and developed new classroom activities and PowerPoint slides to guide students through the material that is enhanced with more environmentally friendly chemistry reactions and techniques.

Introduction to Open Educational Resources Adoption Workshop – Monday, February 17 at 4PM, Hutchins Library 104

Snacks provided. Please register online.

Faculty will receive a $100 stipend for participating in the workshop and submitting a review of an open textbook in the Open Textbook Library (for first-time attendees only).

Please bring your laptop or tablet.

LEARN: Discover open textbooks - one type of open educational resource (OER) - and the benefits they bring to affordability, pedagogical practice, student learning, and engagement.
ENGAGE: Explore a book and share your expertise by writing a review of an open textbook.

Introduction to Open Pedagogy Lunch & Learn - Wednesday, March 19 12-1pm, Hutchins Library 104

Lunch provided. Please register online.

LEARN: Discover open pedagogy and its power to make learning more inclusive.

ENGAGE: See examples of open pedagogy in practice while gaining critical action steps, helpful resources, and key takeaways.

The Open Education Network (OEN) is looking for applicants for their Open Pedagogy Learning Circle this fall. (What is open pedagogy?) View the program details below, and apply today!

There is no cost for participation, and Berea College faculty are eligible for a $250 stipend for completing the learning circle!

To process the stipend at the end of the program, please submit your certificate of completion from the Open Education Network to Maria Taylor.

Questions? Contact Maria Taylor, Open Educational Resources Librarian.

Open Pedagogy Learning Circle Takeaways 

• Build a foundational understanding of open pedagogy to be expanded upon through activities that allow for a collaborative definition of open pedagogy.
• Discover what open pedagogy does as well as and how it can be incorporated in the classroom through exposure to a variety of engaging open pedagogy assignments.
• Gain hands-on experience with open pedagogy through creation of a renewable assignment.

Facilitator

The Learning Circle on Open Pedagogy will be facilitated by OEN Open Educational Practices Specialist, Jamie Witman, who will also be available for consultations outside of the synchronous sessions to assist you with your questions related to open pedagogy. 

Selection Criteria

Participants will be selected based on the following:

1. Desire to learn more about open pedagogy 
2. Commitment to the creation of a renewable assignment
3. Ability to attend and engage in all seven sessions
4. Willingness to give feedback about the Learning Circle experience

Session Overview and Timeline 

The Learning Circle experience will span seven one-hour sessions and be conducted synchronously on Zoom. 

Learning Circle Calendar

1. Tuesday, September 3: Brief application due. 
2. Friday, September 6th: Applicants are notified by end of workday. 
3. September 24 - November 5: Participants will have weekly, facilitated, one-hour long synchronous Zoom learning circle sessions. Participants will be able to set up consultations with the Open Educational Practices Specialist as well. 

To Apply

We’re looking forward to exploring open pedagogy together in the learning circle. Completed applications are due by Tuesday, September 3, 2024. Apply today, and share this opportunity with other faculty.

About the Open Education Network

The Open Education Network (OEN) is an alliance of hundreds of institutions working together to advance open education, locally and nationally. We believe in the power of open education to transform higher education. The leadership, actions, and results of our network members drive this transformation, and OEN connects these efforts to pool expertise and promote best practices.

Back by popular demand!

July 8 – August 9, Register today!

In this 5-week course, you will begin to explore the definitions, concepts, and effective practices related to open educational resources (OER). As you progress through this learning journey, you will learn basic definitions related to OER, review the benefits of integrating OER into your practice, and experience the stories of other faculty, students, librarians, instructional designers, and campus leaders who have integrated OER into their work. The course entails asynchronous coursework with synchronous meetings on Fridays at 3:30pm EST.

• Week One – Orientation 

• Week Two – Welcome to Understanding OER   

• Week Three – Welcome to Identifying, Finding, and Adopting OER  

• Week Four – Welcome to Customizing and Integrating OER  

• Week Five – Start Building Your Course around OERs  

Led by:

• Dr. Chris Cain, Professor of Education & Director of Center for Engaged Teaching & Learning, Mars-Hill University    

• Kevin Mulhall, Director of Libraries, Mars-Hill University 

Synchronous meeting dates:   

• Friday, July 12 at 3:30pm EST  
• Friday, July 19 at 3:30pm EST  
• Friday, July 26 at 3:30pm EST  
• Friday, August 2 at 3:30pm EST 
• Friday, August 9 at 3:30pm EST 

When you complete the course, you will be provided with a letter of completion outlining the skills you mastered. 

The Florida Virtual Campus is offering a free, virtual event about Open Educational Resources (OER) on May 23-24, 2024. You may visit their website to view the Summit agenda and register!

Tuesday, May 21, Hutchins Library Flexspace, Registration Required

• A light breakfast will be provided beginning at 8:30am.
• Lunch will be provided after the sessions at 11:30am.
• Please bring a laptop or tablet to participate in the following sessions.

9-10am Empowering Educators: A Guide to Creative Commons Licensing for Open Educational Resources – Maria Taylor, Open Educational Resources Librarian

Are you interested in adapting existing open textbooks or creating your own? Do you have other course materials such as ancillaries or assignments that you would like for others to be able to reuse and adapt? In this presentation, we will explore Creative Commons (CC) and why its licenses are integral to the process of OER adoption, adaptation, and creation. We will delve into the anatomy of CC licenses, applying CC licenses to your own work, and the licensing considerations when adapting CC licensed works. Lastly, attendees will leave with ways to get involved with Creative Commons, helpful CC resources, and places to share their CC licensed works. At the end of the presentation, attendees will have the opportunity to apply a Creative Commons license to course materials that they have already created, adapted, or remixed.

 10:15-11:30am Breaking Down Barriers: Accessibility and Open Educational Resources – Holly Hatfield, Disability and Accessibility Senior Specialist & Maria Taylor, Open Educational Resources Librarian

One of the goals of Open Educational Resources is to provide access to course content for more people, with fewer barriers. In this session, we will discuss why accessibility matters in the context of OER. We will walk through best practices for accessibility when creating OER, and you will have the opportunity to workshop an existing document such as a syllabus, assignment, or other course resource. We will also provide information about useful accessibility tools and resources.

Register for May 21 sessions today!

Wednesday, May 22 Virtual Session, Registration Required

10-11:30am Beyond Cost: The Pedagogy and Potential of Open Education  - Robin DeRosa

At the heart of Berea College is a commitment to equity and inclusion. The lack of tuition charges at Berea are an extension of these values, not the sum total of them. Open Education is a movement that is sometimes reductively defined by its focus on making learning materials free, but no-cost textbooks are just one extension of the values of equity and inclusion that underpin an “open" approach to teaching and learning. In this presentation, Robin will explore the connections between Berea’s values and the values at the heart of Open Education. She will especially consider how the pedagogical practices that have emerged in Open Education can amplify equity and catalyze student engagement, and offer ideas on how open values can help us rethink curriculum design, instruction, research, and the role of the higher education in supporting the public good.

About Robin DeRosa

Robin DeRosa is the director of Learning and Libraries at Plymouth State University, a public university in New Hampshire. While her academic training was originally focused on early American literature and history, she now researches and writes about higher education and advocates for open, public, and sustainable futures for learning. You can read more about Robin and her work on her website.

Register for May 22 sessions today!

Stipends

You are welcome to attend one or both days.  

• Full attendance (May 21 & 22 sessions) = $300.00
• May 21 sessions = $150.00
• May 22 session = $75.00

Stipends are available for eligible teaching faculty.

Creative Teaching Solutions: Open Pedagogy and Student-Centered Learning 

April 16^th, 11:30-12:20pm ET 

Register today!

Our students are looking for classroom experiences that are meaningful, engaging, and empowering. One way to achieve this is to employ open pedagogy, an approach to teaching that prioritizes student-centered learning and the use of open educational resources. Join us for a special guest presentation by Heather Miceli, Postdoctoral Research Fellow at AAC&U and former faculty member at Roger Williams University. Heather will share her own experience with open pedagogy and lots of practical tips for how to integrate this approach to teaching into your classroom. 

Speaker: 

Dr. Heather Miceli is currently a Postdoctoral Research Fellow with the Office of Curricular & Pedagogical Innovation at the American Association of Colleges & Universities (AAC&U), where she is working on a Hewlett Foundation funded research grant investigating the impact of OER on student outcomes. Prior to working at AAC&U, Heather was a lecturer at Roger Williams University, where she taught non-majors science in their general education program. In those classes, she was a practitioner of open pedagogy and collaborative grading. She was a curriculum designer and is an instructor of the Certificate of Open Educational Practices offered by The Open Education Network and is on the OER Advisory Committee for the New England Board of Higher Education. 

Save the date for OpenCon Ohio 2024, a virtual, FREE event on Friday, May 17! The theme this year will be Innovation in Open Education. 

During the preceding week, there will be asynchronous lightning talk viewing and discussion on Discord. Friday, May 17 will be live, with two keynote presentations, a 45-minute birds of a feather event, and a one-hour panel discussion on automatic textbook billing. Find out about the fabulous keynote speakers!

The registration deadline is May 10, 2024 at 12:00pm ET.

Register for OpenCon Ohio 2024 today!