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Open Educational Resources: Events and Workshops

A guide for faculty to assist with finding and adopting quality Open Educational Resources that help reduce the cost of course materials for students

OER Info Sessions Fall 2024

OER Grant Information Sessions

 

Join Cathy Fahey, OER Librarian, and Annette Chapman-Adisho, Professor of History and Faculty Fellow for OER & Textbook Affordability, to learn more about grant opportunities for faculty adopting low or no cost course materials, or for creating OERs. We'll be hosting two sessions in early October, which will give you plenty of time to complete your grant applications which are due on November 1. 

 

 

 

 

PAST EVENTS

PAST EVENTS: SPRING 2023 EVENTS

 

OER Week March 6-10 2023

Open Education Week is an annual celebration of the people and activities that apply open practices to education around the world. 

This week is a great time to re-familiarize yourself with the OER resources at Salem State University.

  • Check out this list of OER Week learning opportunities that was curated by the Salem State Center for Teaching Innovation. While you are there, subscribe to their mailing list to receive great information about faculty resources and opportunities. And visit their web page here:https://www.salemstate.edu/cti to view all of their great offerings for faculty.
  • Browse the Salem State Library OER Libguide to learn about how faculty at Salem State can find support for creating and using Open Education Resources as well as more affordable course material. Keep your eyes open for OER Grant opportunities.
  • Contact Christine Moynihan, OER and Technology Librarian,  with any questions about using Open Education Resources and focusing on course affordability: cmoynihan@salemstate.edu.

Panel Discussion on Successful OER Strategies - Thursday, March 9 from 3:00-4:00 pm on Zoom

MASSPIRG Students is partnering with the MA Department of Higher Education to celebrate Open Education Week with a virtual panel.

OER is more important than ever as many students are balancing jobs, supporting families and paying for their education. Textbooks have increased three times the rate of inflation since 1970. Free online textbooks can make the difference. A recent report by the Student PIRGs showed that every $1 invested in OER can save students $10-$20!

Register for this discussion around strategies for using OER (Open Educational Resources) on your campus. RSVP today.

 

Live Webinar: MA Department of Higher Education Makes Lumen Learning Materials Available at No Cost for Select MA Institutions including Salem State

The Digital Textbooks and Materials Pilot makes Lumen Learning's digital learning materials immediately available at no cost to students, faculty, or staff through the end of December 2023. Salem State faculty can now use Lumen Learning’s course materials at NO COST this year. If you teach a general education course, there's a good chance that Lumen has digital courseware available for you to adopt completely free to your students. You can view their catalog of courses and materials at lumenlearning.com/courses. 

If you choose to adopt Lumen Learning materials for your Summer 2023 or Fall 2023 (or even currently for anytime in Spring 2023), your students will receive access to these digital publisher materials for free, which would typically cost students $25-$50 in access codes. 


Lumen is offering Informational webinars at the following dates:

Wednesday, February 8, 2023, at 3 pm EST. Register here!
Friday, February 10, 2023, at 1 pm EST. Register here!

For more information, contact Elizabeth McKeigue, Dean of the Library at emckeigue@salemstate.edu 

 

PAST EVENTS: FALL 2022 

 

Open Educational Resources in the COVID Era (LIVE WEBINAR with OPPORTUNITY for a $200 STIPEND)

Now more than ever, college students have a serious need for low-cost, readily available, digitally flexible course materials. It's the perfect time to learn more about how Open Educational Resources (OER) provides solutions for you and your students!

Reserve your spot by filling out one of the registration forms linked below:

Wednesday, October 26, 2022 from 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM via Zoom Registration form - 10/26

Thursday, November 3, 2022 from 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM via Zoom Registration form - 11/3

This Zoom-based webinar will introduce you to the basics of OER, provide context for the vital way OER helps our students (particularly low-income students), offer key definitions and considerations related to OER adoption, and offer steps for getting started with incorporating OER in your own classes. This webinar will be facilitated by members of the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education’s OER Advisory Council as part of a statewide effort to promote the use of OER.

Qualifying participants* are eligible for a $200 stipend upon completion of: a) attending the workshop, and b) a written review of an open textbook from the Open Textbook Library (more details to follow for participants).

*Stipends are available for those participants who have not received an OER-related stipend from Mass DHE initiatives and grants previously. For questions or more details, please contact Dr. Robert Awkward, rawkward@dhe.mass.edu.

RECORDED EVENTS

 

Teaching with Online Library Resources at Salem State (Recorded Zoom Meeting)
In this pre-recorded presentation, Dean Elizabeth McKeigue and Librarian Tara Fitzpatrick, introduce OER and discuss using OER and online library resources in your teaching at Salem State University.
Recorded May 18, 2020
1 hour


Unleashing the Power of Massachusetts Students to Increase OER Awareness (Recorded Webinar)

The Massachusetts Student Advisory Council (SAC) to the Board of Higher Education implements strategies and advocates for the rights, needs, interests, and welfare of all students enrolled in public higher education within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. As a deliberative and recommending body to the Board of Higher Education, it is the purpose and duty of the Student Advisory Council to maintain a forum for expressing student views and interests while fostering academic freedom, responsibility and excellence. Join us for this student panel of four students prominent in state-wide advocacy through the Student Advisory Council to learn more about how students from all over Massachusetts are increasing OER awareness at their respective campuses and at the state-level. They will speak on their latest "Ten Days Of OER" campaign, as a public awareness campaign and a stepping stone for the student leaders who come after them.

Facilitator: Sue Tashjian, Co-President CCCOER, Co-chair, MA OER Advisory Council, Northern Essex Community College
Student Panelists:

  • Jorgo Gushi, Chair of the SAC, Quinsigamond Community College
  • Niki Nguyen, Vice-Chair of the SAC and head of the OER Subcommittee, Bunker Hill Community College
  • Cody Nathanson, Co-head of the OER Social Media Subcommittee, Mt. Wachusett Community College
  • Andrew Raisbeck, Head of the OER Public Information Subcommittee, Middlesex Community College

Moderator: Dr. Robert Awkward, Assistant Commissioner for Academic Effectiveness, Statewide OER Coordinator, MA Department of Higher Education
Recorded Wednesday March 3, 2021 | 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM ET 
Recording:
 https://www.cccoer.org/webinar/cccoer-2021-open-education-week-activities/#Wed 


DEI and OER along with Open Pedagogy (Recorded Webinar)

Recorded Thursday, March 4, 2021

A taped conversation with OER experts Ceit De Vito of Bunker Hill Community College and Marilyn Billings of UMass Amherst. This topic is of the utmost importance in explaining the impact of OER. Sponsored by MA Statewide OER Advisory Group
Recording link: https://bhcc.techsmithrelay.com/8Njg


MORE HELP

Prefer to learn more and ask questions in a one-on-one environment? Schedule a consultation with a Salem State librarian or with an instructional designer. Book an appointment with a librarian here and request an appointment with an instructional designer here. 

PAST EVENTS SPRING 2024

An open laptop with the words Lowering Costs for our Students $Lowering Costs for Our Students

A faculty panel and conversation on Open Educational Resources and Textbook Affordability

Join Van Pham and Thea Popolizio for a discussion of the opportunities and challenges of moving courses to Open Educational Resources or choosing textbook and course materials that cost $50 or less. Panelists will share their experiences and reflections. There will also be plenty of time for attendees to discuss their use or interest in using low cost or no cost materials.

James McGrath of the Center for Teaching Innovation and Elizabeth McKeigue, Dean of the Frederick E. Berry Library, will be on hand to discuss institutional support available to faculty as they consider or implement changes to lower material costs in courses.

DATE:      Thursday, February 8

TIME:       12:15 - 1:30 (lunch provided - RSVP is appreciated but not required)

PLACE:    Room 209 

FORMAT: Hybrid

Use meeting ID to join zoom meeting on the day. 
MEETING ID: 852 7652 0260
PASSCODE: 350728

 

Contacts

Contact one of the team members of the Viking OER & Textbook Affordability Initiative:

 

Annette Chapman-Adisho, Professor of History and Faculty Fellow for OER & Textbook Affordability: achapmanadisho@salemstate.edu

Cathy FaheyOER Librarian: cfahey@salemstate.edu

Elizabeth McKeigue, Dean of the Library: emckeigue@salemstate.edu

Gail Rankin, Director of Academic and Educational Technologies: grankin@salemstate.edu

Eliza Bobek, Director of the Center for Teaching Innovation: ebobek@salemstate.edu

 

For help and advice for finding resources in your specific discipline, go to the Contact a Librarian page to find the subject librarian for your discipline.