The 2023-25 OER grant cohort has saved over 6500 students an estimated $1M since July 2023. The cohort represents 24 different projects to adopt, adapt, and create OER for courses at 15 institutions.
Finished projects to date are collected in an OER Commons folder. More information is available at Grant Updates and below.
Congratulations grantees!
Health and Fitness for Life Lab
Susan Milln, Rebekah Spencer-Sims, Valerie Limbrunner-Bartlett, Mark Spaziani, Ted Schatz, and Michael Boggs at Portland Community College needed a new textbook for PE 295 when the old one stopped being updated. They created a more diverse and inclusive course that reflects current industry standards and Portland Community College students. Access their work via a Brightspace backup (.zip) and common cartridge backup (imscc).
The team writes:
Since using OER for our PE 295 class we have had more engagement in the reading of lecture materials vs PDF slides of the book we were once using. The fact that it is OER is a big bonus and makes this wellness class more accessible for all. We have also been able to use more up to date curriculum and information. The lectures are targeted with important details and are not so long that they seem tedious and have improved our CCOG outcomes. The projects seem to inspire students to seriously consider what options work best realistically and take action in a meaningful way.
Stress and Human Health / Stress Management
Rachelle Katter, Michael Meagher, Elizabeth McGlasson, Toni Veeman, and Valerie LaRosa at Portland Community College; and Meagan Laszlo and Debbie Kaufman at Portland State University determined that the commercial textbook used in common at PCC and PSU created a barrier to being more culturally responsive, inclusive, and trauma-informed. Creating their own open course allows the team to connect more deeply with their diverse students. HE 242 is a high-enrollment course offered in multiple formats at PCC, reaching over 1000 students per year. PHE 275 is offered online each term at PSU. Their materials will be ready to share soon!
The team writes:
A team of faculty members from PCC and PSU collaborated to create the Stress and Human Health OER course. The goal was to create a more relevant, current, and inclusive course for students independent of a traditional textbook. The team completely reimagined the course, starting with updating the course description, course outcomes, and weekly topics. The team used backward design to map module learning outcomes to course outcomes and then to the course assessments. Then, OER content was carefully curated for each module topic area in the course. The course was built to be used in multiple modalities, including online with no scheduled meetings, online with scheduled meetings, in-person, and hybrid. After incorporating feedback from a peer reviewer, PCC piloted 10 sections of the course, documenting minor issues that surfaced and gathering student feedback. These additional changes were integrated into the course and both PCC and PSU are now offering the newly developed OER Stress and Human Health course. In winter 2025, PCC has 389 students in 16 sections. The cost savings for students this term is $19,839 (the previous e-book we used was $51 per student). At PSU, there are 69 students enrolled in one section. The cost savings for this term is $3,519.
Study Skills for College Learning
James Gapinski, Kara Huynh Stone, and Suzanne Hesse at Portland Community College developed new ancillaries to pair with the OpenStax College Success textbook. They prioritized a Universal Design for Learning lens, offering multiple means of representation, engagement, and expression to facilitate deeper student engagement. They added supplementary modules on topics including math anxiety, writing anxiety, organization, collaborative learning, and teamwork. The result is an adaptable shell that can be used across the Student Success Division, which includes student cohorts from Rise to Teach, TRIO SSS, and Future Connect programs.
The team writes:
In our grant project, the team is beginning to integrate the College Success OER and new ancillary materials into our “CG111: Study Skills for College Learning” classrooms. 80 students have used OER materials as part of this project so far, and additional sections will continue to be offered in future terms. We’re actively piloting and refining ancillary OER materials that will be ready for wider sharing and open usage next month!
