Open Education Week 2023
Fri. Feb. 24, 2023
Affordable, Accessible, and Effective
March 6-10 is Open Education Week! Open Educational Resources (OER) are openly-licensed resources that exist in many different formats, including books, images, videos, audio, assignments, diagrams, and lesson plans. OERs save students money; one study found that 65% of students don't buy a required textbook because of the cost. Free or low-cost materials eliminate financial barriers, increase the flexibility and customization of course content, and improve learning outcomes.
Courses with No Textbook Fees
To help students avoid additional feeds for textbooks and other materials, the UWSA, Registrar, and library maintain a list of UWinnipeg courses that have zero textbook costs:
Finding Open Educational Resources
- UWinnipeg Library Catalogue: You can search for open textbooks by doing an advanced author search for "BC Open Textbook Project" in the library catalogue.
- OASIS: A search tool from the State University of New York (SUNY) that locates OER from hundreds of university systems around the world.
- Manitoba's Open Textbooks: A database of Canadian open textbook materials provided through a partnership with BCcampus.
Using and Creating Materials
Guided by principles like the 5 R's of Permission, OER allow great flexibility in course content. Open materials can be shared, edited, and localized to suit a particular need - without concern for copyright infringement. Course instructors can adopt or adapt open textbooks, or create their own from existing course material.
Indigenous Knowledge: OERs that include Indigenous knowledge require respect for cultural identity and sacred knowledge, and an ongoing reciprocal relationship with the community; legitimize and incorporate Indigenous knowledge into curriculum as necessary, recognizing that some Indigenous knowledges don’t want to be shared.
Webinar: Adopt, Don't Shop!
Curious about the benefits of adopting Open Educational Resources? Faculty and Staff are invited to join Brianne Selman, Scholarly Communications and Copyright Librarian, for a lunchtime introduction to finding and using OER.
When: March 6, 12:30pm - 1:30pm
Where: via Zoom
Questions?
The library can help you find, understand and work with OER. Visit the OER Guide, or Email Brianne Selman, Scholarly Communications and Copyright Librarian, for more info: b.selman@uwinnipeg.ca