Overview
Important Areas of Domain Expertise
Addressing Quality Concerns: Being prepared to discuss and demonstrate the quality of OER, including peer-reviewed repositories, case studies of successful adoption, and research on learning outcomes.
Subject-Specific OER Availability: Knowing or quickly finding out what OER are available in the subjects at hand, and being able to guide faculty to relevant, high-quality resources.
Evidence of Impact: Familiarity with research and case studies that demonstrate the effectiveness of OER in improving student success, retention, and cost savings.
Textbook Market Dynamics: Understanding how the commercial textbook market operates, including pricing strategies, publisher practices, and how these affect both faculty adoption and student costs.
Publisher Influence Tactics: Awareness of the strategies commercial publishers use to convert faculty into adopters, such as offering ancillary materials, creating tailored content, and providing faculty incentives, so you know how to pitch a worthy alternative.
Course Marking Procedures: Knowledge of how courses are marked and labeled for OER adoption to ensure compliance with institutional procedures.
Critiques of Equitable and Inclusive Access Programs: Understanding the drawbacks of programs marketed as “Equitable and Inclusive Access,” including their impact on student choice, data privacy, and long-term costs.
Federal Rules and Regulations: Awareness of the Department of Education’s proposed changes in Spring 2024 to the Cash Management rule which would make automatic textbook billing programs “opt-in” for students instead of "opt-out."
Freedom and Flexibility of OER: Understanding and communicating the freedoms that OER adoption allows, such as the ability to customize, remix, and share content freely, which can enhance teaching and learning.
Pedagogical Benefits: Familiarity with how OER can be integrated into different teaching methods, the pedagogical advantages of using OER, and how these resources can enhance student engagement and learning outcomes.
Valuing Faculty Time: Recognizing the constraints on faculty time and offering support that makes the adoption of OER as seamless as possible, such as assistance with finding resources or integrating them into courses.
Emotional Intelligence: :Possessing strong leadership and emotional intelligence, including motivating the instructor, addressing challenges proactively, and serving as a cheerleader to maintain enthusiasm and momentum throughout the project.
Grading and University Assessment Systems: Understanding how these systems work and how OER can be integrated effectively within them.
Educational Standards: Familiarity with the educational standards that OER must incorporate to be effective in supporting the learning outcomes desired by instructors.
Student Savings Research: Familiarity with research that quantifies the financial impact of OER adoption on students, demonstrating the potential savings compared to traditional textbooks.
Equity and Representation: Articulating how OER can promote equity and better representation in course materials by providing diverse perspectives and reducing financial barriers.
Copyright and Licensing: Expertise in copyright law, especially as it pertains to educational materials, and how open licenses work to allow legal use, modification, and sharing of resources.
OER Search Skills: Expertise in searching for OER across various platforms, repositories, and databases, and being able to teach these skills to faculty.
OER Project Management: Advocates need to know how to manage the entire lifecycle of OER creation, including resourcing the project, coordinating with faculty, and ensuring quality control. This involves securing funding or resources, keeping the project on track with timelines and deadlines, and overseeing the technical aspects of publishing and distribution.
Technical Skills: Understanding the technical aspects of integrating OER into learning management systems (LMS) and other digital platforms, ensuring that the transition to OER is smooth and supported.
Awareness of Institutional Context: Knowledge of the institution’s policies, incentives, and existing programs that align with or could be supported by OER adoption.