By Lauren McKeen McDonald, Open Education Librarian at Northwestern University
The Affordable Instructional Resources (AIR) initiative invites Northwestern faculty to apply for $5,000 grants to develop Open Educational Resources (OER) for undergraduate courses. OER are teaching, learning and research materials in any medium – digital or otherwise – that have been released under an open license that permits no-cost access, use, editing and sharing with no or limited restrictions (UNESCO). Funded by the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education and the Libraries, these grants are intended to encourage the creation and use of OER as alternatives to traditional textbooks for courses. The application window for this year’s grant opportunities opens on January 25 and closes on March 26, 2021.
According to a recent survey of Northwestern students, 37% reported trying to get by without purchasing all of their textbooks. In this time of remote learning, having reliable access to free and flexible digital materials is more important than ever. By eliminating the cost of course materials for students, faculty are creating a more accessible, equitable, and inclusive learning environment in their classes. In addition to benefitting students, the OER grant provides opportunities for Northwestern faculty to contribute to a growing field of educational materials that have the potential to impact students and instructors from around the globe.
Previously, AIR awarded grants to faculty who replaced their traditional textbooks by creating and adapting OER. Here are a few examples of projects in development:
- Design Thinking and Communication (DTC) (ENGLISH/DSGN 106): A team of faculty instructors, including Lisa Del Torto and Alex Birdwell, updated the homegrown DTC textbook with new chapters, gender inclusive language, and examples and videos created by Northwestern students. A link to the OER text is forthcoming.
- Empirical Methods in Political Science (POLI SCI 210): Professor Jean Clipperton created a new introductory textbook with chapter contributions from graduate students in Political Science and Sociology. Professor Clipperton won the R. Barry Farrell Faculty Award for Excellence in Curriculum Development for her work on this textbook.
- Elementary Swahili (SWAHILI 111): Professor Peter Mwangi used a collection of course notes and slides, plus recordings of conversations in Swahili, to create a multimedia OER.
To browse other projects, visit the OER at Northwestern page.
Grant funds will pay for the development, use, and publishing of OER. In addition, each grant recipient will receive individualized support from librarians on finding, using, and publishing OER. If you’d like to discuss a project idea before submitting an application, contact us at air@northwestern.edu. Applications are due March 26, 2021, and recipients will be notified in mid-April 2021.