Open Education Resources

OER Creation and Adoption

The OER Initiative at TSC helps faculty make and use free course materials instead of expensive textbooks.

An OER is a teaching, learning, or research tool that is free to use, change, and share. It’s either in the public domain or has a license that allows anyone to use it freely.

At TSC, faculty work with other instructors, designers, and librarians to create these resources in Canvas.

Requirement: Create OER materials to replace current course content for a class offered at TSC. All implemented OER must be licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) license or similar. The course will be a master course used by other faculty and adjuncts. Expectation to maintain the converted course as OER for one-year post initial adoption date. The following are a minimum of the OER Canvas course core elements:

1. Access to an OER Digital Textbook or collection of materials comparable to a traditional textbook
2. Instructional materials embedded within the Canvas course template shell
3. Annotated Instructor notes and resources
4. Primary instructional strategies (engagement, high-impact practices, etc.)
5. Sample course pacing schedule
6. Student notes as appropriate
7. Resources (Case studies, PowerPoints, handouts, simulations, etc.)
8. Discussion Board Assignments *
9. Videos with Embedded Questions *
10. Canvas integrated Chapter/Topic Quizzes
11. Canvas integrated Chapter/Topic Homework Sets
12. Exam Question Bank

*Requirement only of asynchronous online courses

Under the 2024–2025 TSC-UFF Agreement, faculty will get $7,500 after finishing and using a new OER Canvas course shell.

Adoption and Course Development Windows:

• Fall Window
• Submit proposal no later than September 1
• October 1 – April 1 | Full Adoption occurs the following fall semester
• Spring Window
• Submit Proposal no later than February 1
• March 1 – Sept 1 | Full Adoption occurs the next spring semester

Getting Started:

1. Submit a request by submitting an OER course creation proposal, click here
2. Meet with the Dean to discuss the OER course creation proposal and design
3. Meet with faculty to vote and approve the adoption of OER Canvas course materials upon completion
4. Submit the minutes and textbook adoption form to Dean
5. AVP reviews and approves the OER course creation proposal, minutes, and textbook adoption form submitted by the Dean
6. Review the timeline and benchmarks with the dean
7. Establish a meeting schedule with OER Course Development Project Team (optional)
8. Begin working on the OER Canvas course
9. Meet monthly with the dean or associate dean to provide updates and receive feedback

OER Resources

• Open Stax – Hundreds of Free Course Materials and Resources
• Open Stax – Registration for Instructor Account
• OER Commons
• MIT Open Resources