Open Education Resources (IU Indy)

Open Educational Resources (OER) align closely with IU Indianapolis' Strategic Plan goal of supporting student success. By reducing textbook costs and providing equitable access to learning materials, OER can help decrease DFW (Drop, Fail, Withdrawal) rates, a key goal for the campus. The University Library has initiatives in place to spotlight and provide support to OER Champions on IU Indianapolis' campus.

Interested in developing an OER? Apply for the OER Development Grant

OER Development Grants are available to IU Indianapolis faculty who create, adapt, or adopt open educational learning materials.  OERs are digital products used in teaching and learning that are licensed with a Creative Commons copyright license, are free to students and can be made available globally in OER repositories such as the Pressbooks Directory or the Open Textbook Library.  Grants will be awarded for the creation, adaptation, or adoption of such materials. The amount of the grant will be determined by the nature of the project.  

There are three award tiers within the OER Creation/Adoption Grant program.  

• Tier 1 is reserved for projects that result in the creation of OER learning materials.
  • An example of a Tier 1 project would be an OER product created primarily by campus faculty to replace an existing course material, such as a textbook or laboratory manual.
• Tier 2 is reserved for projects that are adapted from existing OER,  Adaption may come from one or more existing OER products, resulting in a new OER.
  • An example of a Tier 2 project would be an OER product that results from customizing an existing OER product or combining and customizing multiple existing OER products, or combining public domain materials to create an anthology, providing original commentary or narrative as needed.
• Tier 3 is reserved for faculty who adopt existing OER products to support their teaching.
  • An example of a Tier 3 project would be the use of an OER product discovered through an OER repository that has been licensed to share as intended by the faculty member.

Know an OER champion? Nominate them for the Open Education Award!

Since 2019, University Library has been highlighting the achievements of instructors who are increasing affordability and accessibility in education through the use of OERs with the IU Indianapolis University Library’s Open Education Award. The recipient receives a cash award, plaque and a feature on the University Library website.

Professor Genevieve G. Shaker and doctoral student Meng-Han Ho have received the 2024 Open Education Award for co-producing and publishing “Giving and Volunteering in America,” an OER used in 100-level Philanthropic Studies courses. The book introduces readers to philanthropic ideas, concepts, and influencers in American history at an introductory, undergraduate level with 39 primary sources, exploring the unique giving and voluntary behavior of Americans.

Integrating Open Educational Resources (OER) into teaching and research can strengthen a faculty member’s promotion and tenure portfolio by demonstrating innovation, collaboration, and commitment to equity in education. Creating or adopting OER showcases teaching excellence and student-centered practices by addressing cost barriers and improving access to learning materials. Sharing developed OERs through repositories and publishing platforms can enhance scholarly impact and visibility, as open materials are often widely accessed and cited.