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.
Want to stay updated on OER initiatives, events, and resources happening at IU Indianapolis? Sign up for more information.
Open Education Week is a worldwide event dedicated to promoting open and accessible education. It’s a perfect chance to explore the resources and support available at IU Indianapolis for advancing open education while highlighting the importance of creating more accessible learning materials for classrooms. Review the impact of the 2025 Open Education Week of Events.
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.
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 or adaption of such materials. The amount of the grant will be determined by the nature of the project.
There are two award tiers within the OER Creation/Adoption Grant program.
Tier 1 supports projects up to $5,000 that involve the creation of original open educational resources or the substantial revision of existing materials. Projects at this level require significant faculty effort and must be shared publicly under an open license whenever possible (i.e. Creative Commons). Materials can be hosted in platforms such as Pressbooks, ScholarWorks, or other open repositories.
Examples of Tier 1 Projects:
Tier 2 supports projects up to $3,000 that involve the adaptation, revision, or combination of existing OER to create a new version that better aligns with course goals or student populations. Adaptation may involve customizing structure, adding examples, or weaving together multiple open sources into one coherent resource. These projects typically involve less new content creation than Tier 1.
Examples of Tier 2 Projects:
