Shared Knowledge
When educators pool their expertise to create a culture of shared knowledge, everyone benefits. Use of free and open textbooks can lower educational costs for students. Become involved with the open educational resources (OER) movement so that doors to higher education stay open to all. For the latest information, check our blog and follow us on Twitter.
The Community College Consortium for Open Educational Resources (CCCOER) is a joint effort by the OER Center for California, Foothill-De Anza Community College District, the League for Innovation in the Community College, OCW Consortium and many other community colleges and university partners to develop and use open educational resources (OER) and especially open textbooks in community college courses. We now have over 200 members of the OER Consortium. For more details, see the It Takes a Consortium to Support Open Textbooks article in the January/February 2009 issue of Educause Review magazine.
Community Colleges That Promote OER
Many colleges promote the use of OER on their campuses by providing information and/or networking on their websites. Take a look at our list of these colleges. Suggestions for other ways to promote OER on college campuses are available from our Campus Promo Kit as well as workshops conducted by the Community College Open Textbook Collaborative.
Peer-Reviews of Open Textbooks
Read peer-reviews of open textbooks at the Community College Open Textbook Project website. The Project was a one-year feasibility study generously funded by The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation to examine sustainable approaches to promoting use and development of high quality, open textbooks.
Hewlett Awards Open Textbook Grant
In July 2009, Trustees of The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation approved an award to the Foothill-De Anza Community College District (Los Altos Hills, CA) to manage the Community College Open Textbook Collaborative ($1.5 million) over 2 years. For details, see the August 10th press release.
Get Involved!
To get actively involved, network with others who share your passion for promoting open education. Community colleges are invited to join the CCCOER.
Technology Focus Award
The Community College Consortium for Open Educational Resources received the Technology Focus Award for 2008 from the California Community College System Office. Formal recognition was given at the Board of Governors meeting on January 12, 2009 in Sacramento, CA.
“Focus Awards are selected on the basis of scope and complexity of the endeavor, technological innovation, benefit to the institution and key constituents, and demonstration of excellence and professionalism.”
Special Issue of IRRODL Journal on Openness
A special issue of the International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning (IRRODL) on openness in education was published in November 2009. Articles include Open Textbook Proof-of-Concept via Connexions by Judy Baker, Joel Thierstein, Kathi Fletcher, Manpreet Kaur, Jonathan Emmons
OER Advocate Confirmed as Under Sec for DoE
Dr. Martha Kanter was confirmed as the Under Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education by the U.S. Senate on Friday, June 19, 2009. Kanter reports to U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and oversees policies, programs and activities related to post-secondary education, vocational and adult education, and federal student aid.
Dr. Kanter spearheaded the Community College Consortium for Open Educational Resources and the Community College Open Textbook Project. She has long been an advocate for making higher education more available and affordable for all. For details, see this article in Inside Higher Ed. Kanter is a former chancellor of the Foothill-De Anza Community College District.
