2023 AL$/OER | Zuniga | Library Resources | Supportive • Curious • Receptive - FINAL
Library Resources
Supportive • Curious • Receptive
First Impressions
As a librarian, I was familiar with OER and open licensing but less familiar with AL$. I wanted to learn more about the repositories of OER available so that I can best support the students and faculty in my subject areas. I also learned that there is still some confusion surrounding OER and materials that are freely available through the University Library--these are not the same. That distinction is important. I knew that my deliverables and portfolio would like quite different than my colleagues' because I am not instructional faculty.
Benefits & Challenges
| Benefits of AL$/OERs | Challenges of AL$/OERs | Discoveries |
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Less financial strain on students Count as scholarly contributions for RTP Increase diversity of viewpoints, examples and content creators |
Faculty outreach and buy-in Time intensive to redesign course content |
OpenStax and LibreTexts platforms produced the most relevant health-related Open textbooks on similar topics as Sac State courses
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Pathway:
I looked at lower level, high-enrollment courses in my assigned subject areas of Health Sciences, Public Health, Nutrition, Food & Dietetics, and Physical Therapy. These courses were identified by the FLC leader on my behalf, and I focused on two of these courses that required textbooks: NUFD 113 and PUBH 134. I created an online OER guide that contains options for textbook replacement that overlap with topics covered in each of these classes, as well as additional OER resources if faculty would like to explore them more. There are also library and database resources created by the Library that function as OER that faculty can use in their courses to supplement instruction or research assignments. The guide is a living resource that will be updated and expanded as new resources become available and as I have time to add specific resources for additional courses. Considering textbook prices/rental fees and Fall 2023 enrollment numbers, replacing textbooks with OER for these courses would, at minimum, save students $21,795.48 this semester.
In October 2023 I notified Public Health and Nutrition, Food and Dietetics faculty of the guide and how to use it. This resource will be a regular part of my outreach to faculty every semester and I hope it will gain traction the more it grows.
Reflection on Resources:
I referenced OER guides from several other libraries for general information and resources about OER, but none that I reviewed contained course-specific recommendations for their institutions.
Before
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After
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No course-specific OER resources at Sac State. |
A starting point for course-specific OER in health sciences related subjects for faculty to review and see if the content satisfies their standard of quality and course learning objectives. |
Recommendations & Advice
Reach out to your subject librarian for help looking for suitable, high-quality materials to replace current course materials. If we cannot find something that is a true OER, we can look at the Library's collection and subscriptions to find zero cost materials. Providing your course learning objectives is helpful to align the content to your course.
Remember that you don't have to find one-to-one replacements for your texts. Multiple OER can replace one textbook.
It's not an all or nothing process--you can slowly shift your course to low cost and then zero cost over several semesters. The important thing is that you are actively working to reduce financial strain on students.
Faculty Biography
| Alicia Zuniga is the Public Health and Science Librarian at the University Library. She supports students, faculty and staff in the subject areas of public health, health sciences, physical therapy, nursing (interim), and nutrition, food and dietetics. |
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This work was supported by:
Sacramento State Academic Affairs - Center for Teaching and Learning California State University Affordable Learning Solutions Program & SB 1359 |
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