Textbook Affordability

We encourage you to apply for this program even if you have no OER experience because we provide the necessary training. If you are selected to join this program, you will create a course OER that students will use as course materials instead of the traditional, paid textbook you've been using previously in your class. Your OER may include a textbook, lab manuals, interactive homework, and other materials your students use as learning tools. Your OER will not include tests, quizzes, or lectures. Your course OER must be at least 50% original content that you write, create, and develop. If you do not create 100% of the content, you can find, adapt, and use content that you are allowed to share with a Creative Commons license of CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.

If you are selected for this program, you agree to complete the following:

• Attend two training workshops 
  
• Create a course OER that is at least 50% original content (the other content must be shareable in the license described below)
  
• Share your OER with a Creative Commons license of CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
  
• Upload your OER to the Tennessee Open Education Hub in the OER Commons so others can use and reuse it for free
  
• Replace a traditional paid textbook with your OER into at least one course 
  
• Distribute the student survey
  
• Provide feedback at the end of the semester of the course using your OER

 

In exchange, your students save money, and you receive a $3000 discretionary fund to spend on professional development, work travel, summer pay, and student employment. If you team up with other faculty members to create a course OER together for the same course, your team's shared discretionary fund will be $5000.

Time Frame	Activity
September 2024 - November 4, 2024	Faculty submit proposals by November 4, 2024, to apply to the 2025-26 OER Program
End of November 2024	Review and selection of proposals; faculty applicants notified and recipients posted online
December 2024 - March 2025	Participating faculty attend OER training Participating faculty attend creation/upload training Participating faculty work with Amy and Sharon to created a detailed outline of their course OER
After training has been completed and before their OER course begins	Participating faculty receive ongoing support as needed Participating faculty create their course OER and post it (and receive their discretionary fund if the OER satisfies the program requirements) Participating faculty redesign their course as needed to incorporate their course OER
During the semester in which the faculty are teaching using their OER	Student survey administered in OER classes Participating faculty provide feedback on their experience

The following Fall 2025 classes and faculty have been selected to participate in this OER program:

The following Spring 2026 classes and faculty have been selected to participate in this OER program:

Data on course savings for the students will be posted here once the classes have started and enrollment numbers are finalized.

Fall 2025

Course	Professor	Sections	Enrollment	Textbook Costs*	Savings
TOTALS:

Student survey results will be posted once they have been processed.