Skip to main content

Open Educational Resources (OER)

OER in the time of COVID-19

compassThe COVID-19 pandemic has required a rapid response by educators to meet student needs. CSI has transitioned to mostly distance learning for the present and the physical library space is closed until further notice. 

Many instructors might find themselves looking for resources that are easily accessible and don't require an in-person visit to the library. Open Educational Resources (OER), are free and openly available instructional materials (including textbooks) that are born digital and available from anywhere with an internet connection.

This content is adapted from Open Oregon Educational Resources and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License

Upcoming OER events

Open Access Week: Oct 19-25, 2020

This year is the 10th annual Open Access Week, a global event organized by SPARC in which researchers and educators can come together to engage with Open Access together. his year's theme is “Open with Purpose: Taking Action to Build Structural Equity and Inclusion.” Here we will list the various events being held during OA Week.

  • Perspectives on Openness: Honouring Indigenous Ways of Knowing | Oct 20, 2020, 1 pm EST
    This panel offers an opportunity to encourage broader participation in conversations and actions around emerging scholarly communication issues and will center Indigenous approaches to open scholarship and research.
  • An Introduction to Open Access Publishing | Oct 23, 2020, 12 pm EST
    The pandemic has underscored the vital importance of barrier-free public accessibility of scholarly and pedagogical works. You need easier access to others’ works, and they need easier access to yours. Please join the Office of Library Services for a workshop covering the basics of open access publishing, what it is and how it started. You'll leave with practical tips for locating freely available research produced by others, as well as finding quality venues to share your own.

Other webinars and Conferences

  • Kansas Board of Regents webinars | Oct 1, Oct 26, and Dec 2
    The Kansas Board of Regents is hosting monthly webinars on OER topics. Free and open to anyone.
  • Open Education Conference | Nov 9-13, 2020
    The Open Education Conference is an annual convening for sharing and learning about open educational resources, open pedagogy, and open education initiatives. This year's theme is "Reimagining Open Education." Fee: $75 (student price: $25, scholarships available)

Open Educational Resources at CSI

CSI has implemented OER for selected sections in the Physics, Anthropology, Economics, Media Culture, Psychology, English, and Social Work, departments. For the 2019-20 academic year, students saved nearly $500,000 from using OER in place of traditional textbooks.

View the OER textbooks used in these courses.

Graphic showing student savings from OER. See description for details.

In 2019/20, CSI students in 7 departments saved nearly $500,000 in textbook costs with Open Educational Resources.

  • Physics
  • Anthropology
  • Economics
  • Media culture
  • Psychology
  • English
  • Social work