Open Educational Resources
Outstanding Unit

The COVID-19 pandemic and the transition to online teaching and learning have underscored the critical importance of open educational resources (OER). The MSU Libraries’ OER program has realized significant gains in its goals to advance affordability, access, equity, pedagogical innovation, and student success. Comparing Spring 2020 to Spring 2021, OER adoptions increased by 145%, and eight new OER titles were produced by MSU faculty. By Spring 2021, the Libraries’ OER program saved students an estimated 3.2 million dollars and impacted 32,306 students. The leadership of Regina Gong has been outstanding, essential, and impactful.  However, it also takes a village to create and publish OER materials that are high-quality, accessible, and interactive. Everyone involved has stepped up to OER work with enthusiasm and dedication, understanding their impact on students’ lives, especially those who are historically underrepresented. We’d like to recognize the publishing and layout expertise of Julie Taylor, the copy-editing work of Joshua Newman, and the accessibility work of Heidi Schroeder, Chandlee Marcyk-Taylor, Zoe McLaughlin, and the students of the Accessibility Unit. Andy Petersen has also co-facilitated the Open Pedagogy and Open Educational Practices Learning Community with Regina for the academic year 2020-2021 and continues for the academic year 2021-2022. This learning community provides a space for educators creating and using OER to re-examine how open pedagogy can be a vehicle for the co-creation of knowledge with students and foster more profound engagement with their courses.

Open Educational Resources

• Regina Gong
• Chandlee Marcyk-Taylor
• Zoe McLaughlin
• Joshua Newman
• Andrew Petersen
• Heidi Schroeder
• Julie Taylor
• Arlene Weismantel
• Students of the Accessibility Unit